WTF HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO (MON AUG 4th)

Moni's post-
We started the morning off on the right foot...my stomach was in terrible knots because i didn't know what to expect...we start off in this huge parking lot so everyone can get on their bikes and try them out...i rode around in the lot and got used to the bike...after that my stomach settled and i could relax...i've become annoyed with the guides and as i post u will see why...Martina (the guide) starts off by telling us the map is wrong that she's given us and proceeds to tell us the changes we need to make...gggrrrrr....we take notes and take off riding...the cycling was challenging but we had some incredible views of the city...(really tough hills to climb)...of course me being such a spaz i would not dare get off my bike to take a picture...will have to rely on norma's photos...so there was a group of folks cycling in front of me...i was by myself in the middle and norma was in a group behind me cuz she was taking photos...about 2 hrs into the ride this huge downpour of rain starts...i felt blessed and cursed at the same time...i had run out of water so the rain helped to cool me off but i had to stop to get my rain jacket out...i took a little longer than the group in front of me and before i knew it they were outta site and i could not see them...so i'm peddling thru this huge downpour, the wind is blowing sideways...huge open areas all around me...nowhere to seek shelter so i just kept peddling...at this point i'm thinking WTF have i gotten myself into...the sag wagon that's supposed to be following us is nowhere in site...i'm really pissed at this point...finally i get to a fork in the road and i've got to decide do i go left or do i go right...the map was of no help since i had my head down in the rain and did not pay attn to the signs...i sit there at the fork in the road for about 30 min waiting for norma and the group that was behind me...well, guess what, they never showed up...finally i just decide to go left at the fork in the road...about half a mile up i come upon Dotti and Brian...they're standing there waiting for folks too...it's still raining by the way...now i'm hungry and cranky...the rain finally stops so i pull out a cliff bar...of course i'm shaking from nerves and poof the cliff bar flies out of the wrapping and onto the ground...not to worry i used the 5 second rule...Dottie found my cliff bar so i proceeded to eat it with some czech dirt...it was very tasty and i was starving so at that point i would have eaten anything...so we're there chatting and the sag wagon flies right on past us...we're like WTF...so we get on our bikes and start peddling again...none of us have any water...so that the wagon didn't even stop to check on us had me crazy...about 30 min later the sag wagon rolls right on past us again...never stopping to see if we're ready to stop cycling...now i'm really fucking crazy...we continue to ride for another 30 min and we come up on the sag wagon...at this point their ready to load us...since we lost an hour cuz of the rain we now have to be loaded up otherwise we won't make it to our lunch spot...it's almost 2pm at this point...i'm not a happy camper...so norma was the first in the sag wagon...however, in her defense she got a flat tire and the guide did not have the equipment to fix her flat...so the first time we saw the sag wagon zip by us was because he was on his way to pick up norma...the second time the sag wagon zipped past us he was on his way to what would have been our 'water' stop...we stop for lunch...at this point i've done 28 miles...the optional mileage is another 20 miles...i opt not to do this and get on the sag wagon...norma decides to do the optional mileage since she was only able to ride about 10 miles before she got a flat...i'm riding in the wagon with 3 other ladies...now we're all under the impression the wagon is taking us to the hotel...wrong...we stop at this fork in the road about 15 miles up the road...i'm like why are we stopping...oh, this is where we wait for the riders that decided to do the 20 miles...WTF...well, i've got to take a piss...i ax her where i can go to potty...she's like this town is pretty deserted so there are no places open for business...zhu got zu go wif nature...um!...i went behind a bldg that was probably a pharmacy at one time...drop my shorts and start to take a piss...thank God i had my wipes and my hand sanitizer...so the riders come by one by one...we fill up their waters and they've got about 5 more miles to go...but the reason we're at the fork in that road is because Martina forgot to tell them the map was wrong and they needed veer to the right not the left...well, guess what, norma never shows up...so we have two vans and the gals that we're with me ride back with a guide to the hotel...Martina and i proceed to look for norma...we start looking around 4pm...by 6pm i'm a complete wreck because we haven't found her...i'm wondering what time does the sun start to set...Martina pulls over cuz again, i've got to become one with nature...when we stop this lady starts hollering at me...so Martina is still in the van and i holler i think this lady is trying to tell me about my sister...martina gets out the van and sure enough this lady tells us where she saw a rider by herself and what road she saw her on...and that she had been asking for directions...she must've guessed that since i was in my cycling gear that i must be looking for other riders...well, sure enough we go down that road she tells us and there's norma just peddling along like no big deal...of course it was a big deal because she knew she had been lost for almost 2hrs and her bike had no front brakes...so, if you think i was crazy she was really nuts!..i'm telling you, the minute i saw her figure i just burst out crying...my nerves we're on edge big time...we are now carrying our cell phones on the ride and sticking with the guide no matter what...leason learned...use the buddy system...that's all i got!

p.s....when we finally found norma i had another visit with nature right there next to the van