No inter net access yesterday. Here is what I would have said last night.
The conditions of ride today scared the heck out of both of us. If I may quote the day's cue sheet, "Today is a very remote ride across the high plains....We gain plenty of altitude today as we approach the continental divide." Distance 98.6 miles. Weather forecast: 50's early, high in the upper 70's, partly cloudy in the AM, PM 60% chance of thunder showers with possible golf ball sized hail. NW winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 35. No services after mile 38.8.
Here is our route. http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/39475298
The ride was great! The climbs were long, but once we bonded with the idea of going only 10 or 12 mph, the beauty of the scenery took over. Once out of Missoula, we rode up canyon after canyon each with its own rushing river or stream. Each canyon eventually deposited us into a high valley which we would leave via the next canyon. The storms mostly missed us, and were a relief from the heat when we did get a sprinkle. Finally we had a wonderful, 4 mile descent, with speeds up to 40.5 mph as we entered Avon. The Avon Cafe is renowned for their pies. We stopped for rhubarb pie and coffee before pedaling the last 3 miles into camp.
Starting elevation 3,222. Total climbing 3,471. Final elevation at camp about 4,700.
Tomorrow we cross the continental divide.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Day 8 and 9 - Thompson Falls to Missoula, MT
I've been run over by a truck. I didn't see it coming or going, no one witnessed the event, but it had to have happened 'cause it is the only explanation for the way I feel. Today is a day off and so far (4PM) I've gotten a massage, eaten breakfast and slept. As I write, I have my feet up, lounging on the couch wondering if I can get dinner delivered.
Our first 100 mile day began at Minnie's Diner: Cream of Wheat for me, bacon and eggs for John and coffee all around. We were off to a good start and feeling positive about the day. This was not our first 100 mile ride this summer, and we were not intimidated. It was cold -low 40's- so we were bundled up. The view, as usual, was gorgeous.
As we rode we encountered a monster, but thankfully it was behind a fence.
At 30 miles we had 2nd breakfast in Paradise, MD at the Paradise Cafe. Great food and fun people. We rode on taking off layers as the day warmed. If the ride had stopped at 80 miles, I could have gone Salsa dancing that night (if I knew how to Salsa dance), but it didn't. Closing in on 70 miles we noticed the slowing of the bike. We couldn't figure it out. The road looked flat. We stopped to check the tires out... fine, so on we rode. Thankfully one of our Garmin gifted riders came by a let us know that we were going up hill, just s l o w l y. It was a 2% grade; usually no big deal. However after twenty miles of 2-3% grade and a short, but impressive 6% hill, all humor went out the door. At 90 miles we were not happy campers, lucky the last 10 miles was mostly downhill. We arrived at Missoula University just in time to eat a hasty dinner. We'll live to pedal another day. Tomorrow we head to Avon.
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| Just outside of Thompson Falls on SR 200 |
As we rode we encountered a monster, but thankfully it was behind a fence.
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| Just before Paradise in someone's yard. |
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Day 7, Sandpoint, ID to Thompson Falls, MT
Well, while day 6 was another gift, day 7 proved to be a little tougher. Today we rode 88 miles from Sandpoint to Thompson Falls. A little longer distance, and a little more climbing. We were also told that today was the day to see moose, mule deer, and all sorts of other wildlife.
It was cold this morning when we got up, 36F. Don't these poor folks get summer? Perhaps the snow still present on local mountaintops should have been a clue. At any rate, we rolled out of camp around seven, wandered through town, and got onto US route 200 which we would be on all day. The wildlife did not disappoint. We had one moose sighting, five sightings of deer, a couple red tailed hawks, and a turkey buzzard attacking a deer carcass along the side of the road.
Our route was through the Cabinet Gorge of the Clark Fork River. We oohed and aahed like the tourists we are. Margaret got lots of pictures of cliffs and mountains and river vistas. No pictures of critters; thay are jus too fast. With any luck we will solve our picture upload problems at our coming rest day in Missoula. We are working very hard each day to bike the distance scheduled, but the experience of seeing this country at a speed slow enough to allow close examination makes all the work worth while.
