116 miles with 5,000 feet of climbing
Well, we knew that this would be a tough day considering the distance and the climbs. However, we never factored in the steady rain and cold temperatures. During yesterday’s RAP, we were told that the chance of rain would be 20%. Awesome! Unfortunately, 10 miles into the ride and the rain started. By the time that we reached the first summit, the temperature was in the 30’s. Of course, no one had the right apparel, and everyone was freezing especially on the descent. When we passed our first café in the town of Mitchell, the entire group of cyclists crowded into tiny shop in an effort to warm-up. It was a long, hard day, but there were some real positives. The first was a ride though a canyon that had the most beautiful rock formations. I wish that we had been able to stop at the John Day fossil beds, which are very famous in this area. The second positive was the group that formed today. Gail, the 2 sisters, Drew and I formed a pace line that made the last 30 miles tolerable. There was singing, laughing, stops for coffee, and an upbeat attitude. Tonight’s dinner was at the Outpost where we, once again, consumed vast quantities of food. I wish that I could say that tomorrow looks easy, but it seems that we will be in for another hard day. I guess I’ll just have to think of a few good songs. Where’s Tom Harrigan when we need him?
This picture was taken during the only non-rain period of the day!
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