Ride: Tour de Lentil club riders: many, many of us. Let me see how many I can name. Eric who I think finished first. Chris, John and Carla (from Spokane but former members and weekend guests of the Riddles.) Nicki, Linda, Debbie, Carol, Pam, Maria, Mike Minnick, Dave T., Jeff Nelson from Kendrick, Sean, and Bruce. Sorry if I missed anyone.
Eric finished first this year.

Some question about a third Tour de Lentil wafted about the cycling community this summer. I'm glad the WSU cycling team brought it off. We did it earlier but the support and more riders make it more fun.

I would consider a 9 am start a bit late for a long ride usually, but the weather had cooled enough that heat was not a problem. Today. The smoke and clouds over Lewistion this morning discouraged Cliff from riding, but we found sunny skies in Pullman at 9 and never saw a drop of rain. We did encounter significant head winds from Pullman to the first food stop and again from Palouse back to Pullman.

The hills haven't gotten any easier in case you were wondering. This is not a beginners ride yet Dave T. allowed his neighbor to tackle it with nothing longer than 50 miles as a previous ride. Sadly broken spokes spelled the end of his ride.

Once again, Linda is learning to respect the bike. Bright and perky herself, she was heard to utter a discouraging word to Maria as they climbed the hill out of Colfax. Of course, Maria, was singing cheerfully in praise of hills. Shame on you Maria--but, Linda is still sorry. She was still pretty discourage at the end of the ride. Something about never getting on a bike again. Nahh, I don't believe it.

Chris disappeared with the leaders early in the ride. That was wonderful. He had ridden from Moscow and had to ride back. If he hammered, I thought, and carried this big rock I've got in my yard tomorrow, perhaps I'll see him on the Winchester Century.

The Bruce Express

My plan was to take it easy today so I'd have something left for tomorrow. And I really tried to be good, but when Bruce set a pace heading toward the Almota instersection, the Women of Wheels, Lynn and Erin, Mike Minnick, Sean and I went with him. A young man from Bolivia, Adrian ,also joined us. Bruce seemed unfazed by the headwind. We were more than pleased to have a ticket on the Bruce Express for the rest of the day. I've got to remember to cultivate a relationship with these faster riders I know.

That meant we had a higher average speed than I would have expected and there were a few bad moments there when I thought I might not be able to sustain the pace, but a pace line gives you so many chances to coast that I survived.

The WOW ladies were the same ones we had met at White Pine. They kept a solid pace and we enjoyed their company. Lynn is interested in more information about the Wallowa Ride. Debbie, we need that info on motels and restaurants.