Our ride tomorrow is 101 miles to Missoula, MT and our next rest day. We are sleeping inside the high school in Thompson Falls tonight. This is bear country. The high school is building a secure enclosure around their trash bins because there is a black bear who has been making a habit of raiding them. We were warned not to have any food, toothpaste or deodorant (deodorant?) in our bike bags or tents to avoid attracting bears. I think everyone has opted to sleep in the gym. The baggage truck opens for loading at 05:30. Breakfast is at 06:00, and I hope to be on the road by 06:30. Got to go to sleep now.
It was cold this morning when we got up, 36F. Don't these poor folks get summer? Perhaps the snow still present on local mountaintops should have been a clue. At any rate, we rolled out of camp around seven, wandered through town, and got onto US route 200 which we would be on all day. The wildlife did not disappoint. We had one moose sighting, five sightings of deer, a couple red tailed hawks, and a turkey buzzard attacking a deer carcass along the side of the road.
Our route was through the Cabinet Gorge of the Clark Fork River. We oohed and aahed like the tourists we are. Margaret got lots of pictures of cliffs and mountains and river vistas. No pictures of critters; thay are jus too fast. With any luck we will solve our picture upload problems at our coming rest day in Missoula. We are working very hard each day to bike the distance scheduled, but the experience of seeing this country at a speed slow enough to allow close examination makes all the work worth while.
Our ride tomorrow is 101 miles to Missoula, MT and our next rest day. We are sleeping inside the high school in Thompson Falls tonight. This is bear country. The high school is building a secure enclosure around their trash bins because there is a black bear who has been making a habit of raiding them. We were warned not to have any food, toothpaste or deodorant (deodorant?) in our bike bags or tents to avoid attracting bears. I think everyone has opted to sleep in the gym. The baggage truck opens for loading at 05:30. Breakfast is at 06:00, and I hope to be on the road by 06:30. Got to go to sleep now.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Day 6, Sandpoint, ID
We made it to Idaho in one piece and good spirits. The day began cool (48F) and ended in the mid 60s. It was warm enough to get rid of our coats while riding, but cool enough to need them when we stopped.
After a wonderful breakfast and a sad farewell to Bridgett Herzog at Gonzaga Univ, we left Spokane, WA. We traveled US 2 ( a federal hwy) east all the way to Sandpoint, ID. Beginning our journey in tall pines and relatively flat road, we made good time to our first checkpoint 26 miles down the road. Soon the pines grew taller and more plentiful and the Rocky Mts came into view. First as foot hills and then as snow capped peaks. The scenery was truly breathtaking. If we ever figure out how to download pictures from John's camera phone, we'll show you!
We arrived in Newport, WA just in time to watch the rodeo day parade. It was great fun. We thought it funny when the town ambulance was followed by a cage fighting float and then the Vacation Bible School. Does the person in charge of the parade have a message or a good sense of humor?
We ended our day having a local brew and an excellent burger. Life could be worse. Tomorrow we are off to Tompson Falls, MT. 88 miles and more views of the Rockies.
After a wonderful breakfast and a sad farewell to Bridgett Herzog at Gonzaga Univ, we left Spokane, WA. We traveled US 2 ( a federal hwy) east all the way to Sandpoint, ID. Beginning our journey in tall pines and relatively flat road, we made good time to our first checkpoint 26 miles down the road. Soon the pines grew taller and more plentiful and the Rocky Mts came into view. First as foot hills and then as snow capped peaks. The scenery was truly breathtaking. If we ever figure out how to download pictures from John's camera phone, we'll show you!
We arrived in Newport, WA just in time to watch the rodeo day parade. It was great fun. We thought it funny when the town ambulance was followed by a cage fighting float and then the Vacation Bible School. Does the person in charge of the parade have a message or a good sense of humor?
We ended our day having a local brew and an excellent burger. Life could be worse. Tomorrow we are off to Tompson Falls, MT. 88 miles and more views of the Rockies.
Day 5, Rest day, Spokane, WA
We are staying in a dorm at Gonzaga University within walking distance to Starbucks, a supermarket/pharmacy, several bars and restaurants, and a brew pub. Go Zags! Rest day may be a misnomer; we have a lot of catching up to do.
Laundry needs doing, four loads total. How did we go through so much clothing in four days? All told, four, one mile round trips to the grocer/pharmacy for medicines, toiletries, sun screen, and "stuff." Bike maintenance also needs doing. We have gone over 300 miles in the last four days after all. We also walked to REI, a 3.4 mile round trip for some camping needs. Basically we walk everywhere, but it is nice not to be on the bike today.
So far, I think we have done well, but we have had some challenges.
