Ok, race day… I hope I don’t get a flat

Where are my gloves, shoot , I forgot my cycling socks, thanks Howie, oh wait here they are.

Everyone is waiting for me again, a butler would be a good idea next trip

I hope I don’t get a flat

Unbelievable they really are putting us in front of everyone else, this is embarrassing.

Their looking right through us, two women, I wonder how good they are. Nice bikes. reporter taking photos of us. They think we can ride, they think I can ride!

We are going to get run over, move to the side? No that would be humiliating. How about moving to the side like parting waters and letting the torrent go by? That might work, no consensus, I guess we are riding. I’ll get to the side but pedal as hard as I can

Oh! 10, 5 , 3, 2, 1 wow! Pedal, pedal, pedal, get to the side. Why is that rider making the sign of the cross? I should be making the sign of the cross!

Markham, get to the side, get to the side!!

Wow, I thought I was as far over as I could go and that guy just passed me on right!

Where’s he going? Shit we are packed, where’s he going, where’s he going. There’s no room bozo!

I cannot believe we are going so fast on the cobbles.

I hope I don’t get a flat

This is unf____ing believable, I am in the middle of the front of the pack.

Finally , end of cobbles, smell of brakes, whoah, who let that car on this road?

I wonder what all these Italians are saying? Talkative bunch. Pretty view of that mountain, cool, right along the ocean

I am going 26 mph and people are passing me like I am standing still

That guys is drifting left, those guys are trying to get by him, he is going to hit them, wake up bozo, bang I knew it, wait that is Todd, you tell him Todd!

I cannot believe I am still with the pack, when is the first hill?

Hey  Charles, he is two feet higher than anyone else.

This hill isn’t so bad, I am keeping up, well , not really, I am keeping up with these people though, well, not really, yes these people are going my speed

I hope I don’t get a flat

Wow, look how far ahead those guys are

First hour, 20.4 mph! I am way ahead of required time, I can do the full ride

Hey Bill , yes, I am enjoying it but why would you ask that?

There is the turn off for the medio, nah, I am going for it, two friends splitting up saying goodbye to each other

Amazing I don’t see anyone else, I hope I am going the right way

I hope I don’t get a flat

Amazing I don’t see anyone else, I hope I am going the right way

I hope I don’t get a flat

Pretty countryside, glad I did the long route,

I hope I am going the right way

Ah wait there is guy with a flag, I am going the right way, I can’t be the last one can i?

This is where the hill is suppose to start, I wonder where it is

Ahh, here is the hill, that really was not a big deal

Cool how they just hand you the water and you don’t have to stop

I bet I can bike with no hands and pour this water into my water bottle, just toss it there , everyone else has

Oh, this is the big hill, there are some guys behind me , I guess I am not the last one.

If I got a flat here they could help me

They are as old as I am

Looks like he is not in the race and just happens to be biking the route

Finally the top, that is the guy that was speaking to Nel yesterday

Bananas will be fine, glad I brought some food of my own

Long downhill yeah, passing him , passing her, passing him, why is that guy waving that flag, oh that is the turn Nel mentioned

Why is that guy waving a flag, another turn? Nel said there was one

Another flag?

Boy this downhill feels good

I caught up with that group of Italians again, I can keep up, yes, I am behind you, yes, I am behind you, why do you keep looking back, do you have a problem with me drafting off you guys? It is no sweat off your back. I wonder what Mateoni is?

Damn, cannot keep up with them on this hill, let it go, you only have 15 miles to go

I hope I don’t get a flat this late

I am going to make this in about 5 ½ hours, not bad for me

Is that Recanati? Is that Recanati, I don’t see that duomo, oh wait that was in Loretta, that might be Recanati

Another water stop, I have plenty, that is the other guy Nel was talking to. Organizers are all manning the water stops. This is really a special local event

Is that Recanati, it must be

I hope I don’t get flat this late

Minor hill into town, very quiet, there is the finish

Well that is that, I wonder where everyone is?