There's helmet head and then there's Freddy head...the man knows style!
Still looking for amber waves of grain??
Dust in the Wind
I think for Kansas it doesn’t get any better than this.
Mid-sixties leaving Dodge with another cloudless sky and no wind. I felt good this morning but decided that I needed to ride totally within myself so when Robb offered to start a paceline I told him he could suck my wheel until he got tired of my pace and then go play with the big dogs (I try not to say big boys anymore because Joy, Judy, and Pam absolutely kick ass and depending on the day, so do GLORIA and Nancy).
This was really a “normal” day for us with 85 miles so we had two SAG stops. The first one was at 36 miles and I kept a steady 18-20 mph pace for about 25 miles and as I started to dial it back a bit I watched Robb and Lester continue ahead and I was on my own for the rest of the day. We see each other at the SAGs but I pretend to be offended and they treat me like I have smallpox. Lester’s even becoming a decent trash talker! I don’t think his wife is gonna recognize him when she comes to St. Joseph for a visit. I bet when the tour is over he’ll be sleeping outside until she can housebreak him again.
The first SAG was in Kinsley which claims to be exactly halfway between SF and NYC. Our halfway point won’t happen until Friday when we roll into Abilene. The rest stop had one of those kitschy hometown museums where everyone from town empties out their cellar and attic when they move or someone dies. Needless to say there was lots of “valuable and historic” STUFF on display including a recreated sod house.
Can’t say we got a real tailwind but definitely a helper wind between the SAGs and I was happy happy happy to be on my own clicking away the miles and contemplating World Peace. At the second SAG (fresh cantaloupe mmmm…) in Larned we met some riders who were crossing East to West raising money for MS. They do about 65 miles a day and are sleeping in gyms and claim they’ve only had two days of headwinds.
The final 25 miles to Great Bend were totally uneventful. Temps probably around 90 but you don’t notice it when you’re moving well on the bike. Baum’s Ice Cream, a chain out of Oklahoma, proved to be a very popular stop just 1/2 mile before the hotel.
Hey thanks to a number of you who reached out to me through comments or via e-mail after my public whining on Day 23. I appreciate your words of encouragement. It’s important for me to be honest with you about what’s going on but I really know how lucky I am to be able to do this. The occasional bad day on the bike doesn’t compare to being shot at in Afghanistan or even putting up with the BS the average person is exposed to every day. I’ll try to keep things in perspective.
Today’s ratings: (higher is better or easier)
Scenery: 5
Road conditions: 8
Grunt factor: 8
I think for Kansas it doesn’t get any better than this.
Mid-sixties leaving Dodge with another cloudless sky and no wind. I felt good this morning but decided that I needed to ride totally within myself so when Robb offered to start a paceline I told him he could suck my wheel until he got tired of my pace and then go play with the big dogs (I try not to say big boys anymore because Joy, Judy, and Pam absolutely kick ass and depending on the day, so do GLORIA and Nancy).
This was really a “normal” day for us with 85 miles so we had two SAG stops. The first one was at 36 miles and I kept a steady 18-20 mph pace for about 25 miles and as I started to dial it back a bit I watched Robb and Lester continue ahead and I was on my own for the rest of the day. We see each other at the SAGs but I pretend to be offended and they treat me like I have smallpox. Lester’s even becoming a decent trash talker! I don’t think his wife is gonna recognize him when she comes to St. Joseph for a visit. I bet when the tour is over he’ll be sleeping outside until she can housebreak him again.
The first SAG was in Kinsley which claims to be exactly halfway between SF and NYC. Our halfway point won’t happen until Friday when we roll into Abilene. The rest stop had one of those kitschy hometown museums where everyone from town empties out their cellar and attic when they move or someone dies. Needless to say there was lots of “valuable and historic” STUFF on display including a recreated sod house.
Can’t say we got a real tailwind but definitely a helper wind between the SAGs and I was happy happy happy to be on my own clicking away the miles and contemplating World Peace. At the second SAG (fresh cantaloupe mmmm…) in Larned we met some riders who were crossing East to West raising money for MS. They do about 65 miles a day and are sleeping in gyms and claim they’ve only had two days of headwinds.
The final 25 miles to Great Bend were totally uneventful. Temps probably around 90 but you don’t notice it when you’re moving well on the bike. Baum’s Ice Cream, a chain out of Oklahoma, proved to be a very popular stop just 1/2 mile before the hotel.
Hey thanks to a number of you who reached out to me through comments or via e-mail after my public whining on Day 23. I appreciate your words of encouragement. It’s important for me to be honest with you about what’s going on but I really know how lucky I am to be able to do this. The occasional bad day on the bike doesn’t compare to being shot at in Afghanistan or even putting up with the BS the average person is exposed to every day. I’ll try to keep things in perspective.
Today’s ratings: (higher is better or easier)
Scenery: 5
Road conditions: 8
Grunt factor: 8
Scott,
ReplyDeleteAre you trying to corrupt my husband? I'm sure he is learning a few things from you and Rob. Is everyone from Boston so spirited? Praying you continue to have a great ride.
Babs