We are greeted right off this morning by an absolutely brutal climb of 1.5 miles out of the campground. Amazingly, 3/4 of the way up, Dick decides to walk his bike for a bit. Even more amazingly, Johnny continues to ride but cannot catch him. After cresting, we are again teased in the morning by some of the most spectacular riding through the river valley with mountains and farmland all around. It is, of course, short lived, as we are dumped again on to Highway 97 with the heat, headwinds, and traffic. Fortunately, the sholder is wide and the surface is good.
After a brief stop in Entiat for refreshments, Dick gains the benefit of his candy bar and surges ahead on a pull. As you may know, sugar energy is short lived and he eventually returns to the group. Being a short day of only 37 miles (this now constitutes a rest day for Jerry), we check into a motel in Wenatchee and head out for some burgers, fries and cokes. Johnny is having some mechanical issues with is bike (no surprise there) and there happens to be a bike shop about 2 blocks away. They think it is a freewheel hub issue estimating it will be about $25 to remove, clean and lube. A couple hours later after Johnny hits the hot tub and Jerry hits the treadmill (seriously!), Johnny gets the call that the rear hub is trashed and will require a new wheel since there is no time to rebuild the exiating wheel, to the tune of about $150. After some concerted complaining over the phone, Johnny walks down to get his bike and finds they have installed a new hub and an upscale Cervelo wheel and want no payment for it. They insist they are cyclists and want to help another one on long trek like ours. This is how it goes on the road sometimes and we are all humbled by there generosity. BTW the shop is VIM Sports in Wenatchee and I will be doing all I can to promote them. I pass on some of my good fortune by buying the boys' dinner.
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