We just got back from the 2010 edition of the MS150 Cactus & Crude which took us from Midland to Lamesa, TX, with an overnight in Big Spring, TX for a total of 150 miles over two days. I wasn't sure whether or not I would end up riding my recumbent since I hadn't received all the parts/accessories I had ordered to make this ride happen on such short notice. In the end, however, I opted to give my Baron a go for at least one day of the ride and ended up using it both days...AND LOVING IT!!!

Dana and Kate at Bent Up Cycles in Van Nuys, CA, really worked hard not only to get my new Optima Baron to me in time for the event, but also to send some last minute accessories for hydration to me at the hotel the night prior to the start...I can't say thank you enough to Bent Up Cycles for really working hard to get me going.

Everyone told me that it would take a while before my leg muscles adapted to recumbent riding, and boy were they ever right. My hamstrings have received quite a workout over the last two days, but overall I'm riding faster and am not as sore as I expected. The Baron cuts through the wind and is a ton of fun to ride. It took the better part of a week and about 100 miles worth of riding before I have really been comfortable with the handling, but I am having no problems now and am having a good time cruising down low to the ground. I stayed with our team, the Carney Men, for all but the last five miles the first day, and took off on my own and tested my legs a little on the second day. The second days was a little more challenging because we were climbing out of the canyons and up on the Caprock in Lamesa, and we had a pretty steady 15mph WSW headwind! The upright bikes were definitely suffering more than I...and they let me know each time I passed one of them! HA! I am going to have to do a bunch of hill climbing on the Baron, because it does not climb as well as my upright (Specialized Tarmac) and the hills cost me a little speed on the second day.

Day 1:
75 miles
20.6 mph average

Day 2:
75 miles
19.5 mph average

Getting serious prior to the start on the first day of the ride...sitting low in the crowd!

For all of the non-Texas Tech Red Raider fans out there, this hand gesture means "Get Your Guns Up!"

Getting started on day two!

Another recumbent on the ride...now there are two guys that everyone can poke fun at! They didn't poke fun for long, because it's hard to make fun when you're getting dropped like a bad habit!

I saw 17 tarantulas crawling along U.S. Highway 180 between Gail and Lamesa, TX, this morning. I have never seen that many total in my life...I have no love for spiders!

Our MS150 team, the Carney Men, regrouped just prior to the finish line and all crossed together. My Uncle Darin was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis about 13 years ago, and our team is comprised of his friends and relatives that get together each year and raise money and awareness for research to help fight this awful disease. As a team, we raised $17,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society this year.

The pictures were all taken by my lovely wife, Amber, who was volunteering with our support team along the way in addition to taking pictures for our team members. I'd like to say a big "Thank You" to all our volunteers for making this a wonderful experience!

See you next year for another edition of the MS150 Cactus & Crude.