PACTour Day 7/19 - Sometimes you just gotta jump into the Volcano

Pocket necessaries for PAC Tour.  

Back left - iPod and Money/Credit Card/Blistek bag.

Middle - FastAir (quick sealant for tubeless punctures) & Bag O Tools

Right - Camera (not in pic for some reason?) & Phone for texting while riding...

Hutchi Fast Air works great.  Will had a leak which only allowed 10 miles of riding 3 days ago.  We used a can of this stuff and the tire holds air fine still.  Bag O Tools was used on day 2 when will had a chain pin coming out on the road.  Quick fix w/ small Park Chain Tool.

The morning William process.   Those of you who know Will know he is methodical (and slowish) about everything.  Probably started with Opa teaching the deconstruction and consumption of lobster in New Hampshire.

First the shower...

Then the shorts, one knee warmer, heart rate monitor strap...

The other knee warmer, base layer and jersey...

Finally the arm warmers and vest.  Still no shoes, sox, or gloves...

Will smartly place on Lon's wheel rolling out of Montpelier ID this am.  Unbeknownst to Lon, Will has a secret competition going with Lon, which Will is way ahead on.  Lon might be at a disadvantage not knowing that there is such a competition??

Large group on a leisurely day.

We even had an interloper tag on the back for a while.  This dude had started in San Francisco, gone up to Washington, across the Cascades and is making his way down to Albuquerque.  

We must have ridden along Bear Lake for 30 miles this am.  You can see the extent of Bear lake on the ride profile views below.

Although we started in Idaho and ended in Wyoming, the majority of our riding today was in Utah.  Jim's favorite state highway sign is Utah's representing the "Beehive."  You can probably quickly google the beehive's significance in mormon culture and draw your own conclusions from there.

Incidently, Utah also has Jim's favorite funny state slogan "Our Jesus is Better than Your Jesus."  Before you think Jim is picking on UT or the mormon culture Jim also laughs at his own home state (NH) slogan "Go Away and Leave Us Alone," and the song "Live Free or Die" (which is the actual NH state motto.)  The song is about the incongruity of the "Live Free or Die" License plates being made in state prisons...

Ascent view of our very mellow ride today.  93 miles with only 2500 feet climbing.  Notice the huge Bear Lake in the first half of the ride.

Jim and Will took it easy today, except for the 2nd half of single climb and the 6 sprints they contested.

Since the day was easy the boys went for a 20 minute run.  While the laundry was washing, natch.

Ascent view of our run, starting at the top, crossing under the interstate then around a state park with penned bison for viewing.

Our room at the Prairie Inn is fascinating tonight. Jim called it a Locker room (it is huge.) Jerry referred to it as a barracks. Concrete walls with some wood paneling.  Nice to have a big big room.  Have to sit outside the room for WiFi signal.  The walls are made of bulletproof lead and cinderblock and we imagine are designed to survive a nuclear attack!!

Most nights, Jim and Will watch a movie in the room.  Jim likes to share movies that he enjoyed years ago, particularly if they are off the beaten path.  Last night we watch "Joe versus The Volcano"  a 1990 movie starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.  Way underappreciated film on many levels.  Possible Meg Ryan's best performance ever (and she had 3 separate roles in the film.)  Great cameo's by Lloyd Bridges and Robert Stack.  Great performance by Dan Hedaya and Abe Vigoda.

Abe Vigoda plays the cheiftain on the island (completely out of character) and proclaims to Tom Hanks "So tonight we are gonna have a big party, eat a feast, and then you're gonna jump in a Volcano, sounds good?"  Tom Hank "Sounds good."  Well that's what PAC Tour is all about.  Jumping in the Volcano.  Most great things in life involve alot of risk, effort, preparation, pain for their reward.  That became our topic of the day.  Sometimes you just gotta jump in the volcano.

Nice easy, easy ride to day.  Low heart rate all day except for the 5 mile climb where we rode hard tempo the last 2-3 miles anticipating the 7-8 mile descent.  Tomorrow is the true "Queens Stage" of the tour, into Vernal, UT from Evanston, WY.  151 miles with 8600 feet of climbing including at least one major pass.  The boys ate extra thru the day storing up for this stage.  We are then rewarded the following day with a 50 mile stage (aka "Rest Day.")

Interesting conversation outside the boys motel room this am.  Three bikers talking about the "90 mile ride those guys are riding on those bicycles!  and Man, it's hard riding 90 miles on my Harley, I got a blister on my clutch hand yesterday! and I sure would rather be on my Harley's seat than one of those bicycle seats!!"

 

Jim took the Utah sign, and other than the St. Charles, ID sign for which Jim awarded himself double points for since B-H sister store is Bicycle-Heaven St. Charles, albeit in Illinois, Will grabbed the lions share of sprint points today.  Jim is gonna have to get a bit stronger in the sprints, he can't beat Will in a fair sprint currently.

Tomorrow will be tough.  Tomorrow we jump into the Volcano. Wish us luck.  Thanx for all the interest in our endeavor.