Harry Vardon: [to Lord Northcliff] Let me tell you something. I came here to win a trophy. And on the face of it Ted Ray or I should carry it off. Not for you, not for England, but for sheer bloody pride at being the best, *that’s* why we do this. And if Mr. Ouimet wins tomorrow, it’s because he’s the best, because of who he is. Not who his father was, not how much money he’s got, because of who he bloody is! And I’ll thank you to remember that. And I’ll thank you to show the respect a gentleman gives as a matter of course. –The Greatest Game Ever Played

I think that I may have missed pointing out that several of our riders left in Del Norte and have been very much missed. Bob and Katherine left us several days ago. Both very strong riders and very nice people. They are missed and I very much appreciate their kind comments and words of encouragement.

I’d also like to say hello to my CrossRoads friends as they are running another cross-country ride from LA to Boston that is happening concurrently. Want to say “Hi” to Tracy and crew and let them know that I am following their adventure and reliving some happy times with them. I believe that some of the riders are multiple myeloma survivors and are riding to raise money for this cause. They are about halfway home and I wish them well and safe travels!

Before I talk about today’s ride, I need to say a few words about yesterday’s ride – the one that I sat out. Most of the riders were caught in a very significant storm with lightening, hail, heavy winds and falling temperatures. They came through like the champs they are. Most rode the true Divide route and dealt with some mud.

There was some concern that the heavy rains might make the traditional ride for today – impassable but the dirt roads dried out enough. We are staying in a hotel in Cuba tonight even though the ride takes us beyond Cuba. There are two routes – one off and one on pavement that goes out about 33 miles and then we are shuttled back to Cuba. The next day we would be shuttled back to the pickup point and proceed from there. The reason for the short ride today is because of the difficulty of tomorrow’s ride.

I decided to ride out and then back to town, effectively doubling the mileage to 66 miles. There was not a lot of climbing and the wind was slight. The van that had picked up with the riders at the 33-mile point caught me with about 5 miles left of the 66 mile ride. Steve asked me if I could hear the cheering in the van as they passed me. I could not but the thought brings a smile to my face as I type.

I don’t mention it often enough, but this is a great group of riders. If someone has a bad day, the others will do anything to lift your spirits. That goes for the crew as well. A few of the folks barely speak any English but we still communicate through a common language of sport and adventure. Several folks have really helped to lify my spirits on bad days. This is tough physically, mentally and emotionally. Everyone has some physical ailments, stress and non-cycling issues to deal with. They are immensely easier because of the community spirit and degree of care that everyone shows.

Thanks for reading!

Tailwinds

Chuck Hardesty – Riding for The Backstoppers.org