The hardest day ever. With the best end.

So today was by far the hardest day so far. We biked 98 miles into Athen, TX and it was 98 miles of constant hills. The hills weren't even the worst part, but the road we were on was a type that isn't smooth but is very rocky. So pretty much the entire time our bodies were vibrating and we were slowed down by the road even when we were going dowhill. So hard.

I do have to say thought that I definitely got in touch with an angrier, more manly side of me today though. After our awesome stop at mile 75 at the house of a family of a rider on the Providence to Seattle route (thank you so much for giving us food and a pool!!) there was a stretch of tough hills. I was riding with Anne and Kristiann, and they showed me the positive effects of grunting while going up a hill. We became so loud and vocal that at one point we rounded the bend and a herd of cows were headed in our direction. They'd heard us coming.(I guess we sounded that much like cows...they were headed straight for us.) Luckily there was a fence. But man, those grunts and weird facial expressions got me through the day. ( and of course the laughter that went along with each one)

We arrived in Athens (which was the hardest ride of my life) and were all split up among 12 different homes. Anne and I got put in the same home, and the day totally redeemed itself after this. We're staying with a couple, Richard and Janice, who live on a lake and took us on their boat tubing. If you would have told me as I was climbing those hills today at sometimes 5 mph that I would be tubing on a lake in a couple hours, I'm pretty sure I would have bet a million dollars on that not happening. It was amazing, and despite the extremely tiring and draining day, Anne and I still managed to have a blast on the lake and enjoy the rest of the day. It's amazing being in a house away from the rest of the group. Not that I don't love everyone, but peace and quiet and privacy is great, and I'm excited to sleep in a bed!!