Rockwell Relay Pamperfest

Last Saturday was my first ever Rockwell Relay Pamperfest ride... it was a BLAST! I am so proud of my family and the awesome event that they put on. It started at Snow Basin and went through the back roads ending in Soldier Hollow. Pictured above was my rockin' team - Heather Torres, me, Julie Van Zweden, and Jenny Quick (Heather's cousin). I have to admit that I was a bit nervous for us, not a whole lot of training was done amongst us. But to my pleasant surprise, we did awesome!

We had to come up with a team name. I have always hated this part of organized teams, the dreaded team name! I maybe have one creative bone in my body...but it's small. So I gave Paul the honor of naming us and within 2.5 minutes he came up with...

KEEPING UP WITH THE BIKEDASHIANS

...so I went with it. I had never seen the show and I thought my team would think it was super lame, but I wasn't going to be coming up with anything better. Plus, it kinda grew on me :)

Each rider had two legs. Mine were Leg 2 (Trappers Loop) and Leg 6 (Smith and Morehouse). I was terrified of doing Trappers. I am weirdly better at hills than straights (I think it has something to do with starting out a mountain biker), which is why I took this leg, but it was about 4 miles straight up hill! Day of the race, once I was on the bike and actually riding, Trappers really wasn't that bad! It was the 20 miles after that I should have been worried about!! It was mostly flat and I am terrible on flats. But I made it and passed the baton off and could luckily rest a few hours till my next ride.

It was my turn again to go "up and back" on Leg 6. When I started I was expecting a 20 mile round-trip ride. Another rider I was kinda playing tag-team with told me it was 26 miles, I almost died right there. But it turned out we were both wrong, it was 23.8 miles. There was a pretty strong wind the whole way up which was a killer. I thought it would be a breeze once I turned around, it was all down hill and now the wind would be pushing me. But, literality half a mile after I hit the top, I hear crazy-loud thunder and it just starts pouring! I could feel every inch of me soaking up water, it felt like I had just jumped into a pool. I started seeing all the support vehicles blazing up the road (support vehicles weren't allowed on this leg) and I was wondering what was up!? I saw a bunch of ladies hop off their bikes and into the cars. I knew I had to decide what I was going to do before I saw my team.

I was in it for the ride, I would have been SO bummed if I would have given up just from a little rain. So when I saw my team, I just waved them on by. My eye was totally burning from the sweaty water constantly dripping into it. I actually had the thought, "I don't want to rub it because I will smear my mascara." Haha, how lame am I? Then I decided, "Who cares!" I was surrounded by women and their not going to think twice about my blackened mascara eye. So I rubbed away...

It was a huge relief to pass the baton again and know I didn't have to get on a bike again! So after a few more Legs and hours, our team made it! With a whopping time of 11 hours and 50 minutes!! I know I should maybe keep that to myself, but I will never remember the time I need to beat next year :)

Paul, along with some Salt of the Earth helpers, SAVED the day. The spa that was signed up for months to come "pamper" at the exchanges and at the finish line bailed the night before! Paul got everything together to give hand and arm massages, complete with a cool eucalyptus wash, whipped body creme massage, and fire & ice soothing treatment. He is the greatest!!