Early September 2012

How many brothers with advanced graduate degrees does it take to re-install a kitchen blind?

 Actually it takes all three of them.

 In fact, they still need direct supervision by their mom.

 Thanks Mom (Steve, Spencer, and Robert)!  This event took place in August, but didn't get included in the last blog, so I've added it here.

On Saturday, September 8, Alicia and I rode on the Mortensens' relay team in the Lotoja (Logan to Jackson) bicycle race.  It's the longest one-day road bike race in the US (206 miles).  The following shots relate to the ride --

I accompanied Alex and Brent Mortensen to the starting point in front of Sunrise Cyclery in Logan at around 5:30 a.m. so Brent could start with our first leg.

 This shot shows the starting point and the "clock."

 I'm trying to convey the magnitude of the event, which is now in its 30th year.  There were loads of folks and riders on hand for the start.  Most do the whole 206 miles alone, and many "pros" also ride it as an officially sanctioned race.  We were in the "Fun Ride" relay category.

 It was a brisk 44 degrees F at the start, so Brent is prepared for the wind chill.  Alex, Brent's youngest son, will be doing the third leg, and is animated for the event.

 This is my first Lotoja and I don't know quite what to expect (and am hoping it will warm up considerably by the time I start in Preston, Idaho).

 Well, it was still in the 40's when I left Preston, but I stayed warmed through exertion, and then the temperature rose throughout the day.  We were exceedingly fortunate because about 100 riders had flats (most double flats - both tires) en route to Preston due to "goat heads."  These are thorns common to the area.  However, the general suspicion is sabotage - there were just too many in one small stretch of roadway.  Also, apparently many small furniture nails were found at one point on this leg of the race.  Brent arrived with two soft tires which later went flat.  He had a second bike for his later leg, so we were lucky.

 I rode the Preston to Montpelier, ID leg.  Although it involved climbing through Mink Creek up over the Strawberry Pass, I enjoyed it.  Here I am in Montpelier after the 47 miles, having handed off the leg band with the timing chip to Alex.

 Here's a shot of Alex on the road about to start climbing towards Afton, WY.  He's drafting the guy in front of him. 
Meanwhile, Gayle had done the yeoman's work of taking care of the girls starting Friday night while Alicia and Jared went to the USU/U of U game (yea, the Aggies won in overtime), until Alicia got home.  Then Gayle went to bed and got up when I did at around 4:40 a.m.  She had to pack the van and then get over to pick up Alicia and the girls so they could get to Star Valley, WY where Ali would do her leg of the relay.  Gayle drove the group up to Wyoming where we used the Mortensen cabin as our base.  The above photo shows the girls in a cart at an Afton grocery store while we were waiting for Alex to get in from Montpelier. 

 And here's Alicia en route from Afton to Alpine, roughly a 33 mile ride.  By now it was a hot day, even in Wyoming.  Fortunately, the notorious Star Valley cross-winds had not picked up.

 In spite of the physical challenges, Ali could smile and was in good spirits for the ride.

 Another shot of Alicia mid-Star Valley.

Star Valley is very scenic.  Ali did a good job on her leg of the relay.  Tragically, there was a fatal accident later in the race on the last leg, just about 8 miles from Jackson (farther from the actual finish in Teton Village), when a rider avoided a pot-hole, over-corrected, and went over the guard rail of a bridge and died from the fall into the shallow water of the Snake River.

We'll have more shots of the last leg (which I split with Brent) and finish of the race when we get the pictures from Margaret Mortensen's camera.

 
After Ali's ride, the girls had fun back at the cabin.


 
 Their favorite thing was playing with the rocks and sticks.  Later, when Ali took the girls on a walk, they found a dead snake.  Pictures will follow once I get them from Ali.

 Alex's wife, Kelly, invited a friend, Kalani (sp?), who has a daughter named Lilly.  Here are Lilly, Avril, and McKel, sitting the rock in front of the Mortensens' cabin.

Here are Brent and Margaret and our group (plus Lilly) on the same rock.  More photos will follow.