Day 13 -- Salt Lake City to Provo -- 65 Miles

Although the result of last night's NBA finals game ended my rest day on a sour note, the day off in Salt Lake City was, overall, a good experience. As I mentioned yesterday, I enjoyed seeing all that this beautiful place had to offer. More importantly, however, the time away from the bike offered advantages from both a mental and physical standpoint.

Physically, I was able to recharge the batteries and recuperate from the first 11 days of the challenge. Mentally, I had time to remember (not that I could really forget) why, and for whom, I am doing this ride. Hence, the apparel choice for today (see above).

Today was a perfect opportunity to "ride with the girls." I believe that, often times, resting after a tough workout (or series of workouts) can lead to complacency, or a false sense of accomplishment. I wanted to make sure I remain dedicated to, and focused on, the task at hand. So, thank you, Farrell Sisters, for having my back -- literally!

Summary of the ride: We rode the first 20 miles in some interesting places. After departing the hotel, we found ourselves on a bike path located on Salt Lake Airport's property. Normally, I keep my eyes out for cars and trucks, but as I rode along this airport stretch, I was worried I was going to end up on a runway. Ultimately, I managed to stay grounded during this phase. That is, I did not go the way of the plane, or "pull an E.T."

The airport stretch gave way to another bike path, which was pleasant, but relatively crowded and full of tight turns and narrow bridges. As a result, we had to take it slow. Once we exited the path, I thought that I would finally have an opportunity to open it up and hammer away. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The rest of the ride was primarily full of strip malls, stop lights, and a great deal of congestion, which ultimately kept me at a slower pace than I would have liked.

That said, I was fortunate enough to capture some photos from the day, which, as usual, I encourage you to view. Some highlights include: pedaling through Sandy, Utah -- hometown of the fictional, "Big Loving Henrickson's." I thought for sure I would see either Bill, Barb, Margene, or Nicki -- no such luck. Cycling by Rio Tinto Stadium -- home of Real Salt Lake -- as well as Lavell Edwards Stadium -- home of BYU football -- was also a lot of fun. It was especially nice to pass by some sporting venues that were not basketball related, as it kept me from thinking about the Celtics' loss from last night.

Oh, man, now I am thinking about the loss again. Oh well, maybe dinner at The Sizzler tonight will take my mind off of it. That's right, The Sizzler. Don't be jealous.