Another great day in the saddle with my dear friends, Jennifer, Nick and Ben. Out working hard, having fun and always smiling over a training course that lived up to expectations in terms of being quite demanding!! This small group of riders has been chalking up many early season miles as a result of a mild winter. That being said, we've jointly decided that this year our target is to end up at a slightly different destination prior to arrival of the main cycling season. It goes without saying then that the path we've chosen is a bit of a variation from years past. More rides, more miles and more challenge. The route we enjoyed today rolled out through the Nine Mile Falls area, up over Big Sandy, Double Trouble and north for several miles. We then headed east over to Half Moon, Colbert and through Chattaroy. From there we tackled the back side of Green Bluff followed by, being quite determined, a climb up Mt Spokane to the Selkirk Lodge parking area. This route is challenging even for the seasoned cyclist however, the sense of accomplishment when complete and the incredible scenery make it well worth the effort. Having a group of friends to share it with push it up into the "epic" category! All riders did extremely well today and I'm so proud to be part of this group! Positive attitudes & continuous encouragement kept up moving. On this particular day we also had a very strong SW wind, (also referred to as a free training tool), blowing at a sustained 20-30 mph. Climbing up Mt Spokane at 72 miles into the ride wasn't near as draining as riding against the wind all the way home. All said and done, amazing day! Very much looking forward to our next journey.