Heat is becoming a factor with bad road quality. Matts Achilles is
causing some problems but pushing on. 33 miles to amboy and cp7

8.43am check in at mile 383

Sunday morning 20 miles from checkpoint 5 of 8. 15 min power nap. Long
climbs last night but perfect conditions. Hardest times for matt right
now but crushing it. Breakfast burrito! Morgan pooping.

Strong tail winds and fast matt. Morgan attempting double pound
century with second burrito. Three hours till dark entering death valley

Sand storms in cal city!

Need to know: webcast is here with photos, time splits, etc. Budge is going to be updating my blog when possible.

This is going to be fun! Though my friend Matthew once said, ‘What you consider fun is very different than what most normal people consider fun.’

The proof is in the photo of Budge below. And for most normal people picking up a rental car is a straightforward process. For us it was an entanglement of multiple people showing up at various times via bike and confusing them on who is driving and why so many people need to be on the contract. And then the barrage of questions regarding what exactly the damage waiver covers. We are considering, instead of ‘Desert Locust’ signs taped to the sides of the van, getting it airbrushed. ‘I don’t know how it got there. I live in East LA, I just woke up and it was like that. Damage waiver, dude.’

I am feeling well-rested and am excited about the weekend. Looking forward to seeing Brian and Megan and their crews in Santa Clarita today for the check-in and race meeting. It has been a long week of logistical planning, but it is coming together. Now what remains is pedaling my bike 500 miles. Emotionally and physically it will be a journey in every sense of the word.

Wow.