DAY 3 Hartford CT to Tarrytown NY

Day 3 Hartford CT to Tarrytown NY
100ish miles

A typical day on the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride consists of waking up at 0500 and immediately stumbling towards the coffee maker in the room. Be aware that you must put the cup under the brew basket otherwise the coffee will not make it on it’s own into the cup. At 0700, wheels down and we head to the first rest stop. There are three of us from Austin/Travis County EMS – Mark, Susan, and Tree (myself). We are all cyclists but Susan is doing the riding for all three of us. Mark has a couple of injuries so he is the official bike mechanic of the ride. We have a replacement for everything and anything. I have been driving a support vehicle, setting up make shift rest stops in between the rescue squad rest stops. I hand out bananas and massages, the riders tell me I’m doing a good job with both. 12 hours and 100ish miles later (yes, 12…) we roll into the hotel. Then, bikes must be loaded, luggage must be unloaded, and 120 people have to check into the hotel all about the same time. Then, after showering and eating, it is close to midnight. Repeat x 7 days. This ride has always been the most fun you can have on two wheels and very little sleep!

The terrain is extremely hilly but very beautiful. It chokes me up to think of how inspirational all the riders are. I know as a cyclist, it can be hard emotionally to get off your bike and walk a hill or two. Here you are walking a hill on a bike ride for your friends that died in the line of duty… You try to tell yourself it is mind over matter but sometimes your legs just won’t go up the hill. I told them last night it doesn’t matter how many hills they walk; they are all heroes.

Though Connecticut is very hilly (think: hills build character!), we love all their first responders. The towns of Plainville, Middlebury, and Bethel rolled out the red carpets for us providing fantastic rest stops and lunch! Thank you so much! The cyclists picked out a rest stop of their own at a local dairy farm that has a creamery – yum!!!

Everyone here has their own story of what brought them to this ride. We are all EMS providers riding for our fallen brothers and sisters. Many people have photos of those they are riding for taped to their handlebars or the back of their bike. Others have it written on the paper number we have pinned to the back of their jersey. Either way, it reminds us all why we are here.