Friday June 14:  Salt Lake City, Utah to Provo, Utah
Distance:  67.9 miles
Total time:  7 hours 30 minutes

So the first stage of the cross-country ride ended on Wednesday, 11 days of riding and 850 miles through California, Nevada and Utah.  Yesterday we rested and got our bikes in shape for the next stage, which began this morning.  This eight day stage will finish off Utah and take us over the Rockies and the Continental Divide to Pueblo, Colorado. 

Like most rides, today's consisted of a number of distinct phases.  We led off with a very pleasant though not particularly interesting ride out of Salt Lake, mostly on a bike path.  We made good time and it was not challenging.  Next, we rode for miles through Salt Lake's extended and rapidly-growing strip - strip malls, offices, fast food joints - indistinct from what you'd find anywhere in the U.S.  With the important distinction that the Wasatch Mountains loom above you.  It wasn't great cycling.  After a brief climb, we entered another bike path that paralleled the Wasatch, running south towards Provo, our destination.  This was idyllic riding - fabulous scenery, a newly-paved bike path, and no particular hurry.  My little group rode with the Brits for about 20 miles here, and it was the kind of cycling where you could ride next to someone and converse freely for miles.  Just what I imagined a ride across the U.S. would be like.  I had a great chat with Sean, one of the Brits, a great rider and very nice guy.  He's of Irish descent as well and we talked about Ireland and other things.  He's a financial adviser in real life. 

Today we welcomed a newcomer, Loic from San Jose, California.  He signed on to ride from Salt Lake to Pueblo because he's always wanted to ride the Rockies.  Here he is, ready for his first ride.  That's Zach, our youngest colleague, in the background.  I have to say I'm pretty jealous of that emerald green machine he's riding.

We also welcomed a one-timer.  Michael from Ohio invited his college roommate, who lives in nearby Park City, to ride for a day.  Here are Michael and Jeff taking a break on the bike path.  Jeff's bike looks just like any other bike on the tour, but it has a small electric motor "just in case."  Jeff was very proud that he finished the ride, his longest ever, without making use of his secret weapon.

At one point on the bike path we passed a sign that said "No Outlet", but we were screaming along and didn't pay it any mind.  A mile later the path ended in a field, and we were forced to portage our bikes down this embankment and find a road:

A couple of riders were visited by their wives on the day off.  Today they met us for lunch at a great taco restaurant along the route.  This was the first time that we've actually stopped for a civilized lunch rather than fed on granola bars and bananas.  Here we are - that's Michael and Jeff and their wives in the foreground, Jamie and me in the rear:

I'm not a food-photographing hipster, but okay, here's my lunch:

This is what lunch usually looks like on the road:

With tacos for fuel, and cycling hard to avoid thunder storms that we could see in the mountains above us, we arrived in Provo and passed BYU, a spectacular campus right at the foot of the hills:

Today may have been the easiest day thus far.  It was certainly among the most leisurely.  Tomorrow isn't very long - 74 miles - but it includes a long and arduous climb to prepare us for the Rockies yet to come.