Day 5, Boardman, OR to Walla Walla, WA

A typical day begins at 5:30 a.m. I wake up, pack my bag and get my bicycling gear for the day ready. Breakfast is generally at 6 a.m. I start a little after 6:30 a.m. and ride anywhere from 6 to 10 hours each day. The terrain determines the average speed. During the day, I stop for food and water breaks between 3 to 4 times. The support van carries the food and water besides all of our bags. At the end of the day, I check in to the hotel for the day, try to soak in a hot tub if available to get the soreness to diminish. I also like to do a few laps of the pool if there is one at the hotel. A little rest, followed by dinner with the team and then off to bed to recharge myself for the next day. I also try to catch up with work and this blog in the evenings. The first photo is of the team having breakfast in Boardman, OR.

Eastern Oregon is a stark contrast from Western Oregon. Now the verdant countryside is replaced by rolling farmland. Gone are the big trees and replaced by fields of hay. The heat was not as oppressive today as yesterday. We also entered our second state of the journey, Washington. Tomorrow, we will enter our third, Idaho.

The video clip if it plays well is an example of paceline riding. For more information on paceline bicycling, please click the link below:
http://www.cycleu.com/how-to-ride-a-paceline-and-not-fall-down/

Tonight, I am at the 
http://marcuswhitmanhotel.com/ in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walla_Walla,_Washington

Today was not a "Wow" day for me. But still, if you enjoyed this blog I invite you to donate the $1 for today to http://friendsoflchospice.org/

I am requested to help a teammate with her road injuries so that she can be back riding again soon. Remember the lady with the seizures on the flight to Hawaii? That was a few months back. It is a privilege being a doctor. The satisfaction of having helped a fellow human in their time of need is priceless.