Mesquite!!

This is the view from our condo in Mesquite! Look at that blue sky!

Friday Liesa and I found the Jensens at Lee's Discount Liquor in Mesquite. Doug was like a kid in a candy store. We carbo loaded with a nice dinner at the gold club and turned in early to be ready for a killer ride up Utah hill the next day.

Saturday we met the rest of the group at the Oasis. I warmed up by visiting with Don and MM on their tandem. Once we turned onto the frontage road it was time for my interval workout to begin. 4 of us pulled off the front. I practiced my attacks on the rollers until we hit the longest hill and I got dumped by the guys. I had almost caught them by the time we hit the store in Beaver Dam. I stopped since I knew this would be my last chance for a real tiolet for about 40 miles.

After my stop I started the 17 mile climb alone. I worried only about keeping my cadence up and keeping my HR at lactate. I climbed well, got in a good rythym and was thrilled to feel the sun on my skin. At the top I turned around to head back for more intervals on the rollers. Most of the group headed down the hill into St. George to make a century out of it. I wanted more intensity and fewer miles and I got them!

The descent was long and cold. I hit the rollers again heading into a fierce headwind. I was still feeling great and I stood up on every roller pushing my HR up as high as it would go and then recovering only to do it again. I made it back into Mesquite and I spun up the big hill to the condo. It was nice to be done before the big winds picked up. Jerry and I had a nice lunch on the deck while we waited for the others to return.

Ryan cooked a lamb and Shelly fixed the rest of the delicious spread. Our other friends all came by and we had a great time talking, drinking and laughing until 2 am! Today as we were leaving we could see the road we had climbed off in the distance disappearing into a cloud. We were quickly welcomed back to winter by terrible roads covered in snow. So sad to be back to winter but at least I got out of it for a little while. Back to the gym tomorrow.