Tandem, Queen of the Desert?

Today was our first century. One hundred miles, and one hundred and thirteen (and a half) degrees. The CrossRoads crew have been preparing us for our desert trek, well before we got to LA. It takes a certain amount of nutrition, hydration, and preparation to cycle for extended hours in the punishing (that's the new adjective we chose for today's heat) sun.

Once started there's two things to do - stay well, and pedal.

They provide SAG stops, places at the If-I-Don't-Stop-Soon-They-May-Find-My-Body-Here spots...to provide support by way of water, food, mechanical assistance, and kind encouragement.

The thing about being tandem riders, we are our own SAG team. Today Jeff would remind me to drink, I would remind him to eat. We shared water as we pedaled and squirted all over our heads, arm coolers, leg coolers (wonderful inventions), and "checked in" with regularity.

We have an almost choreographed approach to our cycling from cadence, posting to resist saddle sores, climbing and descending, and negotiating 18 wheelers. This was tough business today, and the next two days will be tougher. We've had a long day...and so has our tandem.