Answer: Riding 116 miles on your bike on a windy cold day in a downpour!!
There was only a 20% chance of rain today - but luck was not with us. It rained from about mile 10 to the end. There was one downhill that was 15 miles long that speeds got up to 35 mph. The rain was heavy and I was afraid to take my hands off my brakes to wipe my sunglasses off.
Quite surprising the trip did not take as long as I thought it would take. When we started climbing the first hill I was averaging 10 mph. So I figured I would get done in 10 hours. Then my speed dropped to 6 mph and if I had kept at that pace it would have taken me 20 hours. I was getting worried.
But what goes up - goes down.
So we climbed 30 miles, then had a 10 mile straight downhill ride, followed by a 15 mile climb, with a 30 mile downhill. Net, I got the ride done in 9 1/2 hours and burned 4000 calories.
| Distance: | 118.71 mi |
| Time: | 9:24:08 |
| Avg Speed: | 12.6 mph |
| Calories: | 4,058 C |
| Avg Temperature: | 35.0 °F |
So I treated myself to a dairy queen after dinner. Thought I earned it.
But it was cold and wet. The ride was only 116 miles long - but I missed the hotel and had to double back. Not exactly the day to add miles to a ride.
I was trying to think of a ride that we take in our car that is similar to the ride today. Best example is if your drove from Reno to Squaw (45 miles); and then did it again (90 miles). Same amount of climbing and downhills. Reached about the same height.
On the first climb I passed Bill Manning taking a short break
Bill is 70 years old and is riding to raise money for Wounded Warriors. Everybody was cold and wet. But we gutted it out and everybody finished. The only bad part of the day was dinner. It sucked. Enough on that subject.
I did get one interesting picture on one of the downhills when it had stopped raining for a couple of minutes.
Seems there are zillions of fossils in this part of the country. All hidden in these kind of hills.
This is a short blog entry tonight as I am beat. Tomorrow we have another tough ride in the mountains (83 miles). We are in John Day City, still in Oregon. Here is a shot on the way into town. Still damn pretty out here.
Night.
I was trying to think of a ride that we take in our car that is similar to the ride today. Best example is if your drove from Reno to Squaw (45 miles); and then did it again (90 miles). Same amount of climbing and downhills. Reached about the same height.
On the first climb I passed Bill Manning taking a short break
Bill is 70 years old and is riding to raise money for Wounded Warriors. Everybody was cold and wet. But we gutted it out and everybody finished. The only bad part of the day was dinner. It sucked. Enough on that subject.
I did get one interesting picture on one of the downhills when it had stopped raining for a couple of minutes.
Seems there are zillions of fossils in this part of the country. All hidden in these kind of hills.
This is a short blog entry tonight as I am beat. Tomorrow we have another tough ride in the mountains (83 miles). We are in John Day City, still in Oregon. Here is a shot on the way into town. Still damn pretty out here.
Night.
3 comments:
Go big or go home! Congrats on wrapping a challenging day!
I heard about your ride and I am quite interested to follow your blog. My plan is to live vicariously through you from behind my desk! I am so out of shape that I am sore from reading your post.
Best wishes. Congrats on the ride thus far. My thoughts are with you with each mile.
Martin Wall
thanks Martin - no excuse for not getting back on the bike. Make the time!
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