Riding the Heat Wave
Bringing the Heat
Another 90 mile day in the saddle. Luckily the big climbs were in the cool morning air and not the afternoon furnace. Extra water stops are the rule of the day and we are always scrounging for ice. Nevertheless the crew finished without incident if a bit parched. The group is pretty tight with the last finishing within 30 minutes of the first. I had my first flat today but strategically it happened near the lunch spot. Some of the riding highlights include nice curvy descents with good surfaces and sight lines. The Domane is very solid and provides a lot of confidence at speed especially with the 32 mm tires. We also had some magnificent views of Mount Adams in Washington. At 12,280 feet it is the 3rd highest of the Cascade volcanos and is still considered active even though it has not erupted for over one thousand years. Luckily no activity today as it was hot enough.
I want to put it out there that most of these wonderful photos are taken by my fellow riders who are much better at stopping for a good picture than I! We are sharing via a WhatsApp group that was intended I believe to be more of a one way informational tool from the guides to the riders. However the riders have taken it over and used it for sharing photos and observations. Speaking of which I have noted not only the cycling dedication of the riders but also the educational level. For instance at dinner tonight everyone had a doctorate degree at my table of five. You would think we would be bright enough not to be endurance riding in Central Oregon in August.
Tomorrow we cross over to Washington with a stay in Walla Walla. I was accepted at Whitman College there but never visited. More famously, it was a stop for Lewis and Clark during the voyage of discovery in 1806. Sadly it is also the site of massacre in 1847 of Calvinist missionaries including Marcus and Narcissa Whitman. It seems that the missionaries were guilty of overpromising and underdelivering to the the local tribe (probably true) but also were blamed for a deadly measles outbreak (probably not true)
Just 70 miles and 3000 ft in elevation for us tomorrow. Early start and lots of ice!
| Distance (miles) | Elevation Climbed (feet) | Calories Burned |
|---|---|---|
| 384 | 18,526 | 13,463 |
| Fitness | Fatigue | Form | TSS Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | 151 | -51 | 294 |
3 responses to Hermiston”
Bill Wood says:
August 22 , 2022 at 5:54 pm
Hey Bruce,
Just catching up on your ride now that the Beer Fest and clean up is over.Looks like a great time so far. Thanks for letting us enjoy the ride virtually without the sore legs! Keep gobbling the miles and calories. You are a machine! Pole, pole…
Irene says:
August 23 . 2022 at 2:09 am
We are soooo proud of you Dr. Baird! Stay strong! Xoxo
brb5280 says:
August 23 , 2022 at 5:Q0 am
Thanks Irene missing the Rocky Crew!
Wanderings 