MORE WAM stuff with PHOTOS!

What a great ride!!!
Click http://bryanmitchell.com/06wam/wam.html for 9 pages of my favorite photos I shot.
I shot over 2000 images!
This was my first WAM 300 tour and it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed the ride, the people and helping a great organization. I shot close to 2000 photos that I hope Make-A-Wish will be able to put to good use to promote next years 20th WAM! The last 20 miles of the ride were some of the coolest 20 miles I have ridden. I was in a group of about 30 rides including some of the great people of team Blizzard. We were all tired and hurting but you could feel the excitement and electricity in the air of finishing such a great challenge and our pace picked up. These miles were emotional for me. Because I was tired, because I was thinking about what I accomplished in 100 degree heat, I was thinking about the kids who we were helping, thinking about my kids, thinking about life, thinking about what I am grateful for and thinking about what I should change. I felt a tear run down my cheek. Riding into the finish with everyone cheering was a nice reward to a long ride as well.
More random thoughts on the ride:
The mass start and taking over the streets of Traverse City.
Looking down and seeing my temp gage reading 99 while riding.
Seeing the same gage read 106 when I was stopped and baked on the hot asphalt.
That hill before lunch on Friday.
Sleeping outside under the stars.
The headwind while climbing on Friday.
The tailwind on Saturday.
Riding with team Blizzard and team Alex
Riding through the spray of giant sprinklers watering a corn field.
Pulling Lisa back to a group after she lost her chain on a climb and catching them just before they stopped at a rest stop. We laughed about working so hard to catch back up.
Hitting 40 mph on one of the downhills.
How bight orange my Kona Jake the Snake cross frame is.
Being referred to as “Kona Man” or “Camera Guy.”
All the kind words and encouragement people gave me about riding and shooting photos at the same time carrying the photo gear with me.
Beating the storm on Sunday.
Watching riders finish in the rain, you rock!!!
Randy the bike doctor, he rocks!
Pigging out at dinner.
Air conditioning!!!
The great sunrise on Saturday and Sunday.
The fog on Friday.
I think I now like road riding much more! But I am still a mountain biker!
Getting maybe 3 hours of sleep Thursday night.
Kevin on his 3-wheeler!!!
Missing some photos or just being to exhausted to get the camera out.
Sleeping on the bus to Traverse City
High-fiving some kids along side the road in one of the small towns.
The dog that chased our 30 plus rider group then cut right through the middle and know one hit it or crashed.
Water!!!
Gatorade.
Getting my medal.
Being sad it was all over.
-Bryan