TP day 8

138 km, it felt like it would never end today. I cant say I felt great at the start but who would after 7 days of racing, so stuck with same plan as yesterday. Today another girl stayed with me for a bit, she impressed me with her strength on the road when she put her mind to it. Road through a few showers and some good wind, but in a fairly easy pace to rest my legs until the super duo would show up, since the stage was a Portugal flat day the last 30 km or so. The boys came by on around 50km mark, or maybe a bit earlier. I have to admit I wasn't super happy about it as I knew now the work begin. My legs had nothing in them and knees where wondering why I still kept pedaling. But I hang on, and on climbs I'd get a pace more friendly to me. But unfortunately Henry broke his chain, they stopped to fix it and I took Barts bike up the steep climb and it was a heavy bike! No wonder he slows down on the climb! I figured they would catch me pretty quick so went on in a easy piecy pace. And in not too long the lead group flew by, in it was Craig! Didn't hang with them for very long. But got yo see Craig again, he had gotten a little behind putting new batteries in his gps, so flew by again, the I saw him off course shortly after riding back north or something. I called him and shortly after he is flying like the bullet he is by on a climb. But not enough of Craig yet, shortly after I see him again and he had flatted. I think he fixed that one, but ended up having a major tire blowup later and got to ride the off road jeep up the last few big climbs, not what he had wanted as he felt so good today. I on the other hand felt like crap and would have loved a ride in the jeep, though made it through alive. I never got back with the super duo though. I was way off in my head today, and had no water left so on a pretty fast decent I was looking for possible houses to ask for water and was assuming a route and go off track quiet a bit, us I was climbing back up on course again I see then getting on the road, and on the road with a big gap I can't catch them. And I didn't get water either. This was just before the big two climbs started. The first big one was a steep dirt road climb, since I was on empty I could really work it that hard, so it didn't feel to bad. I knocked on the door to the first farmhouse there but no one home. Then I saw Bart, but decided to get off the track and try the second house, which was a good call. I really needed the drink for the next 30 km. I didn't even clean the climb, it was too steep for the legs today, not a good feeling to have to walk the bike but oh well. The next big climb was on the road, and it just never ended. I was in granny gear on parts that most day anyone could probably big ring it, there was just nothing. But enjoyed the spin and the views of some beautiful valleys. Made it up and then it was decent to the hotel for the next few km. I manage to mess up navigation several times before finally crawling in. It was a long day, but since I didn't have much to put in it didn't feel like the hardest as for some. Erik had a long day as he put it, you know it's long when your batteries run out on the gps. John seem to have had an ok day as well.

We are staying at an awesome hotel tonight but as we know there is one more day tomorrow. Have a great dinner and get ready for the finale to the ocean, can't wait to see the waves!

Happy racing!

*****************
kate aardal
*****************
Sent from my iPad