Day 4, I hate the wind

BEST: Taking a hot shower in the University of Gonzaga dorms.


WORST: Feckin headwind


MOST UNEXPECTED: The nine mile climb called out in the cue sheet was by far easier than the flat section before because the wind relented somewhat.


Breakfast in the school cafeteria (eggs with bacon bits, muffins, hot cereal, fruit) and on the road by 6:30 a.m. Everything was copacetic until the supposedly 6 mph headwind turned into 20 mph+. There were four of us riding, and we slowly grew to a group of 10. We finally figured out how to do a double paceline which helped quite a bit, but we were still only averaging about 11 mph for several hours as we slogged our way through the wheat fields of Washington. The scenery was nicer, and we certainly had more time to enjoy it. At mile 38, we turned onto a nine mile climb which turned out to be fairly easy as the wind was not as direct. At the lunch stop we refueled as most of us were depleted of energy. we headed our last 26 miles to Spokane and eventually made our way through the City to Gonzaga University where we actually get to stay in individual dorm rooms. After a shower, phone calls to the family which were shortened because I am a weenie and was tired, several of us walked down to a bar and grill where I had a beer and we shared nachos. We then met back at the dorm to head to the school cafeteria for a buffet dinner of chicken (again), salad, pasta, pizza, and dessert. Then back to a liquor store where we shared in buying beer and hard cider, to our common room at the dorm to sit around and talk, and then off to bed. You can tell it is a day off tomorrow because we are up past 8:30 p.m. which is our quiet time when we are camping.