Day one was the toughest so far. We started the day at an elevation of 30 feet and crested a pass at 3,015 feet. That climb began gradually at mile 51, and finished at mile 74.5. Total climbing was 4,117 feet. Some of the ascent was on I-90, which carried its own stress. We also fell on I-90, the front wheel caught in a sand filled rut on the shoulder, and we went down at about 13 mph. The bike was fine, and we got some minor road rash and bruises, but I found myself less likely to go fast for a couple days after that.
Day two was a great day. We watched the climate change mile by mile, and met some interesting people in local businesses we visited. We did have a gradual 16 mile climb near the end of the day, but that led to a unbelievable 9.6 mile, 1,851 foot descent into Vantage, WA. Can you imagine coasting at 25 to 30 mph (crosswinds) for over 9 miles?!! Total climbing 1,673.
Day three taught us the importance of staying hydrated. Low humidity and a temperature that reached 90 got us both into trouble with dehydration and hyperthermia. Fortunately our support crew was on the spot with drinks and electrolytes, so we were able to recover quickly and finish the day. Total climbing 1,946.
Day four was a gift. A tail wind almost the whole day, and temperatures no higher than 68. We only had two short hills to climb of about 6% grade, and there was that marvelous descent down Heartbreak Hill. Total climbing 1,677.
Tomorrow we go 76 miles to Sandpoint, ID, crossing our first state border. We travel predominately north east, and the weather forecast is for south west winds, sunny skys, and temperatures no higher than 68. Another gift? We'll see.
On a housekeeping note, we are having problems uploading pictures and video. We will soon figure it out, and you'll be able to see what we have seen.
Laundry needs doing, four loads total. How did we go through so much clothing in four days? All told, four, one mile round trips to the grocer/pharmacy for medicines, toiletries, sun screen, and "stuff." Bike maintenance also needs doing. We have gone over 300 miles in the last four days after all. We also walked to REI, a 3.4 mile round trip for some camping needs. Basically we walk everywhere, but it is nice not to be on the bike today.
So far, I think we have done well, but we have had some challenges.
Day one was the toughest so far. We started the day at an elevation of 30 feet and crested a pass at 3,015 feet. That climb began gradually at mile 51, and finished at mile 74.5. Total climbing was 4,117 feet. Some of the ascent was on I-90, which carried its own stress. We also fell on I-90, the front wheel caught in a sand filled rut on the shoulder, and we went down at about 13 mph. The bike was fine, and we got some minor road rash and bruises, but I found myself less likely to go fast for a couple days after that.
Day two was a great day. We watched the climate change mile by mile, and met some interesting people in local businesses we visited. We did have a gradual 16 mile climb near the end of the day, but that led to a unbelievable 9.6 mile, 1,851 foot descent into Vantage, WA. Can you imagine coasting at 25 to 30 mph (crosswinds) for over 9 miles?!! Total climbing 1,673.
Day three taught us the importance of staying hydrated. Low humidity and a temperature that reached 90 got us both into trouble with dehydration and hyperthermia. Fortunately our support crew was on the spot with drinks and electrolytes, so we were able to recover quickly and finish the day. Total climbing 1,946.
Day four was a gift. A tail wind almost the whole day, and temperatures no higher than 68. We only had two short hills to climb of about 6% grade, and there was that marvelous descent down Heartbreak Hill. Total climbing 1,677.
Tomorrow we go 76 miles to Sandpoint, ID, crossing our first state border. We travel predominately north east, and the weather forecast is for south west winds, sunny skys, and temperatures no higher than 68. Another gift? We'll see.
On a housekeeping note, we are having problems uploading pictures and video. We will soon figure it out, and you'll be able to see what we have seen.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Day 4, Odessa to Spokane, WA
Tail Wind!
We left Odessa around 7 AM aided by a southwest wind of about 10 to 15 mph. We were windstrong, no big hills and a chip and seal road in good repair. We made excellent time to our first water stop at Harrington (23.7 miles). There it looked like our luck had run out.
While getting water, the wind blew our bike off its kickstand, snapping the rear brake lever. Rich, the mechanic on the ride, came up with an ingenious work around. He used zip ties to make a loop that I could fit my fingers through and actuate the rear brake. We only lost about 20 minutes before we were back on the bike. By the time we reached our lunch stop at Reardan (49.8 miles), he had gotten a new brake lever from a local bike shop. He installed it while we had lunch. The man is a miracle worker!
