Diary

Mileage: 120 miles

Elevation Change:  6670 feet

Weather:  sunny and warm

Morale:  tired and excited to sleep in tomorrow

Incidents:  outran the storm at the end of the day

Daily Summary:

Another long, hard, and beautiful day.  We were rolling by 7am through the magnificent high plains of southwestern Colorado.  We started the day at 6500 feet, and ended at 7800 feet, but in between there were a lot of ups and downs.  As you can see on the elevation profile, we worked all day long.  In the afternoon, the thunderstorms started building all around us.  There was a huge one forming that was right on a path to soak us.  So we really pushed it for the last 40 miles trying to stay dry.  The last ten miles were into a killer headwind which was blowing the storm right towards us.  We pulled into the hotel just minutes before the skies opened up.

 

Raymond and I are really cycling well together.  We each have different strengths which complement each other well.  I work well keeping up the speed on the long flats and am faster on the descents.  Raymond climbs like an angel and always has something left at the end to pull us home.  We help each other well and get along great. 

 

Tonight we are in Charma, New Mexico, a cute old railroad town with an old scenic steam railroad still making runs.  We are at 7800 feet tonight, and I have to say that I am noticing the altitude.

 

Below you see Raymond cycling into the typical scenery of the day.  Next is Lil’s daily midmorning snack:  PayDay candy bars and beef jerkey.  We eat all that we can stand and are still always hungry.  Further down is the paceline in the morning sun.  Next, Lil cycles towards Chimney Rock.  Finally, we make it to the hotel just before the storm does.  Check out the flag!