What our "normal" day looks like....

Some of you have asked questions about how our day unfolds, our meals, etc. Since I have no scenery to share today (day of rest), I thought I'd share some pictures of how our day normally looks. However, I couldn't get the pictures to load in the order I wanted them to load, so it might skip from lunch to breakfast to supper, etc. Some days we know we aren't going to be in an area where there is food around lunch time. When that happens, we usually fix a peanut butter sandwhich, load it on our bike, and then eat somewheres along the way. We often try to eat at a SAG stop (the SAG is the station wagon). The SAG always carries fruit, chips, energy bars, fresh water, gatoraide, etc. The SAG often has music blarring so we can enjoy entertainment and sing with our PB&J sandwhich. The SAG usually drives about 20 miles ahead, stops and waits for all bikers to pass, and then moves on ahead 20 more miles. We are always told the night before what mile markers the SAG will be at.
I'm sure some days the SAG driver has to pray that the slow bikers (names not mentioned!) will make it to the first stop before the fast bikers pass the second stop!

This is the enclosed trailer that is pulled behind the van. The back of the trailer is a kitchen and the cook can whip up the best meals. She fixes hot breakfast (unless hotel furnishes it) and wonderful evening meals. The front of the trailer holds our luggage, lawn chairs and snacks.

Days when eat lunch at a restaurant, we often all end up at the same place (slim pickings). It is usually a local joint, excellent food, a bit lacking in class! This particular place had vinyl table cloths that looked just like some animals skin....you had to touch it to be certain you weren't going to eat on animal hair. We really get to meet the locals - and love talking with them. I should mention that we don't all meet up at the same time....different biking speeds and styles stagger the 23 of us!

After the evening meal, we all have to wash our own plate and silverware. At breakfast we use throw away dishes.

The Map Meeting! Takes place after dinner each night. Carol (guide) hands out our cue sheet for the next day, points out SAG stops, areas of caution, road conditions, etc. In this picture, I think she was warning us about some curving downhills that we were to be careful on.

As bikers begin to arrive from their day of biking, they grab a lawn chair from the trailer and begin to form a circle to discuss the trials and highlights of the day. Who had the most flats? We have a flat tire derby going on - there is a chart where you must keep track of your flats. I don't want to win the contest! There is soda, beer, wine, juice, etc.in the trailer so the evening begins. By the time us low riders make it in, the circle has grown quite a bit!

Breakfast is very casual....sitting anyplace we can find in the parking lot.

Eggs anyone? Often she puts spinach in the eggs. Hot oatmeal is always on the menu.

Sometimes when the music is blaring (again in the parking lot) we just have to dance! Other customers at the hotel get worried that we might be a wild group - but we assure them we are in bed by 8:00!!

Well, I hope that gives you a bit of a picture of what our day looks like. Tomorrow we head out to climb the Emory Pass, which is over 8200 feet and will be a real feat! The downhill after the pass is 8 miles long; steep and all switchbacks. It may be more difficult than the climb. However, there is some talk of snow at that elevation and high winds....if that happens, we may have to be sagged those 8 miles!

We don't think we have email or cell service tomorrow night. We are staying in Kingston - population 25. No that isn't a typo....25 people!

Over and out for a day or two.