Mileage: 64 miles
It's funny how great my day was despite small annoyances and major mishaps. I think it says a lot about our team how we go through some tough shit, but help each other to keep a positive outlook.
Let me back up with how my morning started. Today, I was riding with Tori, Ashley, and Mitch, and we were the first group to roll out of our host in Bedford, PA. We were going at a nice pace, and started to hit some rolling hills. At the top of one, we saw a huge statue of a boy playing a trumpet. Of course we had to stop to take a picture. That's when I realized that we missed a turn. No worries. We just rerouted through a beautiful state park, and we were quickly back on track. The scenery made the detour so worth it!
At the first water stop at a farm, we were treated to homemade cookies made by a family. They were actually going to sell the cookies, but donated them to us. They were really amazing!
After the water stop, we started to hit some hills. My team was so positive and energetic, despite the seriously steep grades. For the past three days, we've gone through some really tough terrain. It's been very hard on some riders, but we all made it through with each other's support. It's amazing to see how strong we are getting. It's a steep learning curve (ha, pun...), but I think we are doing fabulously.
For the entire morning, I think I had a smile plastered to my face. We had some big climbs, but we took it slow, so it wasn't bad at all. It was so gorgeous riding through the rolling hills of Pennsylvania and I was soaking it all in. There were wildflowers, horses, sheep, a lot of cows, and beautiful forests. It even showered for a bit and I was close to getting soaked, but it wasn't too bad and the sun came out as we rolled into lunch.
After lunch, my team and I got into a good rhythm and was making good pace. The terrain got hillier and we had some pretty steep climbs. However, the views were so great that it made all the climbs worth it. At the top of a particularly steep climb, there was a house that had a lot of puppies, and they ran out to bark/greet us.
Since day one, we have been riding through some really beautiful parts of the country that I wouldn't otherwise be able to see. And I know that it will just keep getting better. Of course I am excited to get to the western states, like Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho, but there are some beautiful landscapes only a few miles from the Interstate.
Although I started with an intro foreshadowing a turn for the worse, I am going to sign off with this photo at the top of a climb. At this point, I am getting less than 6 hours of sleep, and I need to pass out ASAP. I'll finish my recap tomorrow when I'm in Pittsburgh and have a rest day on Day 5.
It's funny how great my day was despite small annoyances and major mishaps. I think it says a lot about our team how we go through some tough shit, but help each other to keep a positive outlook.
Let me back up with how my morning started. Today, I was riding with Tori, Ashley, and Mitch, and we were the first group to roll out of our host in Bedford, PA. We were going at a nice pace, and started to hit some rolling hills. At the top of one, we saw a huge statue of a boy playing a trumpet. Of course we had to stop to take a picture. That's when I realized that we missed a turn. No worries. We just rerouted through a beautiful state park, and we were quickly back on track. The scenery made the detour so worth it!
At the first water stop at a farm, we were treated to homemade cookies made by a family. They were actually going to sell the cookies, but donated them to us. They were really amazing!
After the water stop, we started to hit some hills. My team was so positive and energetic, despite the seriously steep grades. For the past three days, we've gone through some really tough terrain. It's been very hard on some riders, but we all made it through with each other's support. It's amazing to see how strong we are getting. It's a steep learning curve (ha, pun...), but I think we are doing fabulously.
For the entire morning, I think I had a smile plastered to my face. We had some big climbs, but we took it slow, so it wasn't bad at all. It was so gorgeous riding through the rolling hills of Pennsylvania and I was soaking it all in. There were wildflowers, horses, sheep, a lot of cows, and beautiful forests. It even showered for a bit and I was close to getting soaked, but it wasn't too bad and the sun came out as we rolled into lunch.
Lunch stop was about 45 minutes across from a pen full of baby cows. The sun broke through the clouds and it was perfect. I ate leftovers from our wonderful hosts who made us pancakes in the morning. I also had a pasta sandwich because we ran out of utensils.
After lunch, my team and I got into a good rhythm and was making good pace. The terrain got hillier and we had some pretty steep climbs. However, the views were so great that it made all the climbs worth it. At the top of a particularly steep climb, there was a house that had a lot of puppies, and they ran out to bark/greet us.
Since day one, we have been riding through some really beautiful parts of the country that I wouldn't otherwise be able to see. And I know that it will just keep getting better. Of course I am excited to get to the western states, like Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho, but there are some beautiful landscapes only a few miles from the Interstate.
Yea, WHOA.
Although I started with an intro foreshadowing a turn for the worse, I am going to sign off with this photo at the top of a climb. At this point, I am getting less than 6 hours of sleep, and I need to pass out ASAP. I'll finish my recap tomorrow when I'm in Pittsburgh and have a rest day on Day 5.
