event volunteers, tew & i

I agreed to volunteer again at one of the rest stops for the Princeton Freewheelers Event again this year. Seven rides, ranging between 20 and 100 miles, were laid out, and the stop at which I was posted last year was the first on the longer rides. I asked for, and got, a post at that stop again. The Excellent Wife (TEW), in a bid to have a date with her husband, agreed to come out and volunteer at the site as well.

Because it's the first stop, and because riders start early, we agreed to get to the stop by 7:30. The first rider came by not much later, long before we were set up, and explained that he had ridden from home and expected to meet his team there (he must have noted th look of chagrin on our faces!).

We got to work. I didn't get all the last names...

...here are Bill, another volunteer, and Al K, location captain.

Above are TEW, on the right, and Ron S, newly back from his accident (note the air cast on his left arm).  He told me he is deciding whether to try to resuscitate his bike, or buy a new one.

There's Cheryl M cutting up some bagels. (I did not obtain a photo of myself.)

The church is gracious to us; they provide their location, which includes a pavilion, and the use of some folding tables. Three of these were stored in the rafters of the pavilion, and may not have seen use since we used them last year; they were that dusty (TEW's clothing my not recover from the dirt from working at one of those tables).

The official count was something under 800 riders, although I was sure we had over 1,000. Here's a photo before I got too busy pouring water and mixing Gatorade to use the camera:

It's pleasant to be a support to rider friends, some of whom have never seen me in civilian clothes (some may not have recognized me until they heard that distinctive Long Island accent). I saw people I have not seen in months; some since last year's Anchor House ride, another in several years (since two or three jobs ago!). 

It's a hard day; hours on our feet (we brought lawn chairs, but between the busy-ness of the stop and the others getting to them first, I did not get much opportunity in them), and while there are bagels, fruit, and granola bars to eat, there is not a real lunch. We were done by about noon.

I was exhausted. I got a nap in this afternoon; I woke up, tried to get a short bike ride in (I got rained on), and I still don't feel well. Here's hoping the weather and my health hold for Gary W's ride tomorrow - he and his wife rode the 100 mile "century" today, and I'm, frankly, jealous!