This morning we found that the plateau we’re on is actually the Summit Pass, the highest point on the Alcan Highway. So, it is all downhill from there on, well maybe for about 4 miles. I was so elated with this surprise that even the smaller ups and downs seemed to pass by easily. We have adjusted our routine a bit due to the lack of spare tubes for the mountain bike. Betty goes only a few miles ahead and waits until I get there before moving forward again. If I do have a flat that a patch will not fix, she will realize it more quickly and can rescue me more easily. So far, so good.
A highway inspector told us that there was an area of road maintenance prior to Steamboat Summit and then it was clear all the way from there to Dawson Creek (our finish point). This sounds too good to be true. Not long after we crossed the maintenance area, it was uphill for about 3 miles. On these long uphill pulls, I find the right gear (usually very low) for my spin speed and “zone out”. It is a mind game, but I find it helps if I concentrate on little things like body position; head down, elbows & knees in, toes pointed slightly downward to make the up-pull on the backstroke smoother and just keep spinning at the right speed. Sometimes on a steep hill my forward speed is only about 4 mph, but that is faster than most folks can walk up a steep hill. Just keep on, keeping on!
Some of the roadside wildflowers are beginning to wither, some losing their brilliance, others going to seed. Their very limited life span is coming to an end. Grow into a miracle of beauty, then fade away; that’s life.
Betty: What a surprise – Steamboat Mountain Summit gets a cell signal. That is why I am able to post this.