Today's ride was more of the same, nothing but mountains, scrub brush and wind. For most of the day the wind was blowing strong behind us. Again, the 15-20 MPH wind spent most of the day pushing us along.

Nicole has trouble getting motivated from the start. A pep talk before a long hill got her going and she attacked the hill. Dan had stayed a couple minutes long at our previous rest stop and was a good ways behind when Nicole and I got to the bottom of the hill. We were crossing a valley that must have been 10 miles of pure flatness and were cruising along at 15-18 MPH. We lost sight of Dan for a while and decided to slow so he could catch up. The three of us rode side-by-side for several miles and started another ascent.

I was feeling good and started cooking when we came down the other side. I went out about a mile ahead of the others and then waited for them to catch up. It was 1p.m. and we had gone 50 miles. At the start of the day we agreed to get off the bikes at 4:30 because we were going to be 50 miles from the next town when we hit 100 miles. It was apparent we weren't going to make 100 at our current speed and Dan could tell I was feeling strong. So he suggested I head out on my own and see if I could knock off the next 50 in a little over three hours.

I took off and was going great in the long flat valley with the wind at my back and clipping along at 25 MPH. All good things must come to an end and so it was with the flat and the wind. For the next hour I did a 2,800 feet climb for 12 miles with the wind hitting me in the face. My pace slowed to six or seven MPH. I thought those 400 foot climbs I found in New Jersey were nasty.

Everyone was waiting in the van about a mile from the top of a big hill. I think they thought I would be ready to pack it in but I wasn't about to climb that much mountain without getting the pleasure of going down the other side. I stopped for some Gatorade and finished the climb, which was the steepest part. Once I hit the summit at 7,500 feet, I started the long downhill ride. I didn't pedal for the next 12 miles and hit 39 MPH while hanging on the brakes. The van was waiting in the middle of the valley. It was after 4:00 P.M. and I had gone 85 miles. Another five would have been easy but another mountain was looming and it would take another hour to hit my 100 mile goal. I got in the van.

The scenery is spectacular.

They need signs like this in Newark.

Newark doesn't need a high school nickname like
they have in Eureka, NV