So today was supposed to be the hardest climb of the summer, and strangely, I can’t say I remember much of the ride. My legs are definitely sore, but mentally, I had something pushing me the whole way through.

Yesterday, I had made a deal with Megan that if she would do something random and unexpectedly kind to someone who wouldn’t expect it, then I would sweep today’s ride in her place. For those who don’t know, sweeping is when a “stronger” rider rides in the back to make sure the last rider gets through. Most people don’t like sweeping b/c they often have to go slower than they’re used to, but I don’t think I really mind it.

Our dedications this morning were surprisingly emotional. I decided to dedicate my day to living strong— e.g. the LIVESTRONG campaign. I recall the quote, I think from Braveheart “All men die, but not all men truly live.” And I encouraged my team that we have the opportunity to truly live and we ought to make the most of it. Additionally, we have encouraged so many people to live their days strongly—e.g. Big Dan, Cricket, and Ruthie in Lathrop, Kaziyoshi, our families. Today’s dedication really got us riled up to ride… emotions stirring and all.

When we headed out, the first thing I noticed was how beautiful the day was. The trees were green, the skies were blue, and the sun was brightly shining (but still cool enough for comfort). We knew today’s ride would be a hard one so people really paced themselves at the beginning. Once we hit the actual steep climb, I got to ride with Sarah and Rich, both of whom I can confidently say I am so proud of for making it to the top of Mt Currie. As I mentioned, I don’t remember much from the climb, except that it was absolutely gorgeous. After the climbs, we hit our lunch rest stop, where Kat prepared us some sammies. Soon we were on our way again—this time only me and Rich. I could tell Rich was getting tired, but he definitely kept persevering, and it was a humble sight to see. Eventually, we picked up Julian who had gotten 3 flat tires today, and he helped to sweep as the team ventured onward. The climbs were definitely there, and I can feel them in my legs right now, but I think sweeping help to put me in the mentality of being patient. Towards the end of the ride, at about 70 miles, the heat and lack of hydration really seemed to be getting to Richard as he began getting nauseous. We took a rest in the shade, and luckily Emily was behind us, so Richard ended up sagging in while Julian and I finished the last ten miles with a bang.

After arriving at the church, we got to shower and have some time to hang out and walk around. Sarah and I went to lie out on the grass for a while, and it was definitely a welcomed break from the long day. Then came dinner, and afterwards, a few us went to walk around town to close the evening. All in all, many of my teammates claim today to be the hardest day of the ride so far. For some reason, I can’t argue either way. Sweeping at the back—my focus wasn’t on riding, so much as making sure all of my teammates safely get in. That said, I didn’t push my body to its threshold; granted there were times when my legs were sore from keeping a different pace than I’m used to, but as a workout, today was definitely more mentally than physically trying. (I bet my legs would beg to differ). Here are some pics from today’s ride:

Near the top!

Julian making his way up the mountain

Catching up to the rest of the team:

One more day down, one more day closer to Anchorage, one more day to parting with my teammates. What a bittersweet ending that will be…