• Mileage today 103.8
• Mileage total 2353.8
• Elevation today 5338 ft
• Elevation total 99543 ft
• Weather – stated in 60’s finish in low 80’s, with high cloud overcast. You can feel a crispness in the air.

Today was lumpy – 9 climbs!!! I was messing around and missed my group start time – so solo until lunch. It was great!!! I wasn’t in a pace line, I wasn’t looking at someone’s back wheel. Ya much better! But I had to work harder and the legs felt like they were logs. It was a grinder day!!!!

The climbs were very misleading- average being mostly 5%. There is nothing about averages – these climbs had 10, 12 and 15%. At one point, I thought my momentum would stop I would fall over backward. It was very hard on plus over 100 miles. I would say gassed is putting it mildly.

The scenery is a bunches of dairy farms and lots of corn fields. I was dragging so rode in with Young Jon who was struggling. We both rallied to ride in with head winds and get to hotel by 5. This was a long day and more survival than anything.

My riding is stronger but the pressure you use together up the hills is to push down on the saddle. Normally this very efficient and allows you to power up the hills. Alas, my butt is telling me NO, NOT Now!!! So end up standing to get up the hills, which then uses more energy. It is sort of like going as hard as you can then trying to recover. ‘S not ideal, it is what it is.

So lovely dinner at hotel for whole group. A guy I have gotten close to got everyone on video singing happy birthday to his Mom who will be 100 this weekend. It was very sweet !

Tomorrow is a shorty 54 miles – laundry and rest day. We get a tour of the Trek bike factory with drinks and dinner. Most of the folks think they are going to get us liquer’d up to place an order for a bike! Well maybe there will be a bike in my Xmas stocking 😇