Tough times on the Cycle Oregon bike tour, which ended yesterday. It seems that a nasty stomach ailment was circulating around the group. Dozens of bikers caught it -- one estimate used the number 200, out of around 2,000 cyclists on the ride. A 59-year-old man from Eugene died in his sleep after complaining that he wasn't feeling well -- no word yet whether the gastro- ailment had anything to do with it.

A bug like this worked its way through our house earlier this summer, and it was quite unpleasant. Can't imagine how bad it must have felt if you had it on a trip on which you were trying to push it all day on a bicycle and sleep in a crowded tent camp at night. Sympathies go out to everybody who came down with it. And even more so, of course, to the loved ones of the rider who died, from whatever.