6.30pm: It was a very tough ride indeed, but quite spectacular. Both agony and ecstacy. We cycled the aptly-named Hellgate Canyon route.
We cycled out of Missoula on the main highway. After many miles of road riding, we entered a truly enormous pine forest that was situated in the Montana mountain range.
The ride up to the top of the mountain through the forest was the longest, hardest hill-climb I have ever done in my life. If you are reading this and are thinking of donating, I can tell you I have truly worked hard for It! It was very, very tough, but I didn't get off and push. I was too stubborn. But I had to stop for breathers. At 3000 feet, the air is a little thinner than I'm used to.
Probably the total climbing time was only an hour or so but it felt a lot longer. I was at the very limits of my physical capacity. Eventually getting to the top of the mountain felt momentous.
What followed was the longest continuous down hill forest ride ever, with lots of tight corners and long straights. Spectacular forest views. It was ecstacy, and was many miles long. It took us right up to the edge of town without a single pedal stroke.
It's my 65th birthday today, so we are celebrating with a nice meal and special birthday doughnuts - American style.
For someone who is 65 and with
rheumatoid arthritis, I think I'm doing quite well. This is definitely the happiest period of my life. I got a video sent me today from my granddaughter Hazel saying "Happy Birthday, Granddad!" That was the cherry on the cake for me.
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