Day 05 - Prineville to John Day

ABB Signature Ride (code for hard ride, hehe), 115 miles and 6,000 feet elevation gain.

Before we get started on the ride, it is official, I am in a special needs group.  While I am able to complete the rides, I go at my own pace, SLOW.  As a result, the earlier I get started, the earlier I get done.  The ride leaders have determined that since I am better off leaving early, I should be in a group that loads their bags earlier than most of the folks on the ride.  So I am in a group called the., Earlier Rollers Group, i.e. Special Needs Group.

I was riding all day long on this one, we started at about 6:30 AM and we got into the hotel about 6:15 PM.  The directions were easy, left out of the hotel's parking lot and 115 miles down the road, left into the next hotel.  There were also three SAG (support and gear) stops.  

A SAG stop is where you are provided beverages, and snacks and a bunch of rules:

• Don't lean your bikes on their trucks.
• Make sure to wash your hands with two different things, a baby wipe and then sanatizer gel.
• Don't mix your Gatorade on:
• Their trucks, or
• Their folding tables.

First 1,000 feet of climbing:

Man made lake:

Not sure the name of this, but coming down the road, you see this magnificent mountain, I thought it looked like a birthday cake, someone mentioned it looked like a castle:\

Although I do not have a picture, we saw the Nike Tree.  I was told the Nike Tree is indigenous to the State of Oregon.  I was really excited about this.  I was told it was at about mile marker 88 on the route.  Well, we come across a tree where about a million folks have strung their Nikes up in the branches.  

Pics from the Day by ABB