Lauren ~ Day 26 ~Shoshoni to Dubois, Wyoming

Just got off the phone with Lauren, and she and the crew are at the Whiskey Creek Saloon (perhaps named for the the nearby Whiskey Mountain) in Dubois, Wyoming; "probably going to have BBQ for dinner, then turn in as soon as I can; pretty tired" she told me. Said that compared to her comical experience in Medicine Bow, the town of Dubois is quite a bit larger, and they will be spending the night at the Dubois Elementary/Middle School; nice place from what I hear. ; )

Dubois is a small ranching town with a population of about 900 people or so and sits along the Wind River. Lauren said they rode through the Redrock Canyons coming in to Dubois; I believe they are to the east of the town. She said the ride was a hard one, but a good one; "riding through the canyons was absolutely beautiful", she claimed. The ride today was 96.0 miles; their third day in a row of 90+ mile rides. Tomorrow they will have a shorter ride, but she said it's pretty much uphill most of the way. They will be heading to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming; a ride consisting of 66.0 miles. More updates to follow, and as I talk with her!

Remember Lauren~~~ride hard, ride fast, remember those for who you ride, and may the moon tuck you in with a smile on your face. See you in Alaska! ; )

Love you much ~ Mom

It's All In The Eyes Of The Beholder ~ Medicine Bow, Wyoming

Spoke w/ Lauren last night, and our conversation turned out to be quite comical! Seems as though she and the Rockies crew pulled in to Medicine Bow, Wyoming late yesterday afternoon. To give you a better understanding of the "style" of town I'm talking about, the whole town is only about 8 blocks long if even that, and the population I believe is around 300; if you have ever been through or have seen pictures of Medicine Bow, it is like a western town that time forgot.

So, after getting settled at the Medicine Bow Community Church and being greeted by their hostess who later on I found out per Lauren, "she seemed to be the only normal person around", the crew was informed per this local "adament odd character of a preacher" that they (the crew) would give their presentation after the church service. Now you have to understand that the Texas 4000 Rockies riders have been gracing this little town for the past 4 years during their rides, and have never been met with such an odd, and almost overbearing kind of person that this local "adament odd character of a preacher" seemed to be! According to Lauren, he and his congregation put on a service of pure fire and brimstone preaching, and that I do believe my Lauren was taken aback quite a bit! I have to laugh at this, but in no way to I mean to offend any one of the the many people who attend these services. Now, this is where it turns a little more on the "not so nice side of things"; this local "adament odd character of a preacher" told the riders to "lay down their bikes", that they were "riding for the wrong reasons and should stop what they are doing..." so on and so forth. Lauren and a few of the others started getting very uncomfortable with this, and needless to say were glad to "get the heck outta there"! She said it was "pretty wierd to say the least"!

And now comes the funny part...a few of the riders, my daughter being one of them, decided to venture over to the local saloon. I have a feeling she was talking about the saloon in the old Virginian Hotel; named after the book and the movie starring Gary Cooper as the Virginian. After they scoped the place out, saw some of the "local characters", finding a table and ordering a few drinks (of what, I didn't ask), my daughter, who was born and raised in a big city, and has never seen the "farm side of life", looked up to see of all things coming through the saloon doorway, a goat. Yes, you read right, a goat! According to the "lady behind the bar", seems as though Medicine Bow has a town goat that wanders in and out of the saloon at his leisure! Lauren said that after what they had been through earlier, the goat was the topper of the evening and several good hearty laughs were shared by all! ; )

They were off early this morning for a 92.0 mile ride to Casper, Wyoming. I haven't spoken with her, so I'm hoping that they arrived safely, and are on their way to peaceful slumbers.

Ride hard, ride fast, remember those for who you ride and may the moon tuck you in with a smile on your face.

See you in Alaska!

Lauren ~ Day 23 ~ Laramie to Medicine Bow, WY.

Lauren and the TK 4000 Rockies Crew are riding in to Medicine Bow Wyoming from Laramie today; a ride of 58.0 miles. I have been to Wyoming on a couple of occasions, and personally, I love the wide open ranges and rolling hills it has to offer. There is something about being out in the open vastness that make us realize how small we truly are! Here are some interesting facts about Medicine Bow...

Climate and Locality

Medicine Bow is located at the junction of Hwy. 30and487. It is the setting for Owen Wister's book, The Virginian, and the home of the Virginian Hotel. The town is located at an elevation of 6563 ft.; more than a mile above sea level. Here is what that means...

*Baked good need a little less liquid or a little more flour. Yeast really rises!

