Day 169, Wow.

I thought about calling for the SAG many times in the last three miles.

Something happened around mile 15 and my heart, lungs, head and fuel system reacted in a less than perfect (less than normal) fashion.

But we were so close.

I have done this ride many times.

This was by far the most demanding.

You tell me why.

Please.

I analyzed the big picture and set to keeping it steady. It wasn't a race, merely a ride with friends. I was leading the way on their virgin trek up the legendary hill. It was cold. We never got rained on, but the wind occasionally blew chills inside our layers. I needed to keep focus and spin it up. After all I was the guide.

But there was something going on. My heart was doing stand-up comedy as the audience sat and painfully indulged. My line was blurred and jagged, breathing erratic and power just above serviceable. I was starting to fade. And fast.

We rounded the final corner and saw the clearing that was cut by sunrays through the low hanging cloud cover.

And I knew we were done.

At the top.

I dismounted and stood by my bike and took a deep alpine breath, looked at the Cascades with plenty of snow still perfect and packed, and whispered to no one but myself:

Wow.