Hi everyone! Day 3 came just to hit our riders like a truck. The evening before, some people were heard menacingly saying that day 3 will be very hard. Nevertheless, it seems like almost none of the riders were quite prepared to face the challenging climbs that Day 3 had in store for them.
I was still not feeling quite well enough for biking, so instead I got to help Clara with her first van driving day. Van driving, despite not being as physically taxing as biking for ~70 miles, is still a bit stressful and tiring. It can be tricky to find a good rest stop spot for the riders; van drivers also buy supplies and make sure there is always enough water for the team. Clara did very well on her first van driving day, I was a certainly a proud teacher at the end of the day.
Van crew!
The riders had to climb three big hills on Day 3, with the nastiest one being the last one of course. With over 5,000 feet of elevation, this day was no joke. But, on the bright side, they also got to have three fun downhill rides afterwards. So… you win some you lose some maybe?
The downhill captured from the van
Staying positive…?
The view was worth the climb
Hungry boys going through a Wendy’s drive-thru on their bikes
Our fearless ride leaders
Once we got to our stayover in Milton which was at St Paul's United Church-Christ, we were very warmly greeted by the church staff as well as the pastor. They were very kind in providing us with delicious dinner and helping us secure showers for the team at a nearby YMCA. They even helped us unload our things from the van!
We also got to talk to Al there who is a 4 times cancer survivor as well as his wife, a 2 times cancer survivor. It is always amazing to meet people who have such experiences and hear their stories. We get reminded every time of the true purpose of our trip and of those who we are ultimately helping.
Al and his wife telling their story to the team
…and their incredibly sweet dog who is also a cancer survivor!
Day 3 was long and tough for everyone, but as we all know, after every downhill there is an uphill. Only as cyclists, we will be waiting for our downhill instead ;)
-Valerie