May 18 -- Wooster OH to Niles OH

It's always interesting to read Mike's blog for each day and see how it compares to the actual feelings of the riders -- mine as well as others.

Mike's blog from yesterday is a good example of interesting spin -- marketing perhaps ? -- Of course when Mike asks you if you are having fun and enjoying the hills, you are going to respond in the affirmative -- it's in our nature to grin and bear things at this point. In the RAP for yesterday Mike described the hills as being the type where if you get enough speed going down you can almost make it to the top of the next hill, but not quite -- well, wind and rolling resistance being what they are, the real truth is that your momentum going down may, just may get you across the flat (but not likely) -- the hills all have to be climbed. Mike's perspective is that of a racer, in a bunch sprint -- there is no wind resistance inside a bunch sprint and you have not already ridden xx miles leading up to that point.

I'm not complaining, actually chuckling to myself when I compare his blog with mine and others -- it was a tough day -- but that's what we signed up for. We never expected to be have a tailwind and downhill across America.

The other interesting perspective is that of a driver. An interstate driver sees the hills from the perspective of the Interstate roads -- where most hills have been smoothed out. A in-state driver sees the hills from the perspective of the State Roads -- some ups and downs, grades adjusted to no more than about 6% and short hills blended together. A local driver sees the hills from the perspective of the County Roads -- follow the terrain.

Today's terrain will likely be similar to yesterday. It's shorter, under 100 miles but has similar climing totals per mile of road. The ride should be easier -- not simply due to the length, but also due to the fact that it will be sunny most of the day -- yes, no rain !. That is a blessing. It's cold though -- 41 outside right now -- and with winds 10-20 from the North it will be brisk since we're headed NE.

As for clothing -- I'm going to go with my leg warmers today -- I've never used them and hopefully they will be warm enough for the first part of the ride until the temperature gets higher in the 40's. Once it's over 45 I'm usually good with shorts, as long as my trunk is kept warm. I'm going to wear a short-sleeved jersey + long sleeved jersey + my blue jacket which is vented at the back. Being vented it doesn't billow out and create extra resistance. I'm also going to carry my vest because at some point in the day I'll ditch the jacket but may still want the vest. The high is headed for 60 -- quite low compared to what we've experienced so far on this ride, but also quite bearable. The wind will be a factor in keeping us chilled too.

The other thing I'm going to do is wear my gore-tex thinsulate gloves. Yesterday I wore my other full fingered gloves for the first time and my hands got so stiff from the cold that I had difficulty putting them back on once I took them off at the first SAG. I had to ask Karen for help pulling the cuffs up.

It's 6:00 and I'm already dressed and ready -- breakfast is at 6:30. Why am I dressed ? -- because I forgot the breakfast time and needed to be ready for whatever. I went to the lobby to get hot water for coffee, expecting to be able to check the board ... NOT. Barb has apparently put the board away. I should have checked last night. Sigh.

Yesterday was the first day that I did not put any suntan lotion on, and that worked out well -- dark clouds all day. Today I'll put lotion on my face, but my legs and arms will not see much if any sun because they'll be covered most of the day.

It looks like we're going to have cooler weather and possibly showers for the next few days as we follow the Great Lakes. We'll take it day-by-day because the conditions are pretty variable this time of year with lake effect.

Oh -- one thing that I think that I forgot to mention some time ago -- we have gotten pretty used to seeing road-kill -- and it varies depending on the part of the country. Here we see a lot of raccoons, further south there were a lot of opossums. Out west we saw a lot of snakes -- big snakes. I was coming down one hill approaching some road kill one day out west -- a snake that is -- when all of a sudden, as I got close, I realized that it was not road kill !! -- it raised its head and of course in my minds eye it was coming at me -- boy did I react ! We all had a laugh at that -- someone else said that it was a bull snake. I wonder if it survived the day ?? I'll never know.

... almost time for breakfast ...

So ... the riding day is done. 6 days to go ...

Breakfast was in the lounge/bar above the lobby. Geoff, Jerry and I ordered pizzas for dinner last night and ate them in the same lounge. We had a beer with our dinner and through the dinner we were the only customers -- good thing, because I think that they still allow smoking in bars here. Earlier I had gone to the lobby to get hot water (this room had no coffee maker) and choke choke -- the night attendant was smoking.

