Diary

Mileage:  79 miles  (127 kms)

Elevation Change: 1634 feet  (498 meters)

Weather:  cloudy and rainy

Morale: stunned by Kent’s injury

Incidents:  Kent broke his collar bone and is out of the ride

Daily Summary:

The air was heavy with moisture today as we headed out at 7.  It was only a matter of time before it rained, but the front was supposed to break the heat wave, so we were looking forward to it.  Chris took the day off, and Ray and I decided to get as many miles in as we could before the rain started, and we managed 53.  Even then, it was a light rain for the last 30 miles, which wasn’t bad.  Little Falls is a charming town built on the side of a hill (like SF), full of beautiful old Victorian homes.  It once had a population of 40,000, but it’s down to 8000 now that the paper mill, bicycle factory, and other industry has moved out.  Shortly after the rain started we came upon an ambulance scene, and it was one of our riders who had fallen and broken his collar bone—so close to the end!  It really shook up the whole group.  60 riders have come 3000 miles with only a few skinned knees, so this got our attention.  We have to stay vigilant to the end!  We pulled into town right at noon and faced the classic dilemma—what do we need worse, a shower or food?  Our room wasn’t ready so the food won out.  But then we had the classic problem of  sitting soaking wet in an air conditioned restaurant, and it wasn’t long before we were shivering.  It happens every time!   A nice warm shower took care of the problem.  Nice Laundromat here, nice town to walk around in, and Pirates of the Caribbean is playing right next door, so we’ll be up late (for us!)  One last relatively easy day tomorrow before we head into the mountains for two days.

 

I didn’t take any pix today because of the rain, but here are some nice shots that others have taken of us in the last few days.  Two action shots of Chris biking, and then the three of us at a SAG.