Thursday, June 12, 2003

Salt Lake City, Utah

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We used to believe we understood the value of the Alpha liners. Then we began our bike ride. Now we REALLY appreciate the Alpha. It is without a doubt the difference between agony and survival on our journey. Our sincere thanks and gratitude cause us to dedicate our ride today to the Ohio Willow Wood Alpha Department. Our only suggestion is that the knees in the Alpha be constructed of stainless steel, which is the only way we will keep from ripping to shreds from needless falls off our bikes in cruelly dangerous parking lots.

Here's the Apha Department:

Dave Taylor, Shawn Beathard, Cory Bexfield, Bill Blair, Troy Butcher, Vivian Champer, Regina Coy, Jodi Crabtree, Jim Fox, Flossie George, Bonnie Holloway, Vicky Jacobs, Steve Long, Barbara Lugenbeel, Tim Malone, Jack McKinney, Scott Nance, Ruby Perry, Danna Redding, Brenda Reedy, Bonnie Rife, Paul Roberts, Bob Rolfe, Dave Rowe, Bill Shirey, Jonathan Stahl, Diana Swartz-Maddux, Belinda Viar, Kathy Webb

We began our day today with a booming downhill ride through the mountains. Total length was almost 9 miles and we dropped several thousand feet in altitude. See Mark in the picture? He's the one in the black sweatshirt. He was warm on the ride down. Bruce and Jim were shivering by the time we reached the valley floor. But they looked darn good at 35 miles per hour.

Come to think of it, they look pretty good at 15 miles per hour too. Our path wandered through small farming towns and lots of cherry and peach orchards, all set against a stunning mountain backdrop.

We had almost no shoulder today, so Joe and Tricia blocked for us in the right lane. This kept the nasty cars away from us. At lest most of the time... Jim and Bruce still weave like crazy men, but they do so in unison. Sort of an AAA version of synchronized swimming. No, forget that, it's an ugly thought.

Everyday we learn a lesson. If not about life, then certainly about bicycling. Today we learned that breakfasts of biscuits and gravy, with scrambled eggs, orange juice, hashbrowns, etc. is NOT advisable DURING a ride.

Our team resolution is to only pig out at least one hour before a ride begins. Hey, it's a start.

We must note that the only way we parked in front of the diner was because of Joe's banzai u-turn, which caused squealing and sirens throughout the Greater Salt Lake Basin.

One mile before the end of our big downhill, Mark had to stop the progress for quick roadside relief. Here, Bruce is berating Mark's bike for not providing a gentler ride, under the mistaken belief that avoiding a rumble strip at 35 MPH would have kept Mark's bladder happy for at least one more mile.

See the white line? See the big, fast cars on the other side of the white line? See Bruce challenging 4,000 pound behemoths, armed only with his moxie? It worked today as we reached the end of the journey unscathed.

Tricia, on the other hand, had a few friendly suggestions about better ways to avoid automobiles.

Along our route we encountered a northern tip of the Great Salt Lake, which is much bigger than we expected. Not unlike the team's first impression of Mark.

At the end of the day, we took Bruce's dinosaur, oops -- sorry, we agreed to call it a "classic", to a local bike shop for quick cable repair and adjustment. We had a great time chatting and shopping with the crew at Canyon Bicycles. Poor Bruce explained our need for a quick repair and the staff gingerly asked if it would be ok for us to pick it up in an amazing half hour! Our sincere thanks to Canyon Bicycles in Draper, UT. Great talk, advice, service, and price. Pay attention Utah cyclists!!!

Tomorrow we will be visiting a Healthsouth facility in Salt Lake City.

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