TdA Stage 3. We Don't Need no Civil War.

133km (actually, 137km). Desert camp to desert camp.


My strategy for the day was to start with the male racer peloton and hang on as long as possible. Hopefully until lunch (70km). But they were animals. It was civil war in there and Carrie and I dropped out somewhere after the 10km mark (not entirely certain as my odometer was not functional). After we dropped back, we slowly picked up singles and doubles until we formed a mini-peloton of eight or so. We had good rhythm for a long while. Then stopped for lunch. I wanted to make it a short stop, but the men thought differently and seemed to settle in for a picnic. So, Carrie and I headed out on our own with one friend and the three of us hammered out the last half of the day.

Getting to camp early has its benefits. Besides getting to pick out a choice spot for my tent, it affords the time to go to the beach of the red sea, which was probably a half hour walk this time, through desert and over pipelines. A good way to bond with a few new people. I've been spending a lot of my recreation time with Peter-the-Plumber, Scott (who is engaged to a Tori), and a dutch guy named Bastiaan (Bas) who measures more than two metres in height (great tor me to draft off). This time, I saw a stingray!

I ate so much at dinner that it probably could have fed a regular family of four. I'm not used to riding with such intensity, so I don't know how much to take in before, on or after a ride. I've just been eating like crazy over the last few days. I wake up in the middle of the night and eat. And I've already lost my cheekbones. Even my eyelids are getting fat. Is it possible that I could gain like 4kgs in 4 days?