Sunday, June 23rd, 2013 @ 11:18PM

Total Time: 5:34.43(About 6 hours total)
Miles: 76.69/78
Avg Speed: 14.0 mph
Max Speed: 65.9 mph
0 days without a flat tire
9 flat tires in
Status: racked due to a flat tire

I just want to say I am glad that I am finally done with the desert, and am also glad to be done with route 50. It really sucked and I will do my best to never having to experiencing it again (cycling at least). The citizens and overcoming the tough task if that terrain was truly a fun chapter and I will look at that accomplishment for when I get older.

Onto today???s ride. My body was fatigued from yesterday and I still felt some pain. Waking up I even had trouble bending my right leg and moving my left leg. The Sun was rising and it was really chilly outside. This ride wasn???t going to be good at all and it would truly be a miracle if I somehow made 80 miles today. Today was also a paced day so rack point was hard at 65 miles by 11:30.

When I rode my lower back was really sore and my knees were all in pain for most of my ride. I pushed through the pain as best as I could and stretched at every crew stop. Going through I was in so much pain and I really did not think I would be able to finish. I at least wanted to so what I could to make rack point. Luckily my pace line had Jeff and Mike help motivate me. I really appreciated their support. The hills we were climbing really had me in pain and when I eventually made it to mile 60, my team had an exciting downhill descent that was great. However, the chills really strained my lower back, my legs were numb and cold after each stroke. It was pretty scary.

My team was pushing through and we were making great time and pushing through. I felt I would be able to make it to the finish. 2 miles away from my team I felt that my front tire was getting flat. I had to get racked due to time constraints. The feeling of not finishing even though I fought through the pain had me devastated. I was almost in years but the one of the crew members Sam was able to cheer me up from me feeling down. I was told to rack since I was in so much pain 20 miles prior but I still fought through and cycled. I really appreciated it. It still depressed me that I was unable to ride along with some locals in Utah who were part of a cycling club. Waiting and seeing my team ride along did not make me feel any better.

After the we had a the ride we had inch, dinner, and a team meeting. I love this team. We have a bunch of great people. Tomorrow is another 80 mile say to Salt Lake City

Posted by Reggie Quaye
Categories: Journey of Hope, Philanthropy