I am no novice when it comes to charity events. I volunteer a lot in my community and really like to give back. Most recently, I participated in Walk MS and it was so much fun to get some exercise in, support a great cause, and interact with others.

However, two weekends ago I stepped up my game and participated in a 30-mile charity bike ride! The bike ride called Tour de Frederick supported my local Boys and Girls Club and the Rotary Club. The Tour de Frederick had many options for people to participate including 10-mile, 30-mile, 60-mile, and 100-mile rides! This being my first year I felt that the 30-mile option was best!

I am very physically active and ride both indoor and outdoor pretty frequently. If you follow my Instagram – you would have seen some of the “prep” rides we took to get ready for the Tour de Frederick.

By doing a little preparation when Tour de Frederick day came I was ready to go!

The morning of the ride we got up bright and early! The 30-mile ride started at 8:30 am.

My friend Melissa and I were ready to go! Here is a before shot…all smiles!

Then, it got real! We headed off on our 30-mile bike ride!

Everything was going fine until we hit some pretty major “hills.” I put hills in quotations because they felt like freaking mountains! I definitely got to put my gear shifting to the test. The course had been described as having some “scenic rolling hills.” For the most part, they were scenic and rolling…but there were 3-4 hills that were just plain brutal!

Here is some of that scenery…and I do admit I live in a very pretty part of the world!

And as much as I complain about the hills…what goes up, must come down! The down hill parts were the best!

The ride was run/organized really well. There were always SAG (support and gear) vehicles around. I don’t think I went any further than 1-2 miles at a time without seeing someone. If I would have had any kind of issue they would have been there to pick me up!

Also, at about mile 15 and 25 there were rest areas where we could grab a snack, some water, go to the bathroom, and just sit down for a minute. All the volunteers that ran the rest stops were great and did a fantastic job!

Along the way, I made sure to take plenty of pictures:

Here’s me after climbing up one of the hills. Tongue wagging…kind of wondering what I got myself into!

There are lots of covered bridges in the area and here is one…

Right beside a creek…

And of course, I saw “Instagram opportunity” written all over that! Evidently, when I go bike riding there has to be at least one jumping picture taken!

This picture captures how I felt when I was done with that ride. I was so happy that I had done it! I would have never been able to do something like this before. I felt super accomplished…it didn’t matter how long it had taken me to get it done…it was 100% about the experience.

At the finish line, there was a party with food, drinks, and entertainment. I was too hungry to take a whole lot of pictures…I remembered once it was too late!

I had some coleslaw, pulled pork, a piece of chicken, and Caprese salad. It was a very well deserved meal that was delicious!

Overall, I think the Tour de Frederick was a great experience and I hope to do it again next year. I helped support a great cause, I had fun with my friends, and I got to appreciate the great place that I live!

AND…as an added bonus once we got cleaned up after the ride we went to check out another event that was happening alongside the Tour de Frederick, The National Clustered Spire High Wheel Race. It is the only race of its kind that happens in the United States! Just watch the video and you will understand what it is!

One of my work colleagues rode in the race and it was a sight to see! It was so much fun cheering them on. This is definitely not something you see every day. But, was a great wrap up to a very fun weekend!

Have you ever participated in a charity ride, walk, run? Which one? Love to hear from you in the comments 🙂