The Smith family

Plans and preparation went on for months for this year's LOTOJA race.

For Darren, anyway. I was riding it as a relay team with three other women.

Darren was going for the win.

Two years ago he could have done it, but his support missed him in Afton costing him 10 min. The winner beat him by 5. I was that support.....I couldn't beat the traffic.

He trained and raced all year getting ready for this.

He even had an excel spread sheet with calories per hour, how much liquid, what foods at which stop, etc.

He has it planned right down to the minute. He plans on 9:30.

We stayed the night at Syd and Lee's and at the traditional pasta dinner, talked the traditional pre-Lotoja talk. Swapped stories about Lotoja pain and Lotoja glory.

The story about Lee letting the hitchhiker drive his van in to Jackson while he finished riding with Tanner is always a favorite.

There was a pretty big fire not too far outside of Jackson, and really close to the road.

My team.

Heather, Tara, me and Jamie.

My leg was Montpelier to Afton. 45 miles. 25 of climbing steep lovingness.

I loved every minute of it.

I found people to draft with. I lost my best big guy at the top of Geneva when he stopped for a bathroom break! Bummer.

So I took off down the pass as fast as I dared. I saw 43 mph. Just when I felt like I was going as fast as I dared and that I could die any minute...I hear what sounds like a motorcycle coming up behind me. It flies past me like I am standing still. It is another rider and he looks familiar. It takes a split second and then we recognize each other. It was Darren! I know he is in race mode so I don't expect him to slow up for me. Soon his entire group comes zooming by one by one.

I am NOT about to miss THIS train! I can't climb with the fast boys but I can downhill with them. I'm either brave or just plain stupid. Or maybe I am just resourceful - I know that I have to make up time where I can. As the road levels out the group settles down and I am able to make my way to the front and talk to Darren. I can't hang on the side of him outside of the draft at that pace, so I say I'll see him later as I drift to the back again. Later he will tell me that he felt bad not letting me in the draft, but that he was too tired and needed the draft. I didn't even expect him to - this was about him WINNING! At this point he still had over 100 miles to go!

A while later I decide to talk to him again. I ride up to the front and he is shocked that I am still with them. He introduces me to a bunch of the guys.

I notice that the group he is racing against is a bunch of young guys. He is in the Open class, which means all ages 20 to whatever. He is one of he old guys!

I hang on the back until the climb up Salt River begins. I can't hang on at their pace. I drop off.

I am hoping so badly that he continues to feel good and makes his goal.

I stop for a drink at the top and run into my riding friend Terry. This is his 25th lotoja, since they've been keeping track....so more like 30ish? Incredible.

I zoom into Afton on the tail of some guys doing 28mph. I finish in 1:59. I hadn't ridden more than 30 miles all summer. It felt great.

Now to hoping Darren reaches his goal.

He backs off a little on the steep Salt River climb and let's some of the guys pass him. He sees them stop at the top for water and food. He keeps going.

They never see him again. He has planned all along to skip the feed station in Afton. It's a wise choice. Afton is hard to get to as a support vehicle, and it is complete chaos.

His spreadsheet has been figured so he has enough fuel to get to Alpine.

I keep calling Chris to see how Darren is doing. He says he looks strong and was just a few minutes off his time.

I never see him cross the finish. He beats us there.

He calls. He is finished. 9:31. One minute off his planned time. Wow! I am so excited and ask if he won. I don't know he replies non-chalante like. Shoot!

When I run into him he hasn't checked final scores yet... I go check! FIRST!!!!

He is a stinker. He totally knew. He is just not the kind that would ever say it.

Funny story. Not too far from the finish there is a stream. A lot of bikers sit in it afterwards to soak their legs. He is sitting in the stream with a bunch of the guys he raced with. They are talking. One says "Whatever happened to that little guy?" They didn't even recognize him! He was kind of shocked because he knew them and had just spent a lot of time with them! They obviously weren't keeping too close an eye on him!

One person died racing this year. Another died a month later from an injuries sustained in a crash while racing. Two months later his grand daughter is shot in a school in Connecticut. Heartbreak that is unfathomable.

Because of the death during the race they do not do the awards ceremony as usual. They call everyone up in silence.

They can stand on the podium afterwards for a picture. Darren won't do it!

I wanted a podium picture!

He was sick of his bike for a while after the race. Actually he was sick of his bike a week before the race. I told him that meant he had done all he could to prepare for the race.

Just when you are done and think you will never do that again, they give you a free entry to next year's race to defend your title! A blessing and a curse!

We were so lucky this year for Spring Break. Grandpa and Grandma H took us all to Disneyland!

I think they mostly took pity on Paige who has desperately wanted to go to Disneyland for years....but has a dad who isn't very hip on the idea!;)

This was our kid's first ride on an airplane, and this alone was excitement enough!

We flew into Long Beach. This was where I was born and not too far from where we lived. We went on a drive to see the old house. 14 or 15 U-turns later...we found it! Things have changed!

The beach was one of our first stops. I think we could live there. Just out on the sand, next to the water full time!

Tea cups

Darren chose the Senior Citizen tea cup.....sorry mom and dad. Not into spinning, he said.

I turned 40 at Disneyland!

Paige would not stop riding Autopia. Each of us had a turn taking her....over and over and over again.

We had so much fun at Disneyland, even Darren admitted it was way better than he ever thought it would be!

We loved California Screamin', and Star Tours was a blast! We waited in line forever for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and it was sooo dumb. We like the Haunted Mansion.

We went on Tower of Terror, and that is exactly what it is! Can't decide if I liked that or not. I screamed A LOT.

I still crave Disneyland Churros! MMMMM!

We had a hotel right across the street which worked awesome for coming and going as we pleased.

Besides the beach we went to Sea World and La Jolla beach.

Darren and I both thought that all the fast walking and standing in lines was way more exhausting than riding 100 miles on our bikes!

What a great family memory!