Day 2 - NSFW Ride Review

"if you ever, EVER do another f*ing ride like this again..... I'm in!"

"That was the hardest longest f*ing ride I've ever done"

"You are insane, and need to check your meds"

Just some of the kind words from our nine tonight at dinner at the Benbow Inn. You could say that it was a smashing success. We had 9 start, 8 finish with one having a mechanical failure after a fall on the 34% dirt grade at around mile 70. Nothing serious.

No seriously, today was one tough day. I've been thinking about what to write here all day today, but the level of suffering was very, very high. I'm so damn proud of everyone for getting in under their own power around dark, and making it to dinner at the renowned Benbow Inn. Such a great day.

We maybe shouldn't have had time consuming but amazing coffee in Ferndale, or loli-gaging at lunch for too long. Those hours could have kept us off the road at dusk on the craziest backwood roads I've ever ridden around Garbarville. The people around here drive like rally car drivers. All the cars have damage, like they are still in training. There are cars off the road all over the place, so apparently they really aren't that good behind the wheel, but you would never know it when the go blowing past you in the wrong lane, then nearly head on with someone around a blind corner. Maybe they are sampling the local weed just a bit too much. Crazy.

But I digress. Today was insane. 10,000 feet in 100 miles. Seems pretty easy, but these roads are a handful and require full attention at all times. Plus when they made these roads, they obviously never paid for an engineer, they just went up and over ever mountain within range. With pitches in the 30's in some places. So many 20% grades that you get used to it. You know, pull your phone out, take some pics, eat, drink some water. Chit chat and commiserate with other riders. You only start to breath hard when it goes over 20%.

Then you know you've had a good day! And today was a very good day. The nine were happy, and tired, and pretty sure they are reevaluating our friendship. I call that success!

Tomorrow is easier. More soon.