Day 4: Rest before battle

Kah-Nee-Ta to Prineville OR
60 miles with 3,300' of climbing

Today serves as our easy day before the most difficult day thus far. Wake-up time tomorrow will be 4:00 so that we can be ready for a 5:00 breakfast and van loading by 5:45. We will be riding 116 miles with 5,000 feet of climbing. Tension is in the air, and I can feel that some cyclists are having doubts. If all goes well, I will be able to report a successful day for everyone. You might send a few good vibes our way!
Now for today's ride...we left a wonderful resort (which we saw little of because we were so tired) at 7:30. The first part of the ride was on beautiful back roads with breathtaking views and little traffic. For me, it was one of my favorite portions to date. After the SAG stop at mile 30, we entered the highway again. This meant big trucks! For the last 30 miles, we rode single file into a head wind...not nearly as much fun. We arrived in Prineville and went directly to a Tastee Treat for lunch. Then, we were consumed with laundry, meetings, and bike mechanics - reminiscent of home. :-) Dinner was held at the restaurant next door where we dined with 3 of the 7 tour guides. It was so interesting to find out about their personal lives and the history of the company.

This picture was taken at the top of one of our many climbs. Note the snow covered peaks of Jefferson Mountain in the background and the contrasting desert terrain in the foreground.