*Boiled foods take a tad longer to cook

*Produced ripens differently

*You exhale twice as much moisture as at sea level, which means you need to drink more water

*You sunburn a little more easily; the atmosphere is thinner, and more sun rays come through

*Medicine Bow is higher than the "mile high city"

*Higher and more persisten winds linger almost year 'round

*Shorter growing season for gardens

*The land in Medicine Bow is shaped by the wind, and the rolling hills have the shapes of sand dunes

*Winds blow daily from mid-September to mid-May, sometimes longer. The wind can be very hard in the winter. The people take pride that they get more wind than most places, and it does provide the power for the local wind farms

*Medicine Bow is the not the easiest place to live, but when things are easy, you miss alot of the fun

*The town covers about an area of 8 blocks long by about 6-7 blocks wide

More to come as I find out how their ride went later on this evening.

~K~

Lauren ~ Day 22 ~ Cheyenne to Laramie WY.

Talked to Lauren this evening; it was so good to hear her voice! ; ) She and the Rockies crew rode from Cheyenne to Laramie, WY. today; a ride of 67.0 miles, all in all a good ride with a few showers and some downward hills. She said they rode Happy Jack Road/Wyoming 210 in to Laramie; I believe I-80 connects the two cities quicker, but Happy Jack Road from what I hear has more scenery.

She is staying with a couple and their 2 year old; members of a congregation from one of the local churches. The church fed them dinner, and then they were able to stay with various host families; she has a very nice built-out "basement" (there's her favorite word again - lol) to herself complete with laundry room and her own bathroom. She informed me that there are a few things she has had to get used to; sleeping in basements, not having to use the air conditioner, and sleeping with the windows open at night! Must be nice to be in cooler weather!

Someone told her this evening that they should try and get as early a start in the morning because "it was going to warm up and get hot rather quickly". Her response was "how hot?", with a reply of "oh...well up in to the upper 80's or lower 90's"......she had to laugh. ; )

Well...sounds like she had a good ride and a wonderful day! Miss her much, and can't wait to see her!

Remember Lauren...ride hard, ride fast, and remember those for who you ride! We'll see you in Alaska!

Love ya ~ Mom

Lauren ~ Day 21 ~ Fort Collins, CO to Cheyenne, WY

I know, I know...it's been a few days since I last posted! That's what going to the seashore for a week will do for you! LOL

Was able to "talk" with Lauren via instant messenger on Facebook this evening. Said she is doing well, and absolutely loved, loved, loved Colorado, and cannot wait to see what Wyoming has in store!

Will post again tomorrow......until then, remember Lauren...ride hard, ride fast, and remember those for who you ride! We'll see you in Alaska!

Love ~ Mom

Lauren ~ Day 13 ~ Guymon, OK. to Springfield, CO.

Spoke w/ Lauren a few minutes ago, and if you can, give her a call or send her a text

(512-698-8155); she had a hard ride (a partial one) into Springfield, CO. today. I know she's tired, but broke down a little as she told me the ride was hilly, which wasn't too bad, but that they had a very strong wind against them the whole way today; her knee still has some tender points-the team physician told her it could be tendinitis issues and for her to make sure she stretches at night and in the morning before she rides, also to keep it iced down and take her anti-inflammatory. She'll be fine, I know she will, but I think it will help if she hears from others as they give her support! ; )

They are staying at Springfield High School, and will leave in the morning for Las Animas, CO. about an 84.0 mile ride. Said they received donated foods from one of the local pizza places, and I believe she said Italian also.

Up and off early to Las Animas, CO. Lauren - remember...ride hard, ride fast, and remember those for who you ride! See you in Alaska!

Love ~ Mom

Lauren ~ Day 12 ~ Beaver to Guymon, OK.

Lauren called this evening to let me know they had arrived in their last town of Oklahoma; said she was pretty glad about it. Seems as though Guymon is known for their pig farms and slaughterhouses......and from what I've read on the internet, this one particular slaughterhouse has been written up numerous times with violations, and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) calls them one of their biggest nemesis. Anyway, cruelty to animals, and listening to things Lauren saw as riding into town (making her want to become a vegetarian) aside, they made it safe and sound. She has seen two jack rabbits; one living and the other in a non-upright position (LOL), llamas, "which are really, really tall with big butts" (LOL). I also believe she and the others have seen more roadkill on this trek so far! Eeewwwwww! "We'll be getting up at 4:00 and heading out at 6:00", she says. Hopefully she will get some better rest as she and a few of the other girls were able to stay in the parsonage; the riders are staying at the Living Word Church, and supposedly they have "rolled out the red carpet for us."

She has requested that the only thing that be sent with me sister, when she meets her in Boulder, is money for a fleece jacket. Seems her North Face wasn't anywhere to be found before she left on the trip; she will have a much better selection up there, and it will save me some time running the roads trying to find one here.

