I’m not sure how many times I’ve ridden in the annual bicycle ride benefitting MS research. More than ten. I think. Maybe. I just know that I rode MS150 for the first time in 2001. Maybe. Could have been ‘02 or ‘03. I don’t remember. But there are things I do remember.
I remember not knowing or caring what MS was. I had no idea, I just wanted to ride my bike and a friend invited me to join him so I did. I met Matt Dobson that year. He was the only person I’d ever met who had MS. My daughters knew and loved him, since he had been their teacher. I also remember that the wind was hard in our face all day on Saturday. Tulsa to Camp Gruber, about seventy-five miles into a stiff headwind. The next morning we got up to ride home, and much to our disappointment, the wind had shifted and would be in our face the entire ride home. Must not be living right.
Another thing I remember from that year is a sign someone was holding that Sunday back in ‘01. Or ‘02 or whatever. It was at the top of a steep climb, a scorching hot wind in my face, my legs like rubber, my whole body hurt. And a kid was holding up a sign that said, “Now you know how people with MS feel.” I had no idea how true that sign was.
BikeMS Oklahoma is this weekend, and I’ll be riding in it once again. And to my great surprise and delight, the wind shift predicted by the weatherman at the Weather Channel will work to our favor. Tailwind riding to Bartlesville on Saturday. An overnight wind shift, and a tailwind riding back to Tulsa on Sunday. Could it be? I sure hope so.
Have you contributed to the MS Society yet? If not, would you consider sponsoring me for this weekend? I would so appreciate it!
Out Here in the Middle 