The Dempsey Challenge

This past weekend was the Dempsey Challenge, a wunerful charity ride to support a cancer support center (does cancer really need support?).  Marcy and I signed up along with a few of our friends to enjoy the 50 (marcy) and 100 (me) mile rides on a beautiful fall day.

Kevin and I were late getting to staging for the 100 and were chastised when we tried to move through the field, so, instead of riding from the rear we decided to go a couple of blocks up course and join the field once it was going.  We ran into Mr. Freye who had the same plan.  When the ride started, Andrew suggested we jump into the lead group with Patrick Dempsey, Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner, so we did.  We thought we had quite the coup on our hands riding the first 20 minutes staring at some pretty famous asses.

That's Leipheimer on the right in the Radio Shack kit, Dempsey in the blue and white kit in the middle and horner on the left in the RS kit.

Kev and I were even able to roll up beside Horner after the neutral start and chat him up a bit.  Nice guy.  So, needless to say, Kev and I thought we had really pulled something off.  That is until I talked to Marcy a bit later and found out that she had ridden and talked to both Leipheimer and Dempsey multiple times (since they were all doing the 50 miler) and, AND got pictures with both.

Mc. Dreamy coping a feel on Marcy.

Marcy and Leslie with Leipheimer.  It should be noted

that Marcy had to scooch down quite a bit to be the 

same height as Levi.  He is the littlest man I have EVER seen.  He could

easily have been riding a kids 24" bike.

To add to Marcy's cool stories to tell, at one point during the ride, she was riding past Dempsey who swerved when he looked at her (he did that any time he looked back, dangerous) and ended up having to put an arm around Marcy, while they were riding, to keep from taking them both out.  Poor bike handling or making a move on my woman? 

All joking aside, Dempsey, Leipheimer and Horner couldn't have been cooler.  They were totally approachable and willing to talk to us pleebs.   Although, I did get the stink eye from Dempsey's body guard (at least that's what I assumed he was) at the beginning of the ride.