Day 2 - Thursday 11 September

7:56 am - As you can see from the rider times, most everyone got in and out of Atwood in good shape. Reports from the earlier riders through the turnaround point at Kensington are of strong winds through the night - not unusual - but no moisture. Right now it's high overcast, not threatening, with some breaks of blue.

11:30 am - The good news is no thunderstorms, tornadoes, or tumbleweeds. But it has turned cool, in the 50's with a 20mph wind out of the north, sprinkles and drizzle. Trail boss Charlie Henderson reports that Floridian Jim Solanick has broken out his RUSA wool jersey, its inaugural use since purchase half a year ago.

4:05 pm - At this point, everyone has made it through the Kensington turnaround point. Weather seems reasonably ok for cycling: overcast, 70°, drizzle here and there. The rain is parked off to the SE.

Richard Stum from Utah praises trail ranger Eric Simmons' delicious pasta salad, which he's enjoyed a couple times already on the route - this prepared by Eric's gourmet wife. Eric will no doubt be cooking up something tasty in Byers, as he and Leslie Sutton brace themselves for the onslaught of randonneurs.

8:45 pm - Leslie Sutton in Byers reports that Larry Ide and John Schlitter have come through: "Larry and John rolled in at 8:08, enjoyed some PB&J sandwiches, talked about getting a jacuzzi room if they finished by 3am, and then headed out into the night at 8:31p. It's a little chilly out here - about 53 degrees with a NNE breeze."

-jle