AAN Day 7 - Baker City to Ontario, OR

Daily Statistics:
Mileage: 84.0 miles Average Speed: 15.5 mph
Vertical: 2115 feet Depart: 7:02 AM Pacific Time, Arrive: 2:11 PM Mountain
Calories: 5087

I thought I would start today with some data for you on how to follow this ride besides my feeble efforts. I know Jon Bradford will need this data. Go to: "markstrek.com", click on the "my links" on the left of the page, and there are links to at least 15 blogs from different people on the trip. I especially recommend Helen's blog. She takes great pictures, and leaves me wondering if I was on the same ride, I missed so many great things. The other resource that I recommend is "bamacyclist.com", click on the 2010 ride journals, then North photos, and North. Mike does a nice job taking interesting photos with great captions. You can always come back here to find if I am still going, but the other folks are publishing some great stuff.
The other thing I am starting the day with is a photo of our morning ritual, which is to line up for the bag load. It is your responsibility to put your bag on the back of the truck, and sign the sheet certifying you did so. We also sign in at each SAG, and at arrival at the motel, so they can track that everyone is making appropriate progress through the route.
The ride today was a lot of fun. I rode with Gary Weinstein again today, and he is great to go with. He is a little slower than I am, but this kept me from overdoing after a week on the road, which is what I wanted. My roomie, Bill Bibler, also joined us for a stretch, as did Gary's wife and a few others in and out.
Gary took this nice photo of me riding from his bike. I tried a few of other riders, and did not do nearly as well. We also had our first stretch of riding on an Interstate today, with about 10 miles or so on Interstate 84. It had a wide shoulder, largely separated by a rumble strip, so I don't think anyone felt too unsafe.
About 55 miles in we left US 30 for Rt 201 for the rest of the journey to Ontario. This brought us along the Snake River, which is shown in the photo below. As you may note from the daily statistics, there was not as much climbing today. so it was easy sailing for the rest of the way in. I had fun doing sprints with various folks, and generally just enjoying the ride. I actually felt better on arrival than I did when we left in the morning. My butt is also finally starting to adjust to the large increase in hours in the saddle over what I do back home. Tomorrow should be an easy run into Boise, and then we get Tuesday off. I plan to use the off day to introduce photos of some of the riders you have heard me speak of.