Ouch! 142 miles, about 9,000 feet of climbing, across the continental divide and summiting at 10,550 ft. Turns out that 140 miles is quite a long way to go on a bike!
Whose idea was this?
We started at 7:00 and froze our extremities off (yes - all of them) for 90 minutes before the sun rose far enough to provide some warmth. Jeff insisted on warming his hands in his crotch, but I took a more conservative approach and just placed them under my jacket.
We gradually climbed until we crossed the continental divide, then got into the mountains and the real climbing began. It was like riding the Alps - about 20 miles of climbing, only to discover that the peak wasn't the peak and we had a couple of more long hills to climb. Then, the sweet reward of a long downhill followed by a fast ride into Taos, crossing the Rio Grande along the way.
My own ride was pretty straightforward. Freeze > think the altitude is getting to you > eat lunch > get lost and add two miles to the ride > scale the pass > cruise to the hotel. I actually felt better/stronger riding my last hour than I did my first hour. I managed to stay with Jeff (our strongest climber and then some) through the first climb, but when we hit the second he raced up the slope and I slowly followed in his wake. All up, a tough but very satisfying day.
It was a more memorable day for Joseph, whose girlfriend, Chiyo, surprised him by showing up (all the way from Guam) on her bike on the road into Taos. I was leading our group in and waved at this attractive biker going the other way. I wondered why she waved back so enthusiastically, then returned to the job at hand. Next thing I know Chiyo has done a u-turn and is riding next to a totally shocked Joseph! To the surprise of no one, Joseph suddenly found a hidden energy reserve and raced back to the hotel with Chiyo!
It was also a very memorable day for Dana, Britt and William - not the fastest riders in the group but definitely the most determined. They finished in the dark, and should be incredibly proud of their ride.
A rest day tomorrow and an opportunity to see Taos. This is our best hotel (by far) to date, and the Do Not Disturb sign is on the door.
I am full of enfy Austin. The trip sounds and looks amazing. I'll be following your blog as you go.
ReplyDeleteAll the best.
Paul "your insole guy" Kundrat
Nice one. Good job. That sounds like a very tough day. Try not to get the bug that's been going around.
ReplyDeleteLove the comments and pix. But, did you know that there's a new invention called the "airplane?" I've heard it works great for those pesky longer distances.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a day! Awesome! I am so enjoying your ride. (Better you than me...) Stay healthy!
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