LOTOJA!!!

For those of you who don't know, there's this bike race called LOTOJA...

3 STATES....1000 CYCLISTS......7700 FT OF CLIMBING.....206 MILES.....
1 DAY!!!!!

It's a 206 mile bike race from Logan Utah, to Jackson Hole WY. And my awesome husband did it on Sept 8th for his 4th time!!

Here are some pictures of our adventure......

Checking in....

A trip to McDonalds to help the kids release some energy!! Notice Steve with his IPOD just getting in the zone for the race. It's not easy to tune out 5 children at McDonalds!!

5:00 a.m. - Up and at 'em, YES Steve Newton is awake at 5 in the morning, had to document that one!! Javier stopped in to say good luck!!

Nothing like breakfast at the sink in the hotel room. The only paper plates I could find were Zoo Pals, so I made sure to give Steve his pancakes on Raging Bull plate!!

6:36 a.m. Ready or not, the race is on!! It's such an exciting feeling at the Start line. It's still dark outside and there are just tons of people everywhere! I was so excited and nervous for him!!

After getting Steve off, I drove back to the hotel room to dress and load up the "Support Crew" (picture taken later in the day)

10:00 a.m. After a few hours in the car the kids got to get out and play a bit while I ran to give Steve his water and peanut butter jelly sandwich!!

12:00 p.m. At this point Steve had already climbed the first two mountain passes and was on to the third. And to put in Steve's words this is where he took a big crap at LOTOJA. It was so bad he said to wait at the top of the hill because he may be done....

Meanwhile..... I have a darling sleeping baby, and cute kids playing Bratz. This is so very decieving because right after these pictures the baby was screaming to eat and the kids were freaking out because Braden spilled his root beer all over the sleeping bag they were playing on! And here I am waiting for my husband that is dieing on his bike!!

1:00 pm. LUCKILY Brian and Stacey showed up when Steve got to Afton. He was ready to quit at this point, but they were so great at inspiring him to keep going. Maybe it was when Stacey started running in front of him and he was chasing along, whatever works!!
We all kept telling him he could do it, but he got mad and said, "I know I can do it, I've done it 3 times already!!"

After some coke and power bars, and a second wind, my awesome husband came across the finish line at 5:13 p.m. and we were all there to cheer him on!! He finished in 10 hours 37 minutes!

Walking back to the car Steve wanted nothing to do with the bike, cute Camy walked it back for him. He was joking with people on the trail saying he had a bike for sale....cheap!
After the race it was back to the hotel where Steve got into a hot jacuzzi tub and I took the kids swimming so he could relax. (even though I as the support person that just spent 10 hours in the car with 5 kids wanted to just climb in next to him!!)

Sunday 10:00 a.m Steve said LOTOJA is a lot like child birth. As you go through all the pain you swear you'll never do it again, but then when you're holding that cute little baby afterwards, or in his case, sitting at the awards ceremony, you seem to forget part of the pain and want to do it again!

12:00 p.m. Here we are the day after eating pizza in Jackson Hole with the Vargas family. A fun way to finish off the LOTOJA experience.

Now Steve will take a short winter break, and will be back at it next year!!