For those of you unaware, the MS150 is a two day bike ride between Houston and Austin, in actual fact, it runs just over 180 miles long and raises money for victims of Multiple Sclerosis. Bike MS events aim to pull the whole community together by gathering support from local businesses, elected officials, residents and people living with MS.
Previously, I had a fleeting knowledge of the event. I knew what it was, I knew where it was and I knew what it was for, but I’ve never personally had any interactions, until this year.
With my friends grandfather being gravely ill and an uncertainty surrounding their MS150 weekend plans, we agreed that we wouldn’t let her husband cross the finish line after cycling his first MS150, without having someone there to cheer him on. We committed to making the trip to Austin on the Sunday, but I don’t think we really give it much thought, other than the fact we were driving to Austin to pick Sam up when he was done.
We didn’t bring any number of things that we should have (and probably would have, if we thought it through properly) and it turned in to way more than we thought it would. We left Houston early, earlier than we needed to, but we were woken early by the dogs we were dog-sitting and decided we may as well hit the road.
The drive was swift and easy, and because we arrived pretty early (around 10am), we landed a parking space about a block from the finish line, right at the Capitol building. We walked around the Capitol grounds (for old time sake – as that was our first ever Capitol building) over to the finish line, through the vendor booths (which included a Lupe Tortilla stand that made my taste buds dance!) and set up camp just past the finish line.
Riders were trickling through already, I guess some of them went straight from the overnight point with no stops and there were throngs of people standing around (or sitting on camping chairs) waiting for their friends and loved ones to cross the line.
The atmosphere was electric and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was totally overwhelmed with emotion. For the first half hour or so, I cried as I applauded and cheered. I guess a combination of the Boston Marathon bombing, being totally gobsmacked at the thousands of people who had come out to give the finger to terrorists and haters and knowing that these riders had done a grueling two-day ride.
The reminder of recent events wasn’t too far away, sniffer dogs, police presence and a number of police riders. I got choked up more times than I can count, watching people reunited with their loved ones after their two-day personal challenges, watching first-timers and ‘vets’ crossing the line, fist pumping, high-fiving, some even crying themselves, the constitution cycling shirts, the American flags, the positivity, hope and love that we were surrounded by?
It was amazing.
It was a very moving and humbling experience.
Things we brought? Ourselves and this kick-ass sign.
Things we wished we’d brought?
Camping chairs – you’ll be there a while!
Sun cream, hat and water – Col and I are sporting some pretty fly sunburn (thankfully not as bad as it could have been had I not been wearing a t-shirt, a tank-top would have left much more damage!) and I’m pretty sure I’m dehydrated.
