Friday, May 22, 2009 - Cool & cloudy changed to warm, constant ENE tailwind all day.
- Start: Ogden
- ATW: Dana, Churdan, Auburn, Carnarvon, Lake View, Odebolt, Ida Grove, Arthur
- End: Battle Creek
- Day Miles: 100.0 Ride Time: 8hr 30min Total Trip Miles: 1356
Our first century ride was only accomplished because we had a tailwind all day, flat-ish ground and long hours of daylight. We kept thinking of stopping early in the little towns we passed through but the wind drove us onward. We never imagined we ever get 100 miles in today because we started after 9am, but at 82 we thought we'd get as close as we could. By 96 with the sun slipping behind clouds we took a chance and just rode. We'd stop where ever the 100 miles rolled over.
photo credit: http://www.battlecreekia.org
At 99.4 we saw a house approaching that looked as if it would offer some wind break for the night. It seemed closer than .6 miles yet as we pulled into the driveway at 99.9 the last few feet of coasting clicked the odometer to 100.0!
When asking to sleep in a yard we always knwe there'd be the chance that the owner will say no and we'll have to keep going to the next place. We understand it's their yard, they make the rules. But this day it turned out that not only could we sleep in the yard but the owners' children have had their fair share of fun being leaders of cycling races. Currently the kids were off in South Dakota scouting a route for their next race.
With the promise of a storm we went from sleeping in the yard to the barn but then it ended up being the basement. So, after dinner and showers we slept in the basement on the floor and had the best night of sleep yet, probably due to being completely exhausted after 180 miles in two days... yeah yeah, nothing for other but for two people pedaling around 500 pounds we think it's pretty good (c;
