Taylor House Ride

It all began with a camp out at Rocky park Rd. We know why it is named that! At 7am we were off screaming down old route 66





About 30 miles into the ride, the first rest stop.



On up the hill and Hwy 89 we went until we got to the turn off for Wupatki Road

With the longest leg of the race not confirmed as being available until just a few weeks ago, numbers were down a bit for Saturday's seventh annual Taylor House Century Ride. But those who opted for the shorter treks were able to beat Mother Nature to the finish line. The sky opened up and rain poured down at Flagstaff Medical Center just after 11:30 a.m., as many cyclists who took part in the 45- or 65-mile rides were enjoying a post-race lunch. But for those who opted for the 95-mile course, they were served a drenching over the final 20 or so miles. "It was like riding in the shower," said 34-year-old Katie Monahan, a recent transplant from Colorado. "That was no joke of rain. There was some hail out there and cars would come by and splash you. But I think it was kind of fun." The noncompetitive event benefits the Taylor House, a home away from home for friends and family of FMC patients. Despite registering nearly 100 fewer than last year, the ride brought in $13,200. "This is a great help, because it gets hard financially on families some times," said Cara Wolf, who works at the Taylor House and participated in Saturday's ride. She crashed about halfway through the shortest leg but was not hurt and was in good spirits about what the benefit had generated. The opportunity to ride for a good cause is what brought out Dave Parbel, 43. "I just like helping out different charities," he said underneath a tent, shielded from the rain, after finishing the 45-mile course. "It wasn't too windy, wasn't too hot. But I'm glad I beat the rain." The lack of times and places did not bother Parbel, either. He had a competition of sorts going with buddy Auggie Robledo. "It was tough," Robledo, 40, said. "I'm a mountain biker. I've never done anything like this before. ... I'll do it again." The 45-mile course went up Highway 89 and briefly onto Sunset Crater Road before turning around. The 65-mile route went farther up Sunset Crater Road before reversing course, and the 95-mile trip continued on Highway 89 to Wupatki Road and looped around on the newly paved road until it met Sunset Crater Road. All three routes showed off some of the best scenery in northern Arizona, as Monahan attested to. "I've never been out there before," said, "but it was beautiful

."We did not finish the ride, we sure did a great job and at least half the team had a great time!