Hi everyone--Whew..What a day--we knew this would be tough as the leader has talked about it all week.  I knew this day was a 117 miler and assumed it must be flat and barren to schedule that many miles--wrong!!!!!!

It was in the forest with two big climbs--after the first one, we flew downhill for 12 miles--was that ever fun after working up the other side. 

The other factor today was the weather. It was in the upper 90's and as most of you know I don't do well in the heat. 

 

After the first big climb and downhill I was in the last group of riders. I'm the diesel so usually somewhere at the back of the pack.  Because ABB had 117 miles to service all the riders with 3 support vans, they picked up the back group and put us in the Sag wagon so there wasn't such a big mileage spread. 

There was also very little communication here as there are no cell carriers so this was quite a day. 

About 1:00 I was really getting hot so stopped by the last tree I could see for many, many, miles and had almost decided to have the Sag wagon pick me up.  Well, my knight in shining armor showed up, got out his spray bottle and wet down my shirt and said "Come on baby, you can do it--I'll follow you in the van and keep you wet. 

Well, it worked and I rode in tonight at 7:30--after subtracting the 7 miles in the Sag wagon, I still did 110  miles so my first century ride was really exciting!!!!!! I did something I thought was an impossibility but Gabriel just wouldn't let me give up!!!!!!!

 

This is the fifth day of riding and we do two more before we have our first day off in Boise.  I got up at 4:30 this am breakfast at 5"30 and on the road by 6"00 so the day disappears on the road.  We have seen so much beautiful scenery here in Oregon it blows our minds. 

Anyway, hope you are all OK and it's time for bed even though it's only 9:30.  Bye for now and love to all.

Patricia and Gabriel