MS Blows--Really

OK, now a step back from the melodrama. Sorry 'bout that.

We roll out tomorrow for the BP MS150, which is good because if we rolled out today, we'd likely have a 15+ mph headwind in our face. The front that rolled through last night has interrupted the prevailing winds that usually blow us across the Katy Prairie into Belville and beyond.

Rolling out tomorrow, we're likely to have crosswinds of 15+ mph. But weather.com has been known to lie.

Like a rug.

About wind.

Based upon weather.com's past record of performance, I think we can count on being blown off our bikes with a special wind we have down here in Texas. It blows about 15 mph while not gusting to 30 mph. It comes from every direction at once and singles out cyclists. Native Americans named it, "the Wind of Many Names" but after contact with European civilization it very quickly became known by its English iterations, most of which are words of four letters, the best of which rhymes with "Duck."

Of course, I won't be alone. The BP MS 150 is the largest charity bike ride in the country--involving 12,000 cyclists riding from Houston to Austin over 2 days and raising $14 million dollars to fight MS. So, I'll have 12,000 of my closest friends with me, many of them riding for the first year and straggling all over the road in the cross winds.

But truly, I won't be alone. Combining my online total with offline pledges, I have raised ALMOST NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS so far. And of course there's still time to DONATE!! Each of you that have donated are definitely riding along in spirit. I am so touched by the comments and the donations.

But there is a special, celebrity blogger who is here with me in person. The official bestest friend of the Greyhound clan and Superounce's adopted big sister, the International Triathlete of Mystery, Curly Su, is riding with me, and we're doing it the Ironman way. Instead of stopping at La Grange for the traditional overnight, we thought we'd get in a decent training ride. Hardly worth getting on the bike if you're not going at least 120 miles

in the wind.

I wonder if C-Su will let me draft?

So we're riding to Bastrop on the first day and meeting the Greyhound clan at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort, 'cause that's how I roll. You get at least four stars if you ride with me. There will be much Lazy River-ing by the Superpounce, and probably some spa treatments for the ladies. On Sunday, we jump on the bikes for a couple hours, ride on to Town Lake in Austin where we will run off the bike with a certain Little Miss who has Runner Pants.

It's going to be a fantastic weekend!!!