Big Ride Day 44

Photos from Day 44

Now that we're in PA, the mileages are starting to get shorter and for good reason! The hills here are easily the most difficult we have encountered and there are so many of them -- one after the other all day long and very steep to boot. Today we had two major passes to climb. The first one hit us fairly early and was again probably the toughest climb we've had to date. Checkpoint was at the top -- a little early today because of the toughness of the climb. Following that climb, we rolled through PA countryside over many steep rollers until encountering the second pass, which was not as tough. As we got closer to Hollidaysburg, people began asking us if we were part of "Tour d'Toona." At first, I didn't know what they were talking about, but then I remembered a bike race by that name that I had heard of and realized that we were going to be staying near Altoona, PA where the race takes place. How cool! As it turns out, this was the first day of the race -- a time trial. After settling in and eating a fantastic dinner, we got a ride down to where the time trial was taking place and I saw my first professional bike race. Wow, those bikers are fast. The winners were completing the circuit at a pace of 30 mph, just smokin'!

This page modified November 25, 2000