The descent approaching Spokane was something else, long, lots of curves, and good pavement. We lost 431 feet in 2.8 miles and got up to 39 mph, and we might have gone faster, but cross winds were too strong. This hill is part of a marathon in Seattle. It's run in the opposite direction near the end of the race, and it's called "Heartbreak Hill."
Rest day tomorrow. I think most of us can use it.
We left Odessa around 7 AM aided by a southwest wind of about 10 to 15 mph. We were windstrong, no big hills and a chip and seal road in good repair. We made excellent time to our first water stop at Harrington (23.7 miles). There it looked like our luck had run out.
While getting water, the wind blew our bike off its kickstand, snapping the rear brake lever. Rich, the mechanic on the ride, came up with an ingenious work around. He used zip ties to make a loop that I could fit my fingers through and actuate the rear brake. We only lost about 20 minutes before we were back on the bike. By the time we reached our lunch stop at Reardan (49.8 miles), he had gotten a new brake lever from a local bike shop. He installed it while we had lunch. The man is a miracle worker!
The descent approaching Spokane was something else, long, lots of curves, and good pavement. We lost 431 feet in 2.8 miles and got up to 39 mph, and we might have gone faster, but cross winds were too strong. This hill is part of a marathon in Seattle. It's run in the opposite direction near the end of the race, and it's called "Heartbreak Hill."
Rest day tomorrow. I think most of us can use it.
Day Three - Odessa, WA...83 miles of heat and hills
Day three and the hot weather has begun! It was in the high 80's with sunshine galore.
We started by crossing the Columbia River Bridge, a huge structure that spans the river, providing a majestic view. A view I was unable to capture on film due to the competing emotions of, Oh my goodness, this is so beautiful! and Good grief! I am going to die crossing this bridge in heavy traffic! (A family we met, who had crossed the bridge the day before while traveling from Canada on their bicycles, said they just closed their eyes and went as fast as they could!)
Climbing out of the Columbia River Gorge, the view presented a beautiful scene exemplifying the power of water to shape the land, as the Columbia River snaked its way though rock forming deep canyons. However, soon we were in a big band of irrigated cropland. Irrigation brought by Roosevelt's Grand Coulee Dam, (see link above) meant to tame the Columbia and provide food for a growing nation. We passed miles and miles of crops being irrigated by a variety of man-made devices, from huge traveling sprinklers over potato plants, to drip irrigation attached to individual grape vines. Apparently, this area is at the same latitude as Bordeaux, France but produces 5 times the volume of high quality grapes. Additionally, the county with the USA's highest potato production is located within Washington's vast irrigated land.
We climbed into the high desert land and another scene change, wheat fields. Not acres of wheat, miles of wheat. The land moved from sharp climbs to rolling hills. Unfortunately for me, the heat, a slight tail wind, and a few poor choices on my part combined producing heat exhaustion. No lasting damage and we finished the day, but I sure learned the drink lots of water, and yes, sports drinks are needed, rule while bicycling through a desert!
We spent the night in Odessa, a welcoming town of 1000 residents. Passing out a 7:30, I awoke a little wiser and ready for the trip to Spokane.
We started by crossing the Columbia River Bridge, a huge structure that spans the river, providing a majestic view. A view I was unable to capture on film due to the competing emotions of, Oh my goodness, this is so beautiful! and Good grief! I am going to die crossing this bridge in heavy traffic! (A family we met, who had crossed the bridge the day before while traveling from Canada on their bicycles, said they just closed their eyes and went as fast as they could!)
Climbing out of the Columbia River Gorge, the view presented a beautiful scene exemplifying the power of water to shape the land, as the Columbia River snaked its way though rock forming deep canyons. However, soon we were in a big band of irrigated cropland. Irrigation brought by Roosevelt's Grand Coulee Dam, (see link above) meant to tame the Columbia and provide food for a growing nation. We passed miles and miles of crops being irrigated by a variety of man-made devices, from huge traveling sprinklers over potato plants, to drip irrigation attached to individual grape vines. Apparently, this area is at the same latitude as Bordeaux, France but produces 5 times the volume of high quality grapes. Additionally, the county with the USA's highest potato production is located within Washington's vast irrigated land.
