Mary Metcalf-Collier ~ Just one All Nighter Away from the Finish
Hey its Mary Metcalf-Collier. It's Saturday, July 12th. I am in Silver City, NM. 125 miles out. I just grabbed some lunch. Steve and I were initially thinking to camp outside of here and pull it all in tomorrow. BUT that doesn’t sound as exciting as pulling an all nighter and getting to the frickin’ border. We are going to push on through the night and stick this thing. Thanks everyone and we will call/follow up once we get there. It will be in the middle of the night so most of you will be asleep. Enjoy that while we are riding through the night. Talk to you soon. Bye.
(recorder time: 2008-07-12 14:04:45 EST)
Comments
Rock It Out!
Mary,
Good luck and rock this baby out. Doug and I are serious bluedot junkies along with most everyone else so we'll be tracking you through the evening!
Good luck and we'll see you back in Idyllwild soon.
Darren
Big Wheels Keep on Turnin'
Proud Mary keeps on burnin'....rollin...rollin to the finish line!
Glad you have Stephen to come across the finish with & Mike there to capture the finale!
Soon it will be time to Celebrate like a rock star & then rest & relax.
Tina
Mary, you rock!
Mary I'm so glad that you have stuck it out. I'm impressed by your abilities and a bit jealous of the amazing experience this race must have been! ;) You'll never forget this ride! Your tales have inspired me to get into fat tire bikes. Thank you for that. Thank you for being a role model for all of us to get off the couch and have some real experiences.
I'm so happy for you. Enjoy that beer at the border.
Hell Yeah!
Send it!
Yeah....you rock!
B
Beer?
Maybe I should get some beer soon?
Beer......
.....beer......ice cream......chocolate milk. Those are the things I'd want at the finish line.
That....and a mariachi band.
B
Finish line beer
Brendan,
Get a nice Mexican beer; Pacifico, Tecate, Modelo, etc. and get some fresh limes for them. Goes down smooth at the border! Have fun!
Congrats Mary! Hammer down!
MM
You're Absolutely Amazing
Mary,
Can't wait to see your blue dot at the finish line! Congratulations for a most incredible feat - your perserverence through the most unthinkable challenges is beyond comprehension.
Celebrate big time!!
Grasshopper
limes...
I'm nervous talking about this, 100 miles to go still- kinda like a certain near-victory at a certain 24 hour race in Tucson last February...
BUT- a little sippin' tequila will be in order too. I'm hoping that Tim the border guard comes through on the beer front. Matt & Eric from Tucson will be coming out this evening, so we'll probably get the party started for Mary & Steve before they come in. Kinda like pre-heating an oven. Kinda?
Ice cream is a fantastic idea too, but without a way to keep it chilled we might be outta luck. According to Ardie Olson- by way of Sherry- there's good, non-melted ice cream at the Bowlin's Running Indian on I-10. Maybe they'll hit it up before the final 72 miles.
Mariachi band- that'll have to wait for the after-after party back at the ranch. According to Marlin, the Idyllwild trail honch, there are "people who know people who can make that happen..."
I'm out.
ps- the Javalina in Silver City is worth a visit. Good iced espresso. I'm on my 3rd of the day...
-Brendan
just like a 24 hour race
Ride it just like a race, nice and steady pace, and soon you'll be near a nice cold beer! Will watch your dot move through the night until my eyelids shut out the light!
Almost there!
Go Mary & Stephen! It was great to ride with you a little bit the end of Day #1, Steve, although I'm still bummed that I never got to see Mary when I caught up to Mike at the beginning of Week #2. Hence I am so glad that I got home just in time to see both of you make your way to the end. It looks like you are almost to pavement right now (6:00pm)... in which you'll be home free!
It's also great you will have each other's company at the end; when I arrived on Thursday night, it was kind of a lonely celebration since there were nothing but numerous animals I could not see making noises imitating sheep. It was until the next day when Tim, the nice border patrol guy, opened up the station that I actually could talk to a real person (since my cell phone didn't work down there). He even had ice cream and a clean T-shirt waiting for me (thanks Sherry!)
Anyhow, I'm so impressed at how both of you stuck it out and will probably be staying up late to see your two dots arrive at Antelope Wells tonight. Can't wait to here about your celebration there!
AT I 10
7:13 pm...........I was just talking to Mike, and Mary and Stephen were just getting to I 10. They are getting close...................What a story they'll have to tell.
Leona
What an amazing job you guys are doing.
It's great watching the two or you move closer to the finish. I'm glad you two met up and are able to finish together. Congratulations to you both!
Impressive...
Mary you are my hero. Awesome job out there! I can't wait to hear the stories and see the pictures.
Great Job!
G
Congrats!
You rock, Mary! We are way excited for you. Savor it!
Hope to see you soon,
Kim and Justin
go go go
We're with you all the way!
Yeay Mary!
Oh I'm so excited you're finishing the race soon. I knew you could do it. You rock! See you back home soon. It has been exciting following your progress. Can't wait to hear your stories and see some amazing pics!
Buena Suerte, Sirena Mary la
Buena Suerte, Sirena Mary la chica más rápido en el mundo! Can't wait to see you back in good ol' Idyllwild!
Amazing!
A video comment with some thoughts on Mary's drive and stamina, from a guy on the documentary film crew that followed her for 6 days.
http://seesmic.com/v/yEV71KRlEO
PS - A little insider info...on about day 3 or 4, my "protective older brother" instincts kicked in (I have 3 younger sisters) and I wanted Mary to stop riding. But I resisted the urge, and she never gave up. And now she's just about ridden all the way to the F'ing border. Amazyng!
Congrats to all the riders!!! Having seen all the trail from the Great Basin in Wyoming to Grant's Pass in Colorado first hand (in the comfort of a GPS'ed Jeep), I'm in awe that any of you even got on the bike in the first place.
Patrick
Wish I was there.....
Mary,
I sure wish I was at the border to congratulate you on your awesome accomplishment. After watching your blue dot and knowing Mike thinks the world of you, you seem like part of the family.
You give new meaning to STRONG woman. I don't know how you did it out in the wild all by yourself for so many days. Especially coming into Seely Lake (BEAR COUNTRY) in the middle of the night all alone. Mike and I saw a grizzly in a camp ground there years ago so I know they are there.
I just watched Patrick's video and I agree .....you are very inspiring and have so much stamina.
AWESOME, AWESOME ride and race. It looks like you can do whatever you set your mind to do.
DREAM BIG, Leona
Hachita
They're through Hachita enjoying a beautiful, peaceful desert night.Moonlit sky, distant lightning, humid, creosote bush scent in the air. Crickets and frogs singing. It is the perfect ending.
Amazingness
Way to go!!!!! You are so freaking amazing!! Thank you for being an inspiration!!
We are excited and not sleeping
Hi Mary and Brendan, We are watching from St. George. At 1:45, my guess is that she's about 25 miles away. Wishing you all a great reunion! Congratulations! Love, Mary Lou and Tom
Congratulations from So Ill!
Awesome job Mary. Everybody back in SO ILL is proud and inspired. Incredible!
Love, Leif and Junko
An amazing feat!
Hey Mary (and other racers),
just want to say congrats to you all! What an amazing race! I have been checking from time to time and it just blows my mind thinking about your trip. Very inspiring! Very incredible! Like someone said in an earlier post...I am sure there is no way that any words could every describe it, especially in a blog reply. So, I'll be waiting to flip the first page of your book! I'm sure you could use a couple days to relax after you get done!
Congrats again! Hope to see you guys again soon,
Flinn
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