I started my morning in Richfield, UT, south of Salina.  I wasn’t able to achieve my goal of making up the 50 miles I lost yesterday.  My loooong climb out of Salina consisted of 15 miles at a 3-4% grade.  I was able to maintain a super fast 4-5 mph.  Side note:  Lance Armstrong could have done it at 20 mph.  But I’m not comparing myself to Lance.

I reached Scipio and encountered a beautiful valley very similar to the valley by Westcliff.  Snow capped mountains.  Really pretty and plush terrain.

US-50 had some traffic but not like rush hour.  Not overly busy.  I bike into a town, sweating, wiping my unibrow, and eyes.  The pollen was horrible.  My eyes were like slits.  I found a motel.  I sat in the lobby for half an hour or so.  No workers.  I entered a gas station across the street.  They sell Claritin – individually packed and for $6.00 a pill.  I bought two and took those right away.  I knew I looked like a character from a 1950s B-grade horror movie.  (Side note – maybe the hotel people saw him but were afraid to approach him.  They may have then decided to hide the children.) My eyes are still puffy.

I then biked 35 miles.  I had 4-5 miles of 3-4% climb again.  But then was able to go downhill with little head wind to the US-50 exit.  I biked 27 miles to Delta.  I had to stop every once in a while because of my feet.  I was looking thru my bag and what to my wondering eyes should appear – not 8 reindeer but my Garmin GPS!  Please refer to previous post about the Garmin. 

I am currently in Delta.  I’m extremely smelly and tired.  And hungry.  And thinking I need to apologize to a friend for throwing a container of aluminum foil at her and cutting/scarring her leg for life.  I’m sure she doesn’t remember the incident.  But I do.

Bike update for some of you that are wondering – the man at the bike shop in Richfield repacked the bracket and found that there might have been a bearing issue.  It has fixed my problem.  The bike now runs great.  

I plan to bike a bit tomorrow, find a motel, and take it easy.  I may just take two days.  Thank you for all your kind words and thoughts.