Monday, May 30th, 2016

We woke up to rain this morning, which means we get splattered in the face whenever we are riding behind someone. Which is always. However, with the rain came cooler temperatures. It was actually a very pleasant morning, as it didn’t rain very hard or for very long. The afternoon heated up, but our team made great time considering we rode 87.6 miles over many, many rolling hills. We are all getting the hang of when to up or down shift, how to approach the hills, and the best strategy for making it up them. I learned the hard way that the mentality of “The faster I go the faster I’m done,” is not the correct mindset. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Which I’m thankful for, because upstate New York is beautiful! There are so many big trees, streams, rivers, and lakes. It was a very peaceful ride (minus the burning thighs) through many wooded areas. The consensus among the team is that there were more hills today, but there weren’t any that were as bad as yesterday’s route. Everyone did great again today!

Our stay over tonight is at the YMCA in Bethlehem. Let me tell you, these people know how to make you feel welcome. They had a sign out front for us as well as chalk arrows pointing us to the entrance with words like “Yay!” and “Woot woot!” written by them. Cold drinks were waiting for us in a cooler and we were provided with a feast of grilled chicken, burgers, and hotdogs as well as fruit, salad, and chips. They gave us towels and access to the pool, hot tub and showers (major score!!). They also have a bouncy house obstacle course. Yes, we went in it. We all feel like we are on vacation. Such generosity makes me want to provide the same experience for someone, not because it’s expected or required, just because it’s possible. We are so thankful.

DR