We climbed into the high desert land and another scene change, wheat fields. Not acres of wheat, miles of wheat. The land moved from sharp climbs to rolling hills. Unfortunately for me, the heat, a slight tail wind, and a few poor choices on my part combined producing heat exhaustion. No lasting damage and we finished the day, but I sure learned the drink lots of water, and yes, sports drinks are needed, rule while bicycling through a desert!
We spent the night in Odessa, a welcoming town of 1000 residents. Passing out a 7:30, I awoke a little wiser and ready for the trip to Spokane.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Day 2, Easton to Vantage WA
Fantastic ride today.
We started in the pine forest in Easton, then fifteen miles later we were in Cle Elum and in the high desert. The desert from Cle Elum to Ellensburg, about a 28 mile ride, is heavily irrigated. Lots of hay and winter wheat. After Ellensburg, irrigation stopped, and there was open range with sage brush and cattle. We finished the day in Vantage in the Columbia River gorge.
The challenge for today's ride began at mile 46 just after lunch in Ellensburg. To quote our cue sheet, "Mile 46.0 Follow Vantage Hwy out of town up long climb...Mile 61.2 Reach top of long climb..." This is the longest climb either of us has ever done, but we paced ourselves well, and had no problems. The best part about the climb was that it was followed by a 10 mile descent. They really do things big out here.
Tomorrow we climb out of the Columbia gorge and ride across more high desert to Odessa, WA.
We started in the pine forest in Easton, then fifteen miles later we were in Cle Elum and in the high desert. The desert from Cle Elum to Ellensburg, about a 28 mile ride, is heavily irrigated. Lots of hay and winter wheat. After Ellensburg, irrigation stopped, and there was open range with sage brush and cattle. We finished the day in Vantage in the Columbia River gorge.
The challenge for today's ride began at mile 46 just after lunch in Ellensburg. To quote our cue sheet, "Mile 46.0 Follow Vantage Hwy out of town up long climb...Mile 61.2 Reach top of long climb..." This is the longest climb either of us has ever done, but we paced ourselves well, and had no problems. The best part about the climb was that it was followed by a 10 mile descent. They really do things big out here.
Tomorrow we climb out of the Columbia gorge and ride across more high desert to Odessa, WA.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Easton, Washington
Day one has finally arrived! We headed to Easton, Washington in the Cascade Mountains. Should you be interested in learning more about Easton, the links to Wikipedia and the Easton Welcome site are attached to the blog.
It was a great day! LOTS of climbing! We went through the Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade mountains which entailed climbing 3000+feet. One climb was 5 miles long. We had another section that was mostly up for 12 miles...and we made it. All told we rode 88 miles up and down the mountain side. This is reported to be the 2nd toughest set of climbs we will have on the trip, so we are off to a good start. Woo Hoo, day one under our belt and no the worse for the wear. (well maybe a little!) More details and pictures to follow tomorrow. To be honest John and I are tuckered out from our first day and are hitting the hay early. : )
It was a great day! LOTS of climbing! We went through the Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade mountains which entailed climbing 3000+feet. One climb was 5 miles long. We had another section that was mostly up for 12 miles...and we made it. All told we rode 88 miles up and down the mountain side. This is reported to be the 2nd toughest set of climbs we will have on the trip, so we are off to a good start. Woo Hoo, day one under our belt and no the worse for the wear. (well maybe a little!) More details and pictures to follow tomorrow. To be honest John and I are tuckered out from our first day and are hitting the hay early. : )
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Day 0, Seattle, 06/19/20
Tomorrow is the day! Picked up the tandem at the Speedy Reedy bike shop today, and took it for a test ride. Everything worked perfectly. Thanks to Speedy Reedy for putting it back together, and thanks to Nate in GR for all the work he put into our bike getting it ready for the trip.
We biked up a one mile long 13% grade. At the end, we felt we could have climbed more. Made us feel more confident. Tomorrow we will cycle 95 miles I think. The organizers characterize tomorrows ride as a "difficult day." We will ride on bike trails, city streets, mountain roads, I-90 (Yikes!), and suburban roads. There is one section where many trees had fallen across the road. The highway department has cleared one lane through the area. It's wide enough for a car, but not for one of our support trucks. We will also have a twelve mile long uphill. Best as I can tell from the cue sheet, this http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/38152508/ is the route we take. I-90 between exits 54 and 62 does not allow bikes, so we will be shuttled past this area. Are we doing 95 miles, or 8 miles less?
