This day includes the most difficult climb for any west bound TransAmerica bike rider. Right off the bat there is climb up Lamb Gulch. This climb up the gulch does not include a pass and it does not appear very long on a cross section map but it includes some of the steepest and longest stretches of climbs. The worst of the climb was a 14% grade for almost 1\/2 mile. Other grades were over 9%. The hill just continued and continued on. But once the worst of Lamb Gulch was completed there was still over another 1000 feet of climbing to get to Grangerville. Then after that there was another 1500 feet of climbing to get to the top of White Byrd Pass. As like most days in arid west the temperatures only get hotter and the wind stronger as the day goes on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The climb up White Byrd Pass was actually pleasant because much of it was in tree cover. The downhill side of White Byrd Pass to the town of White Byrd was different. It was a steep descent with many switchbacks. It was important to control one\u2019s speed. There were no cars on Old Highway 95, which was a good thing, because I needed the entire road surface to make it down safely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From White Byrd we continued on to Riggins. There was a climb from White Byrd to Riggins but because of winds that were predominantly behind us they gave us an extra push up the hill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was an exhausting day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s stats: total mileage 74.4 miles, average speed 10.7 mph, elevation gain 4423 feet, elevation loss 4075 feet, maximum speed 33.7 mph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n