Well Lauren, you are heading to a beautiful state tomorrow, and I think you will enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells much more than you have in this your last locale!
Remember Lauren, ride hard, ride fast and remember those for who you ride ~ we'll see you in Alaska!
Love - Mom

Lauren ~ Day 11 ~ Woodward to Beaver, OK.

Just got off the phone w/ "Wren" and they are in Beaver, OK., also known as "No-Man's Land" in the early history of the town, and are known for their annual Cow Chip Throwing Contest Championships held every 3rd weekend in April! LOL She sounds good, but tired. ; )

The ride was 83.0 miles, and she said they had really nice weather for riding; that was good to hear since they left Oklahoma City just a few days ago ahead of all of that flooding.

Got her goodie package Fed-Ex'd and out the door; it will arrive tomorrow and will be waiting on her when they roll in to Springfield on Thursday. Of course, Momma found other goodies to send to her besides her requested item; Gummi Bears, trail mix, a horn for her handlebars with a hot pink sixties style flower on it, and more crazy design bike socks. Will send more items with my sister when she travels up to Boulder, CO. to see her June 22nd. ; )

Lauren ~ Ride hard, ride fast, and remember those for who you ride. We'll see you in Alaska!

Love ~ Mom

Lauren ~ Day 10 ~ Watonga to Woodward, OK.

Spoke with Lauren this afternoon; she was playing "nursemaid" to one of the other girls who had taken a spill similar to what Lauren had done here before she left. It was Lauren's day to drive one of the support vehicles, so when this girl fell, Lauren drove her back to Watonga and the nearest hospital; all things turned out okay, and I believe she only had to have a few stitches and some rest time from her bike. Hope you're feeling better soon Kate!

Other than that, Lauren sounds good and excited; I think they are all running and riding on sheer adrenaline, as I've read they are up and going by 5:00 or 5:30 in the morning, and I bet their heads don't hit their pillows before 10:00!

Today's ride took them from Watonga to Woodward, Oklahoma, a ride of 72.0 miles. The weather was on their side today; cooler temperatures and mostly cloudy skies, a nice relief from some of the heat they have been riding in. They are spending the night at Woodward First United Methodist Church and were fed a variety of dinner salads, and peach cobbler a-la-mode! According to one young gentleman's blog, "We have been sleeping in churches for the majority of the time here in OK. To sum up alot of the interactions we have had with our hosts, I can tell you that God has blessed our team with amazing people who sacrifice a lot of time and work to feed us, and make us feel at home." Hoping they all have peaceful slumbers tonight. ; )

This same gentleman also posted on his blog...Some things to know if you are biking though OK:

1. The wind can be your best friend or your enemy from hell. Remember, OK. usually has a South wind...use it wisely.

2. Nice old ladies here can cook as good as the ones in Texas. They will also stuff you beyond belief too!

3. "Dude! There are armadillos here too?!?! AKA - Insane amounts of roadkill!"

4. OU's campus smells funny.

5. There is an insane amount of 18-wheelers here. Well, at least on 377 and 3.

6. The Native-American culture here is really interesting and I wish I had time to take it in more.

7. Sonic is very, very generous at donating!

8. The shoulders of the roads are all grated very deeply in the middle. You have to pick a side and stay with it. You will learn not to cross over because it creates a new definition to "vibrations".

9. Texas is always better, but know that you can find a Texas-sized heart in a lot of folks here.

Well said young man!

Lauren ~ Ride hard, ride fast, and remember those for who you ride! We'll see you in Alaska!

Love ~ Mom

Lauren ~ Day 9 ~ Oklahoma City to Watonga, OK.

Today's stats: Lauren and the Rockies crew rode from Oklahoma City to Watonga, OK. ~ 70.0 miles.

Just spoke with her, and she sounds great! ; ) They are staying at Watonga Christian Church; I had to laugh when she told me they are spending the night "in the basement"! Being the Texas diva she is, and being like her Momma, the mere mention of dark showers and/or musty basements, will send us running in the other direction! LOL Not to mention that we here in these neck of the woods just aren't used to basements! A big difference from where they were staying in Oklahoma City night before last and yesterday; Oklahoma Christian University in "really, really nice apartments with our own kitchens......" as she said! Oh, to see her face when she get to use the "facilities" at those national parks! LOL
Anyway, they had a hamburger dinner courtesy of the church's congregation, and being a preachers daughter, I can tell you first hand, those are probably some of the best meals she'll get on her trip; those church people can cook, and the warmth and hospitality they usually show goes above and beyond!
I don't have the picture yet, but said she found herself having a photo-op in one of the cornfields during one of their rest stops; pose is of her standing in the cornfield holding her bike above her; sounds pretty cool, and will post as soon as I can.

