86 miles with 1,200' of climbing
Once again, we were up at 4:30 with breakfast at 5:30 and on the road by 6:40 ( the last ones to leave). This is one time that I was thrilled to get an early start as the temperatures were due to surpass 100 degrees. While the clouds helped to keep the scorching rays at bay for most of the morning, we were punished by a stiff headwind during the entire 86 miles. Initially, we formed a group of 3, then 5, then 8. If you weren't in a pace line today, it was a brutal ride. One of our guides at dinner tonight said, "You need to make peace with the wind." Right now, I'm not in a zen-like mood. Perhaps, I'll come to accept this sage advice as the weeks progress (seriously doubt it).
Besides the wind and the heat, there isn't much to say about the actual ride. We passed Register Rock in which the pioneers carved their name and date. We also saw fields of massive wind turbines.
Averaging 14.7 mph, we arrived in Pocatello by 1:30. We went directly to an Applebee's. At my urging, all 5 of us had chocolate milk as a recovery drink. Wow, did that taste good!
I then dashed to an Urgent Care facility to get an antibiotic for my cold/soon to be sinus infection. Then, I had to ride 5 miles to a pharmacy for the medication. I barely made it back for the 5:00 dinner.
It's now 8:15 p.m. and I'm ready for bed on a Saturday night. There are lots of firsts on this trip!
Hey Annie, Sorry to hear you still haven't beaten whatever ails you. Hopefully the medicine will do the trick.
ReplyDeleteAs for the wind, i feel your pain... it must be bad, given your downstate training: you were very tough in the face of a tough, relentless wind during our Bethany weekend!
But clearly the key to pushing on in your circumstance is to not get too hung up on speed. Dial it back and relax. I know this goes against the grain (!), but slow and steady wins the race in this case!
Having said that, i hope the wind is ever at your back for the rest of your ride!
Tom H