Lamar, CO to Garden City, KS
Miles: 103 Climb: 1,105
Total Miles: 1,671
We left this morning at 6:00 a.m. Killer day. It was really hard. 125 miles yesterday followed by 103 today with headwind and heat. Killer. The wind was strong, it was hot, and my legs were fatigued from yesterday. Eight of us started in a pace line. I instructed some less experienced riders on how to move from front to back, explaining that no one (meaning me) should ride at the back the entire time. I wanted to take my turn at pulling and then move through the line, so I organized a true pace line for today. For the first 50 miles our pace was strong, but then I bonked. I was totally drained. Our pace line broke into small groups and the groups rode at different paces. From that point on it took all I had to finish. Yesterday I averaged 16 mph for 125 miles. Today I averaged 14.88 mph for 103 miles. Several riders struggled and some didn't get to the hotel until after 5:00, so for them it was a really long day in the saddle.
We are now in Kansas and the central time zone! Even though the day was hard, riders are buoyed by the progress we are making. Riders today complained about how flat and boring Kansas is, especially following the great ride and experience in Colorado. I think Kansas has its own beauty. The corn, wheat and alfalfa fields are bigger than any I've ever seen and there are no fences. Farmers were cutting wheat today. I grew up on a farm in Bengal, Indiana, so I think I had an appreciation that the other riders didn't for what those big fields represent: family heritage, investment, risk, a changing industry, and hard work.
My friend, Liz, from the UK said today that she can sum up this ride in one word: BIG. The scenery is big, the distances are big, and the food portions are big. I agree. Big does describe this trip, the BIG Cross Country Challenge.
Tomorrow we have a short day, 52 miles, which is a welcome break. But we lose an hour of sleep since we entered the central time zone today. Forecast is for continued warm weather, winds from the east (again) and the possibility of a storm tomorrow afternoon. We plan to be off the road by the time it rolls in.
I so admire what you are doing. Amazing 125 miles!
ReplyDeleteI so admire what you are doing. Amazing 125 miles!
ReplyDeleteMust have been nice to have all those PowerCycling paceline drills under your belt, if you had a belt. It is amazing how many experienced riders do not know how to ride in a paceline group. 15 mph for 100 + miles is not too shabby, especially after a day of 125 @ 16 mph.
ReplyDeleteWhat's with those easterly winds. Don't get it. Here is a site for checking out the wind patterns in the US. Might be interesting to have. http://hint.fm/wind/
Have a good day and a good ride.
Go Laura, go! You will continue to learn more and more about your body and how far you can push it!!! Just amazing!! I feel for all of you in the heat!! Carole
ReplyDelete15 mph for 103 miles...into the wind...whew. Just make sure that if a storm comes, it doesn't carry you off to the land of Oz...strange things have been known to happen in Kansas...and keep ToTo, your bike, close by.
ReplyDelete