For Roma

[Diane Amberg]

So the adventure continues. It sounds like you are doing just fine. Keep up the good work!

[Roma Jean Turner]

Today was the Celebrate Life Ride.  I did the 25 mile ride.  We lest at 7:30 this morning, probably about 300 riders.  It was just a beautiful ride.  Fog over the valley and a nice cool day.  Even though the route was very hilly and I walked a few hills it was less tiring because it was much cooler than last weekends ride.  The first drops of rain started as I was getting back to base.  Of course there was food waiting.  I came home, soaked in a hot tub of salts and went back to bed and slept for four hours.

Wish me good luck on the Big Dance next weekend.  I sure hope the route to Joplin is flatter than the last two rides have been.

[Diane Amberg]

Congratulations on your 25 mile ride. It sounds like you are ready for the big one. I look forward to hearing about it.

[sixdogsmom]

Good work Roma! We're proud of you! 

[Teresa]

Remind me to NOT get in an Indian Leg Flipping Match with you.   

Good job girl.

[Roma Jean Turner]

Thanks.  My legs are really my weakness right now on all these Ozark hills.  I will be really working on leg strengthening all winter.  I hope the routes this weekend are not just constant hills like the last two Saturdays, or I will have to get shuttled at least part of the way to Joplin and back because I can't imagine doing 80 miles a day of those.  There will be rest stops every ten miles and I hope at least part of the way will be realitively flat. I'll keep you all posted.

[Roma Jean Turner]

Update on the MS Ride this weekend.  We left at 7:00am from the little town of Clever, MO not far from Springfield.  (I think Tobina and I like the same hours, because these morning things really get to me).  Anyway, 2-3 miles after Rest stop 2 I got really tired and took a lift to Rest stop 3.  I still didn't feel very strong, had them take me on to Reststop 4 which was lunch in the little town of Freistaat.  I guess by then all of my supplements kicked in and I woke up and was able to do the rest of the ride.  The trip up was 77 miles and I rode 61 miles.  The most I had ridden at a time before that was 26miles, so I consider this ride to be a real win.  We rode a lot of the way in the rain, but it was a very mild rain and felt really, really go. I rode acros the finish line just a few minutes before the big rain started.
     The ride home today was canceled because of the wind and water damage on the back roads.  I have to admit it was a relief, it would have been a long, chilly ride home, because any loose stuff on the road can really cause flat tires not to mention falls.  They only had two old school buses and one minivan which they had hired to shuttle us in Joplin, to go back and forth to get us home.  They got FedEx trucks to load up our bicycles and luggage.  Thank God for my good friend Marcia who jumped in the car and drove to Joplin to get me so I didn't have to take several hours to get home.  Thanks for everyone's support.  Next year I will be faster, stronger and ride further.

[greatguns]

Wow!  Congratulations!  What a feat.  I can't even imagine doing that.

[Diane Amberg]

Congratulations!!! I saw all that rain on the weather, so I wondered how you were doing. I am so proud of you.

[flo]

High Fives to you Roma.  Job well done.  I have a brother-in-law fighting MS and has for almost 30 years.  He is down to barely being able to walk at this time.  My son-in-law has a sister with MS and her's is a "fast moving" type.  Thanks so much, not only were you riding for MS as a whole, but  I feel you were riding for John and Jeanette.