Day 12

Where to start... this was a day to remember.  I'll open with my location.  I'm in Harlowton, Mt. in my tent at on the high school football field.  I'm in my tent because they have hailstones here the size of friggin' meteorites.  OK,  that's a little exaggeration, but they are bigger than marbles.

We got a great early start on our third century in five days.  I'm proud of that fact, since I'd never riden a century before.  Now I've done three in a week.  Mileage isn't everything on a ride, however.  I found out last night that one of the riders got dehydrated yesterday and had to be taken to the emergency ward for an IV.  With the pass crossing, yesterdays 65 mile ride was probably harder than any of the centuries this week.  The rider is a trooper, though.  She was back on her bike today and completed all 100 miles.

We stayed on Highway 12 all day today.  The first 24 miles took us from 4000 to 6000 feet in elevation  up Deep Creek Canyon.  We got an early start and completed that segment by 8:30 am.  The next 20 miles was a mixture of rolling hills and exciting decents.  The next stop was Sulfur Springs.  We ate lunch there although it was still late morning.  We had leftover cold cut sandwiches (last night's dinner).  What a great change from the normal PB&J.

Mike and I took off after lunch and caught nice tailwind for the next 20 miles.  We rode one 5-mile stretch averaging 23 mph.  We completed two-thirds of the scheduled 100 mile ride by noon. 

At this point we spotted a watering hole called the Checkerboard Bar and stopped in for a beer.  The place was like a Seattle time-warp, they served Oly and Rainier beer.  My training coach and riding buddy (Herr Larry-you know who you are) always coaxes me past the taverns (It's for your own good, he says) but a cold one was just too tempting.  Why not? We were ahead of the pack, it's noon, there is a tailwind, and we only have 33 miles to go.

I should have listened to the Larry-meister.  After just one beer (really!) we left the bar about 12:30 and set off for Harlowton.  At first, we carried the same weather as before, but it quickly changed.  About 15 miles from town the skies darkened quickly.  I was hit with a headwind that took my speed from 23 to 12 mph instantly.  Over the next 5 miles the temperature dropped 20 degrees and we fought head and cross winds in the 20 to 30 mph range.  It was quite a struggle getting to camp.  One rider behind us was knocked from her bike by a gust onto a grass sideslope just outside town.  She let her bike be sagged (picked up by a support truck) but insisted on walking the rest of the way to camp.  She and her bike are fine.

When we got to town we took refuge in an ice cream shop (where else?).  We traded wind stories like ancient mariners over shakes and cones.  Some riders even fell asleep in the shop.  After awhile several of us headed to the football field to set up camp.  Those who got there early were able to set their tents up before all hell broke loose.  The skies opened up and we were pelted with some of the biggest hail that I've ever seen.  Many of the riders who hadn't got their tents up had to take refuge in an equipment shed.  It lasted just a short while, but was very exciting.  I decided to use the time to update my blog. 

I'm completing the blog after a shower and a steak dinner at a bar & grill.  The weather seems to be settling down.  We have a little over 90 miles to do tomorrow.  We stay at the Montana State dorms and have a day off on the 4th.