Speaking of smoking -- I got into my Days Inn room here in Niles OH and noticed that there were ashtrays in the room. I called the front desk and they assured me that it was a non smoking room in spite of the ashtrays and in spite of the fact that there was no non-smoking sign on the door (other doors have such a sign) ... yeah right. However, I cannot smell the smoke, or perhaps my sense of smell is deadened (along with my other senses). I have a little balcony and door which will stay open overnight even if I freeze. The last thing that I need right now is my allergies acting up -- especially since tomorrow's ride is 137 miles.

Back to today -- 95 miles; elapsed time 7 hours; rolling time 6:10.

After breakfast I went back to my room, brushed my teeth and closed up my bags. I opened the door to find Geoff and Jerry standing outside with their bikes -- all ready to roll -- I guess that I was slow !! They rolled down to the van with their bikes, each carrying a bag. I got my bike and other gear and met them down at the van. I was ribbed about that by Shane and Kasper -- "did you sleep in this morning?" -- I'm usually one of the first to check my bags -- Kasper would ride up beside me and say "are you awake yet?" -- he witnessed the two of them waiting outside my room

This really is a good bunch -- I don't see any tension, although perhaps I'm naive. Jud mentioned that he has a single room because his wife encouraged him -- seems that he had a friend that went on one of these rides and reported that some room-mates were not talking to each other by the end of the ride. I suppose that can happen, but I don't sense any of that sort of tension here -- people ride single or in groups, the groups are reasonably consistent, but there are many "spur of the moment" pairings as well.

The day was mixed in terms of who we were riding with -- mostly Jeff, Guenter and Steve ended up with us (Geoff, Jerry and me), but at times we were riding as a pack of 12-15. The six of us were the first to the hotel. Most of the other riders like to hang around the SAG stops for a long time.

The winds varied, either in our face or cross winds, seldom at our back -- but, the weather was pleasant. It was cold to start -- I was happy with the extra clothing, which I ditched at the first SAG (outer jacket and heavy gloves, leg warmers and shoe covers). My hands were nice and toasty ... well, by the first SAG they were more steamy. That reminds me -- I have to go and collect my extra clothes from the drop bin downstairs.

The weather looks similar tomorrow except that the winds will probably be in our favor -- which will be good for a long riding day.

It was hilly today, but not as bad as yesterday. Then again, perhaps they were just as bad but we were feeling better due to the lack of rain gear. The scenery was pleasant -- small towns, farms, you never got very far from farm smell.

Rap is at 5pm -- I'm sitting in the room now doing the blog and have not yet changed out of my cycling gear. I'm so used to wearing it now. It's like a second skin.

I commented to someone yesterday that I need to get a bicycle seat mounted in my car -- my butt has now formed to the bike saddle and it's the most comfortable thing to sit on !!

Dinner will be after RAP -- I think that we'll probably walk down the street to the Olive Garden. Perhaps I can find some vegetables or a salad bar.

So ... from this point -- Niles to:

Dunkirk NY-- 137 miles, 2220 feet
Batavia NY -- 84 miles, 1810 feet (I'll be having dinner with Sue, Flory, Corky and Sandra)
Syracuse NY -- 115 miles, 3720 feet
Amsterdam NY -- 127 miles, 1980 feet
Keene NH -- 125 miles, ??? feet
Amesbury MA -- 125 miles, ??? feet

We've been told that the last two days are as difficult as anything that we've seen on the ride to date -- that will be due to the climbing. The climbing stats that I have shared are from material sent to us after signup but before they changed the route. The last two destinations -- Keene and Amesbury -- changed because the are sending us to Amesbury instead of Boston due to the Memorial Day weekend.

But whatever -- if it's difficult and if the weather is nasty, we'll plod onward.

There was one injury yesterday -- Dave Roark taking a picture -- pulled off the road onto some grass that suddenly became a hole -- he has injured his shoulder and perhaps broken a rib -- but is determined not to stop now. After you've come this far you would have to be completely incapacitated to drop out -- and for him to start riding in the sag van now would be a waste of time -- it won't get any better before the ride is done.

Nothing more at the moment -- time to shower, get ready for RAP and then dinner.

Cheers !