Rollin’ Deep
Got the go-fast Wheelsets on the Speedvagens. Enve Smart 6.7 with @chriskingbuzz gold hubs & Continental GP4000s tires.
LIOTR Stage 5
You know you’re riding a lot when 95 miles and 5k feet of climbing feels almost like a rest day as it approaches. After Stage 4’s relative easiness, we’ll ease back in to longer distances and climbs with hopefully great weather. We move from Boise to Fairfield, ID today.
Dedications
Sally is a friend of Andrew’s parents. She is from England but has spent a good part of her life in the developing world, Africa, South America, India, working with people and organizations to improve their lot in life. Most recently she’s been teaching at university in Australia, working with organizations to bring ideas home to help their people.
Following her cancer diagnosis, Sally went through several surgeries and treatments. Today she is cancer free, but like so many who have had cancer in their lives, Sally lives with the blessing and the curse of frequent follow up checks, the breath-holding and the relief that goes with such a regimen.
Anrdrew’s parents have known Sally, and her husband Paul, for a number of years. She is the most generous of hosts, gracious, kind and - not least - funny! Sally has the remarkable ability to make you feel like the most important person in the room. In her work she’s extended that ability to making the people she works with feel like the most important people in the world. She is someone who makes a difference.
Welcome to Idaho!
Recovery day
You know you’re riding a lot when 58 miles feels like nothing. Today we had beautiful weather and Andrew’s brother joined us for the ride into Boise.
Hydrate!
After riding over 500 miles in three days, this is the most important bag in the car this morning. A Poler bag with 30 lbs of Skratch Labs. Thanks guys & let Stage 4 begin!
LIOTR Stage 4
After riding over 500 miles in three days, we’re ready for a little recovery. Stage 4 takes us from Ontario, OR and into Boise, ID. Instead of riding 160+ miles as we’ve done for the first three days of the ride, we’ll get to sleep in, clean the bikes, have breakfast and roll out at recovery pace for 60 miles or so. Looking forward to crossing a state line too
Dedications
Today we ride for Andrew’s cousin, Mary Huber. She is a 45-year old woman with a developmental disability, but also a person with a strong will and the ability to fight. Mary is in the fight of, and for, her life with a particularly aggressive skin cancer. She has lost her left eye to the battle, but has her right eye and great attitude focused on recovery from the surgery and radiation, defeating the disease, and moving on in her good life with her friends in a Honolulu group home(she’s not a surfer, though). She is also looking forward to getting back with her co-workers at Goodwill Industries. She salutes Cousin Andrew and all the crew of Leave it on the Road.
Stage 3 is done.
172 miles, 100 of them in frigid rain. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done - physically, mentally or emotionally. Still trying to put it in to words. Full recap of the first three days coming tomorrow when we have a little downtime. This has been an amazing experience and we haven’t even left Oregon yet!
John Day National Monument
LIOTR Stage 3 started at the entrance to John Day National Monument. We actually rode through it last night but it was so beautiful we had to ride through again. These roads are amazing.
LIOTR Stage 3
It’s a rainy start to stage 3. We’ll begin with a van transport back to where we left off last night - the entrance to John Day National Monument. Then we’ll roll a flattish course (relatively speaking) with about 6000 ft of climbing all the way to Ontario, OR. There we can expect a nicer hotel, a restaurant that is actually open, and a chance to sleep in tomorrow!