Don't really know, but I suspect our pedaling mileage will be more like 87. It's 8:30. I am both tired and excited, so excited I don't feel sleepy. We have packed and repacked our bags many times, discarding this and that so as to take only what we really need. (I hope.) Our alarm is set for 5 AM. We load our gear on the truck at 6 AM, eat breakfast from 6:15 to 6:45, and have opening ceremonies -
ALA higher ups will tell us what a nice job we did, and we will present them with a check for around $200K - around 7:00. Then at about 7:30 PDT we will get on our bikes and begin the ride. Thank you all for your support, both emotional and financial. We would not be here without your help.
We biked up a one mile long 13% grade. At the end, we felt we could have climbed more. Made us feel more confident. Tomorrow we will cycle 95 miles I think. The organizers characterize tomorrows ride as a "difficult day." We will ride on bike trails, city streets, mountain roads, I-90 (Yikes!), and suburban roads. There is one section where many trees had fallen across the road. The highway department has cleared one lane through the area. It's wide enough for a car, but not for one of our support trucks. We will also have a twelve mile long uphill. Best as I can tell from the cue sheet, this http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/38152508/ is the route we take. I-90 between exits 54 and 62 does not allow bikes, so we will be shuttled past this area. Are we doing 95 miles, or 8 miles less?
Don't really know, but I suspect our pedaling mileage will be more like 87. It's 8:30. I am both tired and excited, so excited I don't feel sleepy. We have packed and repacked our bags many times, discarding this and that so as to take only what we really need. (I hope.) Our alarm is set for 5 AM. We load our gear on the truck at 6 AM, eat breakfast from 6:15 to 6:45, and have opening ceremonies -
ALA higher ups will tell us what a nice job we did, and we will present them with a check for around $200K - around 7:00. Then at about 7:30 PDT we will get on our bikes and begin the ride. Thank you all for your support, both emotional and financial. We would not be here without your help.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Tomorrow we fly to Seattle and meet each other in the Seattle airport. Margaret drove her car to Richmond, VA. By leaving it, and the bike rack there, we will have a way to get home. We will meet in Seattle, check in to Emerson Hall at Seattle Pacific University, and then go to the Speedy Reedy bike shop where our tandem (should be) is. We hope to have Friday evening and Saturday to get a feel for Seattle.
Our steed is to the left. In all honesty, there is less of Margaret now than there was in this 2008 picture.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Final Preparations
We ship our bike to Seattle tomorrow, 6/7. It takes a bit of planning to ship a sixty pound, nine foot long tandem. All of this is becoming in-ignorably (is that a word?) real.
We are packing for the trip tonight. Our friends, Jeanne and Bob, are driving to Seattle on 6/10, and have offered to take whatever stuff they can fit in their car. We hope to really load them up. The trip organizers have provided a remarkably complete packing list which we are following with some additions and corrections.
Last minute prep of the bike finished tonight with the installation of two new chain rings for the timing chain, as well as a new timing chain to complement the new drive chain. We have upgraded the tandem for the ride as follows: New chains, new chain rings for the timing chain, all new brake and shift cables, new foam pad for Margaret's seat, replaced the stock rim brakes with disk brakes, and Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires.
Soon as I figure it out, I will post some pictures.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Ready
Well, we didn't get to ride Friday, sometimes life interferes with your plans. We did ride the rest of the weekend. Saturday we rode to Hopkins, then Holland, and back home, 102 miles. Sunday we rode to Lowell, then Portland, then Lake Odessa, and back home, 107 miles. Monday we rode to Lowell for brunch, then back home, 43 miles. Observations:
1) Do not trust Google maps-bicycling to avoid dirt roads. We ended up doing 5 miles of them on Saturday.
2) When riding in a driving rain, as we did for the last two hours of the ride on Sunday, we can not go faster than about 25 mph. Above that speed, my eyes get so much water in them that my contact lenses begin to float, and I can't see the road ahead.
3) Drink like crazy on a hot, humid day like Monday. Then drink even more. We both didn't drink enough during that ride. Ride was tougher than it should have been because of that.
All in all, I think we are read for our Big Ride. Maybe we are not where we had hoped we'd be in early June, but I think we are good enough. This past weekend was a test which we ended up passing. Now Margaret wants to concentrate in interval training in hopes of increasing our speed. We'll see what we can accomplish with two weeks to go.
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