Chris is doing his first long ride of the year. He's been up to 70 but now he bikes over to Pullman to join Cliff and Sean and I for the ride out to Palouse where we'll join Mike, Linda, Wendy, John MacInturff, and Laureen for 60+ miles of the best cycling day on the Palouse I have ever seen.

Chris is off out ahead a few hundred yards not gaining on us but not giving up any ground either. Sean and I match pace while Cliff, ever conservative, holds back. Mike honks as he drives by. In Palouse only Mike and Linda are ready. Chris is visibly disappointed. He is a very social rider for someone who rides "way out" in front all the time.

Just as we have convinced ourselves no one else is coming Wendy and Laureen arrive. Now we are nine and more importantly, Linda doesn't feel so threatened. Now there are three women.

I did 45 miles on Saturday including that stupid race up the hill. I was tired, sore, and about ready to toss the bike in the river after that ride. Pete gave me a couple of Alaskan Ambers at the barbecue which made me feel better but better turned into a low grade headache that lasted until I went to sleep.

If Saturday had been beautiful, it held no comparison to Sunday on the Palouse. At Dissemore's Sean whined a bit about the chill and put on his arm warmers. I didn't need any extra warmth. Little wind, and plenty of sunshine kept me warm. That chill in the breeze lasted all day long. It felt wonderful and kept cylcists from overheating. Standing in the sun at Garfield began to feel uncomfortable thought the temperature on the Palouse probably didn't get above 75.

Green. Everything was green. Bright yellow greens to dark forest greens covered those rolling hills. I had to keep my mental map turned on. If you drifted you could get lost. One rolling hill looks pretty much like another. I'm getting awfully close having those senior moments when I come back to consciousness and don't know where I'm at. Yeah, it was like that--total immersion.

Wendy has been known to have trouble keeping her troops in line for these Palouse rides. In fact she almost lost Cliff, Sean and I at Garfield. We planned on at least a century today. By riding out from Pullman we were adding 30 miles. It looked like we'd need to add only another 4 or 5 to make it an even century. Despite my protests Sean and Cliff overruled me and we Joined the group for the ride from Oaksdale through Garfiled and back to Palouse instead of taking a shot at Steptoe Butte.

Laureen dropped back a bit and I slowed not to leave her behind. Sean pulled up and stopped. He'd gotten a rock in his shoe. I caught up with Linda and Wendy and Cliff and the Bully Boys, Mike and Sean showed up. They had already picked on Cliff, eaching grabbing a corner of his seat and earlier trying to drop him. Now Sean shouted to Mike, "Now all we have to do is knock Corrie off his bike and we are good to go."

I kept my eye on Sean and my pace at 17 or so. Sean soon tired of the pace and lead Mike around me. I tagged on. Mike and Sean traded leads a couple of times as the pace increased. I took a turn then too. And out ahead of us we spotted Chris. Sean gave a shout and the chase was on. We were gaining on Chris when he seemed to boble across the center line then weave back. He had spotted us. He didn't seem threated by the peleton chasing him down and we continued to gain on him. Our chase lost its momentum when Mike saw the hill ahead of us. We knew we had no chance of outpacing Chris up the hill. I gave it a try anyway.

And then we were in Garfield. Chris apparently hadn't gotten the word that we'd stop at the grocery. He stayed on the highway and disappeared. At the grocery I asked Sean if he thought Wendy would know to stop here. "I dont' know but I'm here and I'm going to enjoy it," he said plopping down into the plastic lawn furniture outside the grocery. Linda and Laureen spotted us. Cliff and Wendy and John sped on.

Cliff missed the fresh ice cream at Garfield.

Linda immediately found the ice cream shop--a little cafe on the corner. She couldn't seem to interest in moving though. I was happily munching my Doritos. Ice cream didn't sound good.

9 miles to Palouse. Neither Mike nor Sean seemed interested in a fast pace. Linda and I fell in behind them. Linda began drafting on me and did a good job hanging in even on the rises. We even caught and almost passed Sean and Mike. We lost ground on the first big climb. On the second Linda stopped to take a picture. She claims she really wanted the picture. Still, she did the best job of drafting I've ever seen her do. She actually pedaled.

In Palouse Cliff had already added his extra miles and Sean wimped out deciding to go back with Mike. That allowed me to ride back with Cliff so that Linda didn't have to wait in Pullman for me. I added a little distance and then started up the hill out of Palouse to catch Cliff. At Dissemore's I had to add about 2 tenths of a mile to get my century.

We spotted Chris sitting in the shade drinking a coke. He onlyl had 103 miles on his computer to Cliff's 101 and my 100. What happened to that 9 mile ride over from Moscow? We decided his computer was cheating him.

Special note to Sean and Laureen: Don't forget to oil those chains.