Cache Gran Fondo, etc.

Yesterday Alicia and Mike rode as a pair, and I rode with two neighbors plus a son-in-law of one of them.  It was the Cache Gran Fondo, a 105 mile ride up over Weston Canyon pass to Malad and back around the mountains into Cache valley.  Since it was 3.1 miles to the start at Logan Regional Hospital (for which it was a fund-raiser), and another mile or so home from the finish (downtown Logan), and since we rode from our homes to the start and from the finish home, I'm saying I rode about 109 miles yesterday!  In two weeks we have another "century," the Ride Around the Wellsvilles (or RAW as it's known) which is actually only a 96 miler.  Here are some Fondo shots and other items thus far in July:

 OK, so Jared didn't participate in the Gran Fondo, but he did start getting into biking.  Here he's showing his new Jersey and gloves.

 

Here is our group buckling up our helmets and getting ready for the 6:30 a.m. start from the hospital.  That's me on the left, out front is Jake Christensen (son-in-law of Mark), behind Jake you can barely see Mark Firth (our former bishop for whom I was a counselor), and to the right is Eric Eliason, first counselor in our current bishopric. We were later joined by 16 yr. old Brian Olsen (next door neighbor), Cory McBride (friend in Mendon), and Joshua McBride (son of Cory). This made a large enough team to be able to rotate some "pulling."  This shot does not show the large number of actual riders.  We pulled this and the next shot from the complimentary photos posted on-line after the ride.

 Here's another complimentary shot.  This shows Mike (Alicia's boyfriend in the white jersey) with Alicia about to hydrate some more.

 Leisa Firth caught Mark at the finish line.  I was next to him to the left in the photo.

 Leisa also snapped this shot of us on the podium/award stand where all finishers could have their photos taken.  That's Eric, me, Jake, and Mark.

Today we got to take the "girls" to church with us.  They were so cute Gayle had to take some shots.
This one's a little more serious but still cute.