Appreciating the little things

We rode 50.8 miles today! That's our longest stretch so far. I'm writing to you from our RV campsite in White Salmon, WA, which is right across the Columbia River from Hood River, OR. The view of Mt. Hood from the road is spectacular! It looks like a glacier. Although I don't have a picture of it yet, I am including a few other shots from today to give you a sense of how gorgeous today's ride was. We had nonstop views of the river and the mountains - I have a feeling the picture doesn't do it justice, but you'll get the idea. We were also blessed by 20 miles of flat/slightly downhill riding at the end of the day, which helped us get so far. We even got to ride through 5 narrow tunnels toward the end of the day. At the start of each one, I pressed a biker's button on the side of the road that activated a flashing light attached to a sign that said "Caution! Bicycles in tunnel!" Yet another reason to love riding here...

This morning, I found myself mentally cataloguing and giving thanks for the little things in my life that make a big difference in my life right now. I mean "little things" quite literally: everything on my list weighs next to nothing and fits in the palm of my hand. For ease of memorization, I even offer you this Harry Potter-esque acronym: MGGLE!

M is for Mirror, the rear-view mirrors we have on our helmets. We've gotten so used to them that even when we're walking around a town sans helmet, we find ourselves glancing up and trying to check for cars or pedestrians using our third eyes.

G is for Granny Gear, into which I downshift, oh, 327 times per day. We added a super-low gear to my bike last summer in preparation for our mega-climb in Hawaii, and it continues to be a lifesaver on the mainland!

G is also for Gummies, to which I am hopelessly addicted. These are no paltry gummy bears, mind you. These are electrolyte-infused gummies for bikers, available at an REI or Sports Basement near you. I like the non-caffeinated Clif Shot Bloks and the Luna Moons. We stocked up in Portland, and have considered mailing some to ourselves via general delivery for those parts of our route that run through the boonies.

L is for Lemon Wedges, which I squeeze into my water bottles whenever I can find them. Though I usually don't love drinking warm water in the middle of a long ride, somehow having the lemon in there makes even warm water taste peppy and refreshing. Try it - you'll see!

E is for Elevation Map, which thankfully we have for this portion of our route. We've both found that even big hills can be manageable if we know they're coming. It's the surprise BFHs (Big Fucking Hills) that really kill our souls.

Well, I think that's enough acronymizing for one day! We're heading into a more isolated part of the state over the next few days. I'll post more when we find the ever-coveted cell phone bars!