Ride from Reno – Day 3

With hours in the saddle and not much more to do than peddle, watch the desert go by and think about tasks to be done, I had tonight’s blog all planned out.  However, it was all washed away on Connors Summit.  We thought we were getting wet the last 10 miles into Ely was bad, but that was nothing compared to what happened as we started our climb up to Connors Summit.  By the time we got to the top it was just pouring down.  Jeff says you can only get so wet and no wetter.   If you are jumping into a swimming pool that’s probably true, but when biking I beg to differ on a couple of points.  First, descending in wet cloths at 35-40 mph brings on serious wind chill, second stick your head out the car window at 40 miles per hour in a driving rain storm and you will know the answer to number two.

One of the sweetest sights of the day was to see Judy coming back to meet us with rain gear as we were approaching a wall of water falling from the ski.  There is no thanks big enough for the support Judy and Jim are giving us.  As I mentioned above there is plenty of desert to watch, but with the rains it’s not what you would normally expect.  Things are green, green, green.  At higher elevations the hills are dotted with a variety of red, yellow, and blue flowers.  The Indian Paint Brush is especially lovely.  In some of the valleys it looks almost like someone laid green sod right up to where the Juniper tree line starts.

Mike is the man of the day!  He rode stronger as the day went by.  I think he just needed a little, maybe a lot, of rain to lubricate his muscles.  I was driving the pace at 25-30 mph the last 5 miles across a valley to the finish point for the day and Mike refused to give up and drop off.  His efforts were rewarded as I faltered on a little rise just at the end and Mike came around to take the win for the day.  He had given his all and was rewarded with success.  Just before we hit the rain on the assent up Connors, Jeff told me he had nothing left, no power only will to get to the top.  He made it and was racing across the valley at up to 32 mph.  I saw pure courage and will power take the day.  A token of the courage and will power those fighting cancer must exhibit each day.

I’m riding pretty good and the legs are responding well.  However, I must say that unlike last year I’m not finding myself at the top of the climb or across the finish line first each day.  Jeff has to summit finishes to his credit, and Taylor (the man) held me off in a sprint for one this morning and Don bested me on Little Antelope and we contest a finish on another summit.  I don’t know who finished first Monday or yesterday, but it wasn’t me.  Maybe tomorrow?

Today’s Stats:
Miles: 112  [the rain made it seem further]
Time: 6 hrs, 36 mins [still pushing the limits]
Avg Speed: 17 mph [better than yesterday]
Avg Heart Rate: 108 [change the battery – this can’t be right]
Climbing: 5636 ft  [what’s with this??]

We had more elevation yesterday, but everyone agrees that the 4 big climbs and one shorter climb made today the hardest yet.  There is more to a bike ride than how many feet you climb.