Good to hear your voice Lauren; we miss you and we love you! Ride hard, ride fast, and remember those for who you ride! We'll see you in Alaska!
Love ~ Mom

Lauren ~ Day 8 ~ Rest Day In Oklahoma City

Spoke w/ Lauren this afternoon; she actually called to talk to her sister; Liz and I were out to lunch and shopping, and Momma managed to get some "talk time" in as well!

After their 120 mile ride to Oklahoma City, they had the day off there; I believe they had a couple of presentations, and were taking the time to also wash, repack, and run other errands that they may need to do on their "day off".

She sounded good, and said she had ridden the whole way ~ yeah!!! Appears her knee may be starting to heal finally! Reminded me of her "goodie list" and added a few extras; assured her that it would arrive at their next mail drop in Springfield, CO., and would be waiting on her. ; )

The pictures I've added are recent, but not sure what town they were in; she is the one holding the "X" in the Texas photo (bandaged knee and all), and in the other photo, she is front row all the way to the right with the yellow headband/bandana; you should be able to click on the image to enlarge it. It was good to see her face, and hear her voice!

Lauren ~ ride hard, ride fast, and remember those for who you ride! We'll see you in Alaska!

Love ~ Mom

Day 6 ~ Lindsay, TX. to Ardmore, OK.

Received a call from Lauren this morning finally giving me her "list" of goodies to be sent; hot pink bike tape for wrapping her handlebars, Clif Shot-Bloks which replace her carbs and electrolytes during rides; strawberry flavor requested, and a leather-bound journal. I'm sure Momma will send some homemade brownies for her and the crew, and anything else I can find for the diva! LOL Next mail drop will be in Springfield, Colorado, but she says she's good on every thing she has for now.

Also got a text message from her this afternoon, saying she had one foot in Texas and one foot in Oklahoma; asked that she send a picture, but didn't get one. Maybe she was on her bike, and she had one pedal in Texas, and the other in Oklahoma; taking a picture on her bike would not have been a good idea I guess! LOL

I've been checking the TK 4000 website throughout the day for any other posted pictures from the Rockies team, but nothing since yesterdays pictures.

Lauren ~ Ride hard, ride fast, and remember those for who you ride ~ see you in Alaska!

Lauren Rides ~ Day 5

Day 5 ~ Dallas to Lindsay, Tx. ~ 90.0 miles. Lauren sent a text this morning, and said she tried riding this morning. There was no joint pain (YEAH!!!) but she had to SAG again since scabs on knee still hasn't completely formed; letting it "air dry today. ; )

Yesterday's agenda included a middle school presentation and a birthday lunch for one of the riders. They also went to UT Southwestern Medical Center to see what was happening on their end in the cancer research department; one of the doctors shared with them that a feeling within the scientific community that a breakthrough on cancer is coming. A happy hour fundraiser downtown with a fajita dinner brought their busy day to a close! Today is the ride from Dallas to Lindsay, before crossing over into Oklahoma tomorrow.

Per one of the riders blog, "Everyone is getting so close already, and rarely does 10 minutes together go by without laughter. We've invented some games to make things more fun, such as rest-stop charades."

The pictures posted are from their stop-over in Stephenville. She is pictured in black shorts and tank top. You can click on each picture to enlarge.

Lauren ~ ride hard, ride fast, and remember those for who you ride ~ see you in Alaska!

Blogging For Lauren ~ Updates As She Rides To Alaska

I thought I would start a blog about Lauren and her ride with Texas 4000; I'm not sure how frequent she will be able to post on her blog at the Texas 4000 website, so thought I would pass along information to you as it becomes available.

First, let me start off by saying how very much she appreciates all of you who either donated to the cause, gave her supporting words of encouragement, and offered up prayers for her and the other riders! Secondly, I want to say a special thank you to my sister Elaine, with whom we would have not gotten through Saturday's busy events without your tremendous help...we love you! And last, but not least, to all of you who showed so much support, spoke encouraging words, and were there for me, and listen to me proudly tell of Lauren's trip to Alaska, I cannot thank you enough...I am truly blessed to have each of you in my life!

So! I know it has been a few days since the Texas 4000 2010 riders headed out for Alaska, but with all of the festivities of the past 4 days; Lauren leaving, Liz graduating from high school, and friends and family gathering together, to say the least I was busy, busy, but it was definitely fun!

Lauren got off to a bumpy start on Friday; this was the day the riders left from the tower at UT, lunch at the bike shop, and the evening ending with a sunset send-off from The Oasis here in Austin. As many of you know, she took a bad fall on 360/Capitol of Texas Highway on her ride out to Cedar Park. I spoke with her last night, and she sounded like she was feeling much better; they had a day off in Dallas today, and is hoping she will be able to join the group tomorrow for their ride from Dallas to Lindsay, Tx. before crossing over into Oklahoma.

Lauren ~ ride far, ride fast, and remember those for who you ride ~ I'll see you in Alaska!