"And on the Fifth Day ... We Rested"

So today was a rest day, not much to report.  I did catch up on some email and phone calls back home.  I was also made aware that it is impossible or at least difficult to post comments on this blog.  I am glad that someone brought this to my attention because I was feeling so neglected.  No one was commenting on the blogs.  A big thank you to Mark Williams who told me how to go into settings and open up the ability to comment, so now everyone can comment to their hearts desire.  Try the comment feature out and make my day.

Today was a day to hit the Laundromat and catch up on our laundry.  Plus we put the bikes up on the stands and did a bit of bike maintenance general cleaning.  I guess I could take advantage of this rest day and tell a bit about our choice of steeds.

Jim McGirk is our Cannondale rider.  He briefly considered riding his 2011 Cannondale Super Six but decided to go with his 2011 Cannondale Synapse for a bit more comfort.  Components are Ultegra SL Compact with a 11-25 cassette.

Bill Rahe is riding his 2010 Scott CR1 Pro.  His components are also Ultegra SL and he is riding a triple with a 11-28 cassette.  I will say, much to my surprise, Bill has been waiting for us at the top of most of our long climbs.  I am not sure if it is his superior conditioning or the fact he is riding a triple and Jim and I riding compacts.  Bill is quick to claim it is the triple and not his superior conditioning, we shall see as the ride goes on.

For comfort, I briefly considered riding my 2009 Specialized Roubaix Elite; also a triple with Shimano 105 components.  But I went with my 2009 Specialized Tarmac SL with SRAM Red compact componentry and a 11-28 cassette.  I just found the Roubaix to be too soft in the climbs and so far, I am happy I left it back home in Corrales.

We have another day and a half in the beautiful state of Washington, and Wednesday we will overnight in Astoria, Oregon.  Then Thursday we roll into Manzanita, Oregon (about 20 miles south of Cannon Beach, Oregon) and we spend a couple of days with a very good friend of mine, Joe McAvoy, at his place in Manzanita.  Joe and I were colleagues at Intel and we spent time in the trenches together.  It is going to be fun catching up.  And then Saturday night we are privileged again to stay with another friend of mine, Theresa Zawalski, near Depoe Bay, Oregon.  Theresa is going to continue to let me believe that I was her favorite boss at Intel.  We used to work together in New Mexico and then she left to work for Intel in Oregon.  Hmmm, maybe I wasn’t her favorite boss. Oh well, she is my favorite Theresa Zawalski and I look forward to seeing her again.  Friends are precious and I am blessed to have more than I deserve.

Time to get some sleep and roll down the road again tomorrow.