First Annual Groth Family Harvest Ride

So this weekend was the first annual Groth family Harvest ride sponsored by the Ukiah Groth's (specifically cousin Kathi).   So, while Kathi gets 100% of the credit for the idea and execution of this event for our family.  Ashton Bear was my own personal star of the show.  At 5.5 years old she managed to stick with the ride for a full 20 miles.

If you bothered to click through to the details of the Harvest ride, you will notice that there really wasn't a 20 mile option.  We decided to not let that take away from our accomplishment.  Since at the 10 mile point we all decided that it was appropriate to turn around and head back.

"Team Jacqueline"  also made the 20 miles event with Jacqueline doing her part by carbo loading while Mom did the peddling.  She also did a lot of singing and even a little back massaging as the ride went on which was helpful.  There was however, a bit of a disagreement about how much of my seat I was allowed to use.  I mistakenly thought "all of it" and she had other ideas (note her outstretched legs).
"Team Ashton" included Bob and Ashton who, for the most part, made it look pretty easy.  Ashton did suffer a couple injuries (a result of not having gears on her part of the bike and losing control of the peddles which essentially came around to whack her in the shins) but she hung in there with a promise of a band-aid at the end. 

Suzie also made it the 20 miles, keeping an eye on the rest of us for the event, a great job for her first ever bike "race".

Kathi and Sandy made it the full 26 miles and Uncle Ken went some 66 miles up a lot of hills (?!).  Or so we are told, we didn't get anywhere near his route.  Ours was thankfully quite flat with only one hill to speak of.

After the race we were met by Auntie Linn and her mom for the BBQ.  Everyone was appropriately tired, hungry and happy with our accomplishments.

The girls made quick work of checking out the stage to show off their cool bike shorts.  One might wonder why the 3 year old in the bike seat would need padded shorts.  And to that I respond that one might not be the parent of two children, for if you were, that would make perfect sense.  
Jordyn used some kind of foot surgery as an excuse for not making the ride itself, preferring instead to look good for photos after the event.  To that I say "next year girl".  She did manage to help with the girls while she hobbled around, since they were still pretty full of life at the BBQ when the rest of us were intent on relaxing.
As you can see Jacqueline was managing to crack us up.  A sign of a successful (if tiring) trip.  

Thanks to Kathi for hosting our large crew at her home, having a great dinner party the night before to get us in the mood and making the trip to Starbucks in the morning to help us wake up.   A weekend with exercise and family, I can't think of anything better.