Tom here....how appropriate that on our 8th day of The Ride, we are going from one Super 8 motel in Butte to another Super 8 in Bozeman. Only to be followed by another Super 8 stay in Columbus, MT tomorrow evening! We're really getting to know the interior decorating scheme fairly well...plus the room layout and TV channel line-up. Unfortunately none get Versus TV so there's no Tour de France coverage except for a blurb on ESPN.
While Mike calls the past 2 days "easy", he's speaking for himself. For me, there were moments where I just didn't feel on top of it...or as a fellow rider put it...I just didn't have any snap in my legs. In the pre-ride info packet, they did say that fatigue can start settling in after the first week of a long tour. So I'm trying to be careful about getting enough rest/sleep, getting off my feet whenever possible, and drinking and eating enough of the right stuff. A massage earlier this evening should help matters as well.
I believe Mike did not update the blog readers as to a road kill count for today.....it was epic....easily into double figures with a variety of critters/animals. The only ones I can easily identify are the skunks and deer...coyotes, bunnies, foxes, prairie dogs, etc. are left up to Mike. Either he really can identify smashed and flattened road kill or he just speaks convincingly of it (he was in Sales & Marketing after all) I don't know. At any rate, in a following blog entry he'll update the tally.
I hope blog readers have clicked on my daily Garmin downloads. The Garmin 705 unit that I use is full of neat/cool data (I was an accountant after all!) including average speed, top speed, elevation gained, various heart rate data, etc. Note that it's my heart rate and not Mike's...he's much younger! But what's really cool is the detailed mapping of our daily route. All the side roads, getting off and on I90, etc. You may even see spots where we've made a slight detour for an ice cream or a "nature" break!
We're roughly 25% of the way across the U.S. and enjoying the journey (for the most part) so far.
Don't feel bad, Tom. Levi Leipheimer didn't have enough zip in his legs to stay with the big boys on the steepest climb in the Pyrenees today, either. The three of us tune into the tour every morning around 6:45 (while still in bed, of course). Cole and I are already lamenting that it will be over in a week, and then what will we do with our mornings! Bummer you don't get versus so you could get some inspiration from the boys on the Tour.
ReplyDeleteTom, the Garmin entries are great! They really give us a feel of what you are up against. (However, we see all details such as the shopping center detours as you got into Bozeman.) Keep up the great work, we are behind you all the way!
ReplyDeleteTom, I'm watching your blogs when possible. You guys are highly inspirational. Seven hours in the saddle is torturous by any standards let alone the heat, I'm amazed you 2 aren't melting. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteIt's an epic adventure!!! I am awed by the miles and agree that Garmin entries are really cool. Hope the massage helped and that you'll have epic legs the next day. [merike btw....I suppose it'll show up as anonymous....but maybe I'll create yet another login :)]
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