A grueling ride today of 97 miles from Hope Mountain to Twin Falls Idaho. After the rest day on Tuesday and a relatively easy 60 miles on Wednesday I felt really rested and decided to test my metal (titanium hips that is) against the Alpha riders in the group. Anyone who knows bike riders knows the result when you put them into a group ride ..... egos .....competition and the sorting out of a hierarchy. And with 50 riders riding together every day even friendly rides become competitive. And you all know me when challenged. So far I have resisted by leaving last and trying to remain Zen and above being competitive. Meanwhile I have been sizing up the competition and feeling that on a given day I could be up with the 4 or 5 "leaders of the pack". Well today was the day!!!!

I went out when the gun sounded and hung with, and even did my share of "pulling the pack" today. We left at 6 AM with the temperature at 48 degrees and watched the sun come up through some beautiful country. No pictures of this since these riders do not stop for photos. Mike the tour leader who was in the van, has some photos of our fast pace line posted on the ABB site I am sure. Well the group dwindled down to 5 of us. A young 50 year old guy from NY City, a +/- 30 Australian woman who is tough as nails, another mid 50's guy from southern CA and my roommate from NH. This is the group below, with one extra female tourist in the white shirt.
I held my own for about 85 of the 97 miles. Then mostly from inexperience, not eating enough power bars, running out of water after the 2nd SAG stop and from being too old and slow on the climbs, I DIED. I just ran out of gas and in spite of their kindness, one time, to wait for me to catch the pace line and try to hang on, I pulled off under a shady tree to escape the 90 degree noon day sun.

I waited almost a half hour for the next group of riders. Here I discovered the riders I belong with, strong and steady with a brisk but not killer pace. There was a couple from Alaska, and a young German fellow trying to learn English, a Neurologist from Georgia and 2 childhood friends from Maine who both now live in Colorado. We had some time for pictures below of the Snake River Canyon where Evil Kan-evil did his motorcycle jump and I now know who I should be riding with.

Then there is this picture below with, yours truly with the 2 childhood friends from Maine posing in front of the bridge over the Snake river canyon that we had just crossed, 486 feet above the river.

Both are very strong riders and by coincidence both born like me born in 1950, all within 2 months of each other. Also both women like me are also very happily married and expecting their husbands to visit them during the trip. By the way I have have not been shaving and seem to be growing a beard.