MS 150 Bike to The Beach

MS 150 Bike to The Beach: 

MS 150 Bike to The Beach 2008

This was the Goal, All we thought about. We were going to ride for two days to conquer the bridge.: 

This was the Goal, All we thought about. We were going to ride for two days to conquer the bridge.

Day One….: 

Day One….

On the Road….taking a break: 

On the Road….taking a break

Slide7: 

Lunch Time….

Slide8: 

Back on The Road….

Next Stop Beeville….96 miles to end the first day.: 

Next Stop Beeville….96 miles to end the first day.

Finally Some Rest….: 

Finally Some Rest…. Time to sleep in the Tent….

Day Two…. 4:45 already??: 

Day Two…. 4:45 already??

7:30 time to start peddling…: 

7:30 time to start peddling…

Lunch time Day two…TROUBLE.: 

Lunch time Day two…TROUBLE. Riding into Sinton….a spoke breaks on the back wheel of my bike. LUCKILY these guys have everything they need to get it fixed, but it takes over an hour….

Fixed…lets go only 30 or so miles…..: 

Fixed…lets go only 30 or so miles….. That break down put us behind….toward the end of the pack, but that’s OK. We’re still rolling.

Slide16: 

Here comes the wind…20 mph head winds trying to blow us off the road….it was no joke. It was tough to keep the bikes straight. We started crawling at about 7-9 mph…..but its ok, we were still rolling…..

The next to last rest stop, only about 16 miles…to the Harbor Bridge…there aren’t many riders left. We’re both tired and my son is struggling with leg pain…: 

The next to last rest stop, only about 16 miles…to the Harbor Bridge…there aren’t many riders left. We’re both tired and my son is struggling with leg pain…

As we leave this rest stop we decide that my wife should head to the finish line….after all we would be there soon. This way she can get a good spot to take pictures of us crossing the finish line. : 

As we leave this rest stop we decide that my wife should head to the finish line….after all we would be there soon. This way she can get a good spot to take pictures of us crossing the finish line. About six miles from this point, I hear a pop and my rear tire goes flat. Not a big deal, I carry spare inner tubes and was able to change it out in Nascar time..

We get to the last rest stop, 8 miles from the finish line. We stop to get a quick snack and prepare for victory, we were about to accomplish together something very special. Two days of intense cycling, rough roads, very windy conditions, heat, hills, we were almost there.: 

We get to the last rest stop, 8 miles from the finish line. We stop to get a quick snack and prepare for victory, we were about to accomplish together something very special. Two days of intense cycling, rough roads, very windy conditions, heat, hills, we were almost there.

Slide20: 

As we leave the last stop, I notice my tire is flat again. ??? I air it up and hope that it lasts 8 miles. It doesn’t. Its flat. In a panic I pull out my last inner tube and rush to change it. Its then that I realize that its not the tube, it’s the actual tire. I CAN’T FIX IT. A Support vehicle shows up and I ask, practically beg to get a support bike shop to come help me. It’s too late, with the issues id had with my bike we got behind. We were the last two on the course. All support had left for the day….

I was not going to be able to continue. I was going to have to get in the van and be driven the 8 miles to the finish line…: 

I was not going to be able to continue. I was going to have to get in the van and be driven the 8 miles to the finish line… I asked my son….can you finish?? Its 8 miles. I told him he could do it. He looked scared, he was already exhausted, he was in pain and now I was asking him to finish the ride by himself. He said…..

Yes Dad, I can do it….: 

Yes Dad, I can do it…. As I put my bike in the back of the van, he rode off . I can not express the frustration, the emotional pain I was feeling. This was my sixth bike to the beach and never was I not able to finish, for any reason. This time it wasn’t about me though. We drove past him in the van and I shouted to him….. ”YOU CAN DO IT SON, DON’T GIVE UP” He later confessed to me that his emotions had gotten to him. Not because he was afraid, he did not want to leave me behind.

He rode in tears toward the bridge we wanted to conquer together.: 

He rode in tears toward the bridge we wanted to conquer together. The van brought me to the other side of the bridge. As we rode over I wondered how he would do it without me encouraging him as I had been the two days of our journey….i wondered if he would make it.

My frustration got the best of me…: 

My frustration got the best of me…

Well Guess What??: 

Well Guess What??

He Finished….: 

He Finished….

Ladies and Gentlemen….This is my 11 Year old Son, Geronimo Sabat IV: 

Ladies and Gentlemen….This is my 11 Year old Son, Geronimo Sabat IV

Slide31: 

This is my Hero……