Day 16: Lost and Found

Nobody was on our road. "This is sure a back country," I said, as our 8 person pace line sped through the countryside. "Makes me wonder if we're on the right road," replied the person in front of me. We saw more bikers up ahead and couldn't remember any turn-offs so we just kept pedaling. It was strange that after 15 miles we still hadn't seen any SAG vehicles

Spectacular views ended the pace line. Pace lines are great for knocking out the miles, but not for stopping and taking pictures, and these were too good to pass up. Hills, valleys, mesas, made all the more dramatic by the bright sunlight and shadows.

At one "ooh-ahh" stop a SAG vehicle pulled up and starting taking pictures. The driver commented,
"Good things can happen when you get lost."
"Lost?" "Is this the wrong road?"
"Yes, you're supposed to be on the other side of the expressway. "
"Where were we supposed to turn off?"
"I don't know; we're lost too.

The road was heading in the right direction and we had our cell phones, so we just kept pedaling and enjoying the views. At the 26 mile mark we ran into the road we were supposed to be on. It was one of the more enjoyable experiences I've had while being lost. It helped that for a big chunk of it, we didn't know we were lost, and that for the last few miles we were lost together, and that we had an "if all else fails" option-the cell phone.

My partner was faster than me. A lot faster, but he held back for the sake of conversation, which enabled me to keep up if I pushed myself. I was feeling good about the effort I was expending until he said, "Sometimes I like to push it, but I also really enjoy days like today where I take it easy." I swallowed my pride and continued imposing my newly affirmed slowness on him.

As the day progressed it got hotter and hotter, my bike thermometer, which is artificially high because of the road, said it was 110. It was probably in the mid 90's, and that was hot enough!By the time I reached Gooding I downed a quart of Gatorade and opened a second. It is hard to drink enough when it is hot, dry, and you're expending a lot of energy.

The day was full of grace-a good night's sleep, strawberries on my cereal for breakfast, a compassionate riding partner, getting lost and finding out it didn't matter, a call from my newly married son, David, and cold Gatorade along with oatmeal raisin cookies at the end of the ride. Now I'm thinking it is time for a nap.

Life is good!