Fatigue!!

Too many miles, ongoing winds, not sleeping in our own beds nightly, eating foods we usually don't eat, living out of a van, routine and unknown activities and schedules ... all of these conditions certainly contribute to our fatigue today.

We rode from Lima (pronounced Lee' ma [I explained we were from the Palouse area and know our beans, but they contend we pronounce it incorrectly]) on route 309 through western Ohio to Marion. At that time the guys took a winding and meandering route to Mt. Vernon (almost sounds like the state of WA, eh?), then to Cosnocton. That is where we quit, drove to Newcomerstown (I don't make these names up!!), where we are staying for the night.

The weather was, again, perfect with high of 77 degrees. The wind built as the day progressed, with the afternoon blustery in a myriad of directions. We now are moving back into sharply rolling hills with lots of ups and downs.

The pics here show Ken "gearing up" for his afternoon ride as Mark is riding. I also caught a pic of the inside of the van where we live, day by day. Good thing I didn't catch a view of the floor. That really accumulates all sorts of "stuff" as the day progresses, despite cleaning and reorganizing hourly -call me neurotic (OK you TA's ... stop laughing!!).

Then after my ride (I was first), after Mark's ride (second), and while Ken was attacking the hills, I was going to catch up on the news and read the USA Today. Mark took this pic while I was "reading".


We didn't quit meet our mileage goal, since I quit after 40 miles in order to ice and elevate. So, by the end of Ken's ride, there were about 12 miles left to complete. We were all stunned .... none of us volunteered ... none of us "Bellied Up To The Bar" to saddle-up and ride again. No one Cowboyed Up (did I get all the Western sayings in?). So, tomorrow, Ken will ride first and we will have to go back the 12 miles, to Cosnocton to start the new day.