Gary’s 2009 Coast-the Coast 170 Mile MS Bike Ride Recap

To 2009 MS Sponsors and Friends:

The MS Coast-the-Coast 170 Mile Bike Tour (May 16-17) was a great success!  This recap is one of the ways that I extend a special Thank You for your help.  I sincerely appreciate the donations and support from each of you.  My goal this year is $4,000 and as of this writing, I have raised $3,300.  Last year I raised $3,800.  Contributions are welcome through July 3.  Contribute online (direct link is:  http://tinyurl.com/msgary), or mail your check (made out to MS Society) to me at:  Gary Verhoorn, 308 Blackpoint Rd, Neshanic Station, NJ  08853.

Remember, every dollar you donate will be matched 50%.  How many times do you get an opportunity to add 50% to your donated help?  I will separately acknowledge every donation in the coming weeks.

The weekend was a successful battle in the fight against Multiple Sclerosis and you should be proud to be involved.  The theme this year was, “Bike to Create a World Free of MS.”  The dollars and the publicity we generate help fight this disease.  There were an estimated 500 who participated in the two-day ride and over a thousand who participated in some shorter, one-day rides on Saturday, May 16.  See “Fun Facts” at the end of this.

Our Team is known as the “Central Jersey Multi-Sport Club.”  We had a record number (seven) on the Team:  Caroline, Dale, Dave, Kevin, myself (all for both days, 170 miles total), and Jody and Ali for the one-day, 85 mile event. 

Training had been difficult during the cold, wet Spring and we were not as well prepared as we had hoped, but our spirits were high!  Best prepared was Dave (Simon’s brother, if you know Simon).  Dale and Jody were also well prepared; both women had done several long rides.  Caroline & Kevin had also trained well.  Ali & I were least prepared. 

Back to the ride.  MG (my spouse) had helped me pack Friday night.  Dave met me at 5:15 am, and we picked up Kevin at 5:30 am.  Caroline and Dale had stayed the night in Dale’s cottage outside Long Beach Island and were meeting us at the departure spot at Monmouth University in W Long Branch.  Ali & Jody met us near I-287.  We arrived at the University by 7 am, hooked up with Dale & Caroline, checked in and handed in our gear, to be transported to our Saturday overnight stop.  A bus would bring us back from Cape May on Sunday.

Officially, the ride was to begin at 8 am.  We actually started about 8:10 am with the rest of the crowd.  Of note this year is that Kevin actually had bike clothes on.  “Mr Cotton” had purchased real bike stuff and was ready to take on the world in Spandex!  

The weather that morning started OK.  Cool (50?), cloudy to sunny, light winds at first, but it soon turned into gusty, strong crosswinds.  We stopped at each rest stop to stretch and refuel.  Typically, we would start together, then break into two groups.  David, Jody and Dale led the lead pack, while Kevin, Caroline & I were in the chase pack.  Ali was doing his own ride, but we gathered at the rest stops.  Sue L. met us in Asbury Park and took pictures and wished us well.  I’ll bet she does it next year.

Somewhere around Asbury, two younger riders (Brian and Matt, twenty-somethings) asked if they could join in our pack.  It was their first long ride and I guess we seemed more experienced so they became informal Central Jersey Multi-Sport Club members.  Of course, we are all informal.  I guess the CJMSC could be considered a sub-set of the also informal “Somerset Runners.”

The wind and Ali continued to buffet us.  Sometimes, I think the wind was easier to take than Ali.  He was clearly fading and by the time we stopped for lunch, was predicting a “sag wagon finish.”  There was a legally blind rider (he had a sign on his bike, “Blind Rider,” ya can’t make this up!)  At one point, “directionally challenged” Ali was following him closely and I tried for a picture.  Didn’t happen, but use your imagination.  “Blind leading the blind.”

Ali called for the sag wagon after 65 miles.  He was in rare form – cursing out officials, fellow riders and swearing “never to do this ##**%%## ride again.  We’ll miss you, Ali.

We arrived at the Pinelands Middle School in Tuckerton (end point of Day One) around 4:30 pm, with Dale, David and Jody leading.  Kevin, Caroline and I arrived a bit later, and Ali and the sag wagon, arrived even later.

This year, we had the luxury of sleeping at Dale’s cottage as opposed to the wrestling mats on the gym floor.  After a quick shower (I forgot to pack a towel, but sharing with one’s teammates is fun!), we headed for the Ride Dinner (very good) at the Tuckerton Seaport before heading for the cottage.

Oh, I almost forgot the massages!  We signed up for 15 minute massages when we arrived.  Let just say the level of expertise was extremely variable.  There was “Jeff the Jostler,”  “Igor the Giant” and then “Mindy the Maiden.”  Mindy (not her real name) was good, but proved too much distraction, especially for David, who was with Jeff the Jostler.  David could not take his eyes off her (remember, he is Simon’s brother) and vowed to look for her if she was at Cape May.  Caroline got Igor and Jody and I were with The Jostler.  I think Kevin opted out.  Apparently the Spandex (which he loved) was keeping him in good shape.

At dinner, we met “Rose the Talker.”  She suddenly appeared, uninvited, at our table and would not shut up!  A grandmother, she bragged about how much time she was in the sag wagon or ambulance already.  This woman was so annoying we wished Ali had not already left for the bus back to Monmouth University!

We were off to Dale’s for a good night’s rest and breakfast (thanks, Dale).  Then we started day two as the rain began.  Folks, it rained (cold rain, by the way) for the next five hours!  We were so cold that at lunch, the EMT’s were taking temperatures.  Dale was out!  She couldn’t get warm and did the sensible thing - the sag bus to Cape May.

After lunch, the rain stopped and the temps warmed up to 60.  We got to Cape May and had a quick food fest before heading back on the buses to the University.  We hooked up with Dale (recovered by now) before she took a bus back to Tuckerton and her car.  We made good time on our bus and got back to Monmouth U by 8:00 pm and home by 9:30 or so.  Check out the Fun Facts below for more!

Some Fun Facts From Gary

Day One:  85 miles, average 13.4 mph.  Windy, sunny.  David fell twice and Jody fell once.  No lasting damage to bikes or riders.  Ali sagged at 65 miles.

Day Two:  85.miles, average 14.3 mph.  Rainy, cold.  Four flats.  Gary (2) Dale (1) Dave (new tire).  Dale sagged at lunch.  Kevin vows to “always wear Spandex.”

Other:  Except for Ali, all of us, including our two young friends, have already signed up for next year!  We hope to avoid Igor the Giant, Jeff the Jostler and Rose the Talker!

Bless everyone for your help.  We won a victory against MS during the weekend!

Written by Gary May 22, 2009–to be sent to all who contributed in any way–or may contribute.  http://tinyurl.com/msgary   Donations accepted thru July 3, 2009.