Day 14 -- Provo to Price -- 80 Miles

After our route rap last night, I figured that today's ride would not be anything special. Not every ride is filled with breathtaking sights and scenic views, and I assumed that today would be just an ugly, necessary ride to get us closer to finishing our goal -- nothing more, nothing less. Boy, was I wrong.

We tackled the Wasatch Mountains, and faced some challenges as we rode. Our first fifty miles consisted of a steady climb that brought us through an intesne wind vortex at Spanish Fork -- home to several new windmills -- and ultimately up the Wasatch Range to Soldier Summit. That by itself is a fairly tough ride. The road work that eliminated the shoulder made things even more challenging. And even when there was a shoulder, some genius decided that a rumble strip in the middle of the shoulder (rather than tucked in at the left next to the white line of the shoulder as it normally is), was a smart idea.

The last 28 miles were mostly downhill, although a serious headwind hampered us from cruising home nice and easy. In fact, I am not sure I have ever had to pedal so hard while going downhill to maintain a decent speed. In spite of these hurdles, the stunning views made it all worth it. I tried to capture some of the beauty in my photos from the day.

I know my mileage from my ride summary only adds up to 78. But, after the ride, I (along with Wade, Tony, and Fran) had a 2 mile, roundtrip ride to Church that gave me my 80 mile total. After all, I am trying to continue to be a good, Catholic boy in spite of my extensive travel schedule. Also, these 2 miles put me comfortably over the 1,000 mile mark for the trip (rather than at exactly 1,000 if I didn't go to church). It was a no brainer.

One last thing: Thank you, Holiday Inn Express -- Price, for putting your shower heads at a height that doesn't force me to strain my back and body more than I do when I am out riding the bike. Well done!