Day One in The Bag - Tough Day

First the stats:

72 miles.

6500 feet of climbing.

Oh! The brutality!

The skies- beautiful. The mind, grey and cloudy with pain.

Today was a tough day if you did not gather that.

I wanted to quite many times. But where would I go? Off the road to hug and weep with that lodge pole pine!? If it wasnt for a young college student and a father, son doing the same wonked, sadistic thing I was doing... I am not sure I would have made it. We commiserated and punched the pedals in solidarity! Mile after, bloody mile, in the worst of it, we did it. Nick was from Bellingham. A college student, who when he said he was having cramps and I asked him if he had any electrolytes and her answered, I have banana chips! The Sassaman's, a father, son team were from Bellevue, WA and had started their tour BY LEAVING FROM THEIR FRONT DOOR! Both Nick and Eric and David his son are heading to New Hampshire and Michigan respectively. I'll say! Respective no doubt. It can be miserable out there. Yet, they slog along, day after day... for months! Me... I am out 'on tour' for four measly days! As I mentioned earlier... If I had not come across these guys and we rode together, today would have been, well... A freakin nightmare on par with the heinous of all heinous hell storms of shit storms of abject misery known to man! Hope tomorrow is better!

Yes, the awkward position my body is in, is because I am toast and the Burro is holding me up.