In consideration of the day's weather forecast, today's ride started at 7:30. Backing up from that, we had the rider meeting at 7:15, bags loaded at 7:00 and breakfast at 6:00. What sane group of people would start a day of 6-10 hours of bike riding with that schedule?
Howcome? The winds are lighter and the temperatures are cooler earlier in the day. On a long ride you don't want to run out of daylight. Suppose a lightning storm comes up and forces you to take shelter. If you start late, you could run out of daylight. We do ride in the rain, right Emmett? Emmett and I rode the two days of TOMRV in the rain a couple of years ago. I rode it thru two days of rain last year.
So today we rode for five hours into the wind, stopped for lunch, turned tail on the wind and had an exhilerating two hour hammerfest. Despite the fatigue from yesterday and the ride this morning, conditions were just right for me to hammer. Some days you just feel it. Four of us riders got into a groove and were riding 21, 22, 23 and 24 mph on the edge of LA 27 for the better part of 35 miles. One stop for water and one for a drawbridge. This stuff exhilerates me. A man and his well tuned machine flying down the road.
How is this possible? The Red Cross personnel and volunteers who staff this ride handle all the details and "stuff". The riders simply "show up". All the signage, maps, rest stops, sag support and mechanical support are provided by or arranged by Red Cross personnel and staff. They are warm, friendly people who believe deeply in their cause. This is one "fun" way they raise funds for disaster relief and the many other activities they carry out to help people in need. Its easy to see the goodwill the Red Cross enjoys by the cooperation from the communities we pass thru.
Today there was a bridge on our route reduced to one lane at the top due to construction. The Tour personnel arranged cooperation from three police jurisdictions and the contractor to shut down the road to allow all 73 riders and support vehicles (7-8 I'd guess) to cross the bridge as a convoy. This is but /one example of the care taken on running this ride.
Each afternoon on arrival at the hotel, there are soft chairs, ice cream, beer, wine and soft drinks waiting for the riders. You are handed a room key and your luggage is waiting in your room. And to a person every crew member is cheerful and supportive.
So don't spend a lot of time concerned about me cranking out the miles. I've got the best support team I could ever ask for.
And like that lucky old sun, I roll around heaven all day.
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