We are done with Stage 2. Now we are riding. The pace today was a good tempo pace, double paceline, with each pair taking 15-20 minute pulls. I think on Stage 1 the support riders were checking us out. Everyone that has come to the event, has arrived prepared. We all have put the miles and training since the fall. I am glad the group is strong. We will definitely need each other.

Today was a long stage, 145 miles according to my computer. We finished in almost 8 hrs or riding time. If you factor the stops for nature breaks and lunch, it was close to 8.5 hrs hours. We started at 9:30AM and we got into the hotel at about 6PM. There was 6800ft of climbing according to my Polar and it was a flat stage! Other computers read 8000total elevation, not sure about that. It was two Garmins, so not sure. Polar is not the most accurate, but what the heck, it is what it is. There were a few Cat 3 climbs and some Cat 4s at the end.

Now the Cat 4 climb we had in Stage 1 was a joke. These Cat 4's felt like Taylosrtown Stumptown 2X, and the Cat 3 climbs felt like Skyline (grade and length very similar).

If I had done 8hrs of riding at home, I would be wasted. What a difference it makes to have water bottles at will, food all the time, and support riders to get you the stuff. I will sleep good tonight, but it is not as if feel I can not do this tomorrow all over again. I am waiting for dinner and have time to write all this, so this is a testament to how I feel right now. Still some energy left.

As to the comfort riding, well that is another story. Mr. B bothered me all day. I do not think I had more than 5 minutes rest except on the climbs. I was glad when the road pointed upwards. My neck started to bother me too, so that started competing for my attention. I figure once my legs start talking to me then all these aches and pains all can talk to each other and figure out which one should take my attention. I can hopefully concentrate on riding then.

I did move my saddle a bit. I think when they built the bike after it arrived the saddle was a bit crooked. I also changed the tilt a bit and in general I think it helped some. But I am also ordering another saddle, I tried one guy’s Alliante and it seems better. At this point I am willing to try it out; it is can not be any worse.

As to riding today, it was as good as it gets. The group has clicked and we are moving now. The climbs were a testament that the group can climb together well. It is not a super hard pace, I think everyone is holding back a bit, but we are taking the lead from the support riders. At some points though, some us were going up front and setting a faster pace. It is hard to climb at a pace that one is not used to (for me, if it is too slow, it is harder). As soon as I did that a couple others came on and drove the pace too, so I could tell people were holding back.





The wind was with us today. It was strong, and when it was on our face, it was a bit hard. But when we turned direction and were going with it, what fun. We could have gone a lot faster, but again we are mindful of the pace they want us to keep.

I am now relieved to have gone through one of the longest stages in the Tour. I think there is a longer one, but only by a few kilometers.



This was a super long day. I just got done with dinner and now it is 10PM already. So I am going to bed now, I am tired and fading quickly. Tomorrow we have breakfast at 7AM. We roll out at 8AM to the start of the next stage.