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I've Got Something to Say
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| Ride Stats |
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Time: 01:58:10
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Distance:
21.84 miles
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Max Speed:
24.00 mph
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Avg Speed:
11.00 mph
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Route:
PAC Tour Central Transcontinental
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Weight:
0
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Category: training: general -
solo
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Terrain: Road: Steep
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Bike: Fuji Newest Road
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| Club: Commuter Cycling Century |
| Weather Conditions: |
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The hotel we stayed at Saturday night, in Cortez, was the nicest one on the tour, so far. Most of the hotels have had spacious rooms; spacious enough to walk around in even with the two beds, a desk & chairs, and some wall space to lean our bikes. This hotel also served a continental breakfast, including making waffles, and was supplemented with some PAC Tour oatmeal – a breakfast standard.
I was set to roll out of the parking lot with Team Turtle, and turtle up the 6,000+ feet of climbing over the 125 miles of road (distance wise it’s an average day). Almost two hours later, after completing the first 21 miles and 2,200 feet of climbing, I felt exhausted. It was a struggle almost all the way; even going down the few minor descents along the way I had to pedal to obtain (and maintain) a speed faster than I went up the ascent. On the ascent to the first rest stop, I kept a good cadence, using my lowest gear, and my heart-rate and respiratory rate stayed pretty well in check – I didn’t get to the point where I was grasping for breath. My assessment was there was a slight head wind that hindered our progress both up hill and down, and I did not feel like fighting the wind and gravity (climbing more hills) any more today. After talking with the crew member, Alan, working the rest stop, he encouraged me to make today a day of rest.
He would take me to the second rest stop, which was being serviced by the hotel trailer – it is the first vehicle to arrive at the hotel – and that allow me to eat, drink and rest more today and hopefully be better fit for riding tomorrow and the days ahead. So, my perspective of the route and scenery today came from the seat of a van, which over time is more comfortable than seat on a bike.
From the van I could still enjoy the scenery – and took more pictures than I probably would have if I had been riding, because I would have been concentrating on my cycling. From the van I could I picture myself guiding my bike down the long and potentially fast descents. From the van, I could anticipate arriving at the hotel before any other riders, getting to the laundry facilities and cleaning my cycling clothes (which I hadn’t done the previous two days), and maybe even sitting back and listening to some of the tunes I have loaded onto this laptop. As it turned out I could do laundry, listen to tunes, and start working on my journal for today all at the same time since hotel’s wireless access was also available in the guest laundry area! From the van, though, I did not hear the elk bellowing like some of the cyclist have spoken about after the ride.
I had a delicious filling dinner at a near by Mexican restaurant, with ten other cyclist. We walked by the Pagosa Springs Spa, right across the street from our hotel, to get to the restaurant. No I am not making use of the spa. If I would, it would require me overcoming the smell of the sulfur (think rotten eggs). So after finishing this journal and getting it and the photo album posted, I will be ready for a night of rest.
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