Thursday, July 27, 2023
Day 55
Miles: 92.11 – Total accent: 4,324 – Hours: 7 hours, 8 minutes
Totals:. Miles- 2,819.09 – Accent- 93,298 feet climbed
213 hrs 25 minutes in the saddle
Des Moines to Tama/Toledo
Today is another ride day…not a tour day.
We begin the day with buying ice and splitting it amoungst ourselves in water bottles and the water bladder. Staying cool by consuming cold fluids helps. We repeat this ice sharing a few more times throughout the day.
We are seeing more and more emergency vehicles.
The sun is beating down. There is very little shade and no cloud cover. By midday, I decide to put the water bladder filled with ice into my string bag and on my back. I’m riding in zone 2-3 knowing that the byproduct of metabolism is water, CO2 and HEAT.
And what better day than today to enjoy another tradition-Beekman’s ice cream!! Cold and lots of calories!
While riding, my phone is usually in airplane mode so I have enough power if I need it. At one point, towards the end of the ride, I get separated from Drew and Zach. I’m not sure how we missed each other but once I make it to camp, I send Drew a text to let him know I’m there. And he was backtracking to look for me especially after hearing an ambulance heading back down the route.
The few times we’ve gotten separated is probably when I’m hop on to someone’s wheel. I tend to look for a tall rider and can find a pocket out of the wind. Being a smaller rider, I’m probably hard to see at certain angles.
A few minutes later, Drew arrives in camp–spent, having ridden hard, in the heat, after 90 miles, thinking I needed help. We regroup and head for dinner across the street at
La Terreza. The service was awesome!! And we encountered a new experience.
The humidity in so high, the floors are wet and everyone is walking carefully not to slip. So different from what we’re used to!!
Back at camp, we relax a few minutes before turning in. It has been a long, hot day. Sleep will be good!
