Saturday, August 23, 2014
Wichita Falls, Texas
My husband, Randall participated in this past weekend in the “Hotter’n Hell Hundred” Bicycle Ride, in Wichita Falls, Texas. This is the 33rd year for the ride. The temperature was to be around 105 degrees Fahrenhei
t. The ride was started to celebrate Wichita Falls Centennial, 100 miles in 100 degree heat celebrating 100 years.
There was 7,137 participants, 5,504 men and 1,633 women participating in the various distances. This year there was a lady who is 82 years old, and has rode in all 33 years!
We got up bright and early and headed to out to the starting point, at 5am. Randall 
had purchased us breakfast, and it was a nice time for him and I to talk and spend a little time alone without William and Precious. I had been in Kansas City visiting family with William and our 13 week old puppy Precious. They stayed in the car and slept. There was a lot of people that had slept in the parking lot in the back of trucks, vans, or in tents on the ground.
Well it was getting close to 7am, when Randall’s group was to start out, the 
“Hopefuls”, the group that “hoped” it could make it the full 100 miles. Several people stopped to look at Precious, and one lady asked if she could pet her for good luck, as she had to leave her dog at home for the day. Well Randall was off to a great start, but by the time he got to the first rest stop he had already had two, yes two flat tires. He called and asked me to get him two new tubes and a new tire, and was hoping he could make it to “Hell’s gate” by noon (requirement of the ride to finish the 100 miles.) I was luck and found someone open that early in the morning, and got the tubes and tires and headed out to find him at rest stop two on the 100 mile trail.
It appears that after the first rest stop, he zigged when he should have zagged. He said he was “following the others”, and ended up getting off the 100 mile trail and onto the 50 mile trail. William and I both think he did it on purpose, because there is no way he did not see all the signs that we telling him which way to go on the “50 mile trail”. Oh well, after William and I went hunting around the 100 mile trail for Randall, he called to tell us he was on the wrong trail, so we back tracked along all the riders. We finally caught up with him at the last stop of the 50 mile trail.
It was 
nice and hot, and there was a lot of people at the rest stop taking breaks, getting drinks, and just getting encouragement to continue for the last 10 or so miles. We visited for a few minutes while Randall took a break. 
Then we watched as he headed on out of the rest stop, and we went ahead to the starting/finishing line.
Precious was driving, well Precious and I were driving to the finish line. When we got there were w
alked around a little before we headed to the finish line, as we figured we still had a while to wait. Everyone loved Precious, they were asking to pet her, and what her name was, and they all loved her. I wanted her to not be scared of strangers (like her parents are), and I think she will do fine, as she was happy to be petted by anyone that wanted to pet her.
So William, Precious and I found the finish line, and we were waiting in the sun, and watching to see Randall coming across the finish line. They were announcing who was coming across the finish line, and sometimes just 
the city they came from. There were a lot of people that came from Missouri to ride. It was neat hearing where everyone was from. Several would bounce their bikes up and down as they crossed the finish line. We had moved up to the side of the finish line, and when I saw Randall, I ran to the end, so I could get a picture of him crossing the finish line. You could see he was tired and glad to be finished.
MS150 Springfield, Missouri – September 6-7, 2014
Well, that’s 50 miles down, and that ride was to get him prepared for the ride next weekend, September 6-7 in Springfield, Missouri, for the MS150. His plan is to ride not only the century loop on Saturday, but also on Sunday as well. This is the last year that they will be doing the two century loops. We will be heading up North on Friday for the ride. I will be praying that he will be able to complete not only one century loop, but two. It has been two years since he did the MS150 in San Antonio, and he did the Century loop there, but was so tired.
Randall is still looking for donations to for the MS150, he has to raise at least $200 to ride. Please help him, even a $1.00 will help him get towards the goal. You can make an online donation at http://bit.ly/1sR3bq9 .
See you after the MS150!
More Pictures from the Hotter’n Hell Hundred
Lisa's Quilting Passion 