Diary

Mileage: 119 miles

Elevation Change: 2235 feet

Weather: cool in am, hot in pm, storms

Morale:  very tired

Incidents: so hungry we each ate two complete dinners!

Daily Summary:

We went to bed last night tired and hungry and we woke up this morning tired and hungry.  We were really flat this morning as we rolled out.  To our very pleasant surprise, the sky was completely overcast so the weather was actually cool.  The route was fairly easy today.  The wind was light and the elevation changes were gradual and mostly downhill.  It was a day to ride in packs, and we got into several good ones.  (When there is a lot of climbing involved, it is very difficult to keep a pack together as everyone climbs at their own rate.  But on a relatively flat/downhill day like today, it is easy to work together and stay together.)  We did well for the first few hours, but then Raymond had a meltdown at about mile 50.  We fell off the pace, and went slower and slower.  We were  barely going 10mph (down from over 20!).  Fortunately, the SAG stop was close and after a short rest and some food and drink he was ready to go again.  After lunch the clouds cleared and the temperature rose.  We kept it steady and kept sharing the work with others, so got back to the hotel before the afternoon thunderstorms once again.  We were starving, so got some burgers from Burger King for a 4 pm snack.  Then, for dinner we went to the microbrewery down the street and each ordered a big plate of pasta.  It barely made a dent in our appetite, so we had the waitress bring us each a second dinner.  After desert we finally started feeling better.  Today was the last century ride.  From here it should get easier!

 

Below you see Raymond rolling along in the pack.  Next, we saw quite a few trains today.  Then, Lil rolls along the hot plains.  Finally, we are safe and sound at the hotel when the thunderstorms roll in.