LOTOJA

The name of the race is short for its starting and finishing locations short for LOgan TO JAckson.

It is 206 miles long.
It takes most riders the entire day.
It happens every year the 2nd weekend in September.
It is the longest one day USCF-sanctioned bicycle race in the country.

Not to bury the lead or anything so here is the big news....

Spencer did LOTOJA!!!

And I did LOTOJA as a support crew!

With such a long race the cyclists have to constantly be eating and drinking.  Being support crew was no easy task (but lets face it, riding 206 miles is much harder than driving 206 miles) I had to make it to five feed zone stops.  I had to make sure I had the right food for the right stops.  I had to fight traffic in middle of NO WHERE Idaho.  I had to battle my way to the front of the lines to feed Spencer.  But lets remember that I didn't have to climb up three mountain passes using the power of my thighs!  (Go Spencer!)

Before we attended the LOTOJA information - which was both informative AND humorous - I had incorrect ideas about what my duties would be as a support vehicle.

This is what I thought:  I'd park the car somewhere in the designated little towns.  I'd text Spencer my location and he would come find me.  We'd both have a nice snack together hanging out by the  car and do some chatting before he rode back to the Race.  Repeat.  Repeat.  Repeat. Repeat.

This is how it really was:  I had to find a parking spot 10 blocks away and then haul in all the food (amazing how heavy peanut butter and honey sandwiches can get) to the feed zone.  I had to wait between feed zone 7 and 8 watching the bikers race past.  I was constantly worried that I had missed Spencer and he had had to ride on to the next stage with out any food.  Once he got to the feed zones there was no leisurely chatting.  I had to pre-open all of the granola bars, bananas, etc.  I handed him his goodies and then 2 min later he was flying down the road.  again and again and again.

He crossed the finish line in a little over 10 hours (not bad for a first time guy)

I have very overly zealous tear ducts.  You can imagine what happened when he raced across the finish line.

What a great race!  I want to do it myself next year!  Anyone want to drive our support vehicle?

Good job Spencer!