GranFondo 2016 ~ Tehachapi, California

Here we go again, how fast a year goes by! On Saturday, bicyclists from all over gathered in our town for the 2016 Tehachapi GranFondo. 

This year, I helped out at the entrance to our canyon. Only the best riders, those who sign up for the 100 and 80 mile rides, go down the canyon and turn around for a roundtrip of about 12 miles. Mary is to the left and I'm to the right in the above picture, and, as you can see, we had plenty of water. We also had powdered electrolytes and protein bars.  And a tray full of doughnuts and muffins. (It went fast!) A more full service station with sandwiches and such was 10 miles ahead.

The pro and elit bikers come by so fast, look so great, but it's over in the blink of an eye, so no pictures. Then come the rest and they stop, they talk, use the port-a-potties, fill up their water bottles, grab a protein bar before they take off again.

The GranFondo is only a race for the best cyclists, for the rest it's more of a folkfest. For me, it's a lot of fun, a great time with friends, helping in a small way to make the event a success for our town. 

These guys wanted to be in my picture and on my blog too. It was really fun to see so many older bikers participating in the event. 

I thought the bike rack was really cool. We will need more of them for next year. A lot more people than last year came by this station, so notes were made of items we will need more of. In its third year, the Tehachapi GranFondo is a big success. 

As you can see, people are taking their time, meeting friends, and socializing with fellow cyclists. 

Then the pros returned from their trip down the canyon, still as fast, so I only caught this last guy. 

Followed by this great old car. 

Fun as it is to see the really great cyclists zoom by, it's those who had some bad luck early on, but who didn't give up, that I will remember best. 

GranFondo 2015 ~ Tehachapi, California

In the early morning, my friends from CERT and I drive up a winding road, one I've never been on before, 

to the large wind farms, 

by the Pacific Crest Trail. 

We set up ice chests filled with water and ice, and a table with snacks. 

While we wait, I take some pictures of wind turbines and my friend Jeanne. And then they come, so fast, the first, the elite ones, pass us by as we're the first rest stop for both the 100-mile and 70-mile rides. The elite cyclists are in such great shape and their bicycles are gorgeous. 

I wonder, at first, will anyone stop? No worry, lots of them do. The pictures that follow are just to give you an idea of the fun of this event.

We help them fill their water bottles, hand out snacks, take their jackets for safe-keeping, as it's getting hot. Then, as suddenly as it began, it's all over. I haven't had this much fun in a very long time, so I'm sort of disappointed: "What? It's over already?"

I like these last two shots the best. 

We pack up and head back to the canyon, where rest stop number 2 is manned by more of our CERT members, 

including my friend Lisa and her husband.

And so ends a really, really fun morning and I go home to bed and take a nap. 

According to local TV News: 1012 participants from 21 states and 2 foreign countries (Sweden, yeah! and Chile), and $20,000 raised for Tehachapi charities.

P.S. 

Thanks for your comments concerning my insecurity about what I write on my blog. I appreciate you and your comments so much. I think because of Errol's death, I have emotions and feelings that I rarely experienced before. Feeling insecure and overwhelmed among them. 

I will try to mix up my blog content a bit though, just to see if I can. If not, I'm sure Faith will be happy to help.