CO Day 1

Day 1 – September 11: Sutherlin to Cottage Grove
“Hill and Dale” (47 or 70 miles)

Our opening day builds to a climbing crescendo, starting on the inspiringly named Nonpareil Road, followed by a gentle climb through a wooded ravine. Then it’s rollers past oak copses and sheep farms, on into Scotts Valley before turning upward on London Hill for a long, steady grind. A sinuous, forested descent to lunch bottoms out for a flat cruise into Cottage Grove, skirting the shores of Cottage Grove Lake. A lovely introduction to an epic week.

Here we are before our first day of riding, wearing our "Team Vortex" jerseys. Left to right: Kyle (my son), Chris (my husband), me, Mike, Paul, Janet, Steve, and Allison. Missing from photo is Teresa (sis-in-law) who got an earlier start:

It was a hot, hot day when we rode into Cottage Grove - about 100 degrees! All of us (with the exception of Kyle) rode the 47 mile route, in the hopes of "saving ourselves" for the 90 mile ride the next day. The climb today was tough. Hope I'm up for the big climb on Day 6.