(I just changed the title of today's blog as a result of a comment from Keith- you inspire me man....)
There have been more difficult climbing days, longer mileage days, hotter days and far less scenic days. But for my money, I suffered today worse than any other day so far. I wanted out from the very beginning and watched the odometer from 6:00AM until we arrived in cheery Chamberlain at about 1:30PM. The problem seemed to start yesterday when we "lost" an hour due to moving from the Mountain time zone to the Central zone ( and this, following a 117 mile day). So, instead of rising at 4:30 AM this morning (barbaric enough, I'd say), I got up at 3:30 AM at least according to my body- and at this point, that's the only one I have to work with. So right away, I ain't feeling all that great. Next, I realize that my legs are way past dead. Like two hunks of well seasoned firewood. Kinda heavy and hollow feeling. (Note: I just came back from rap and talked to several other riders who are having the same issue. One of them mentioned that our leader predicted that this week and next are typically when many riders start to wear down. Its all about rest, nutrition and recovery now.)
I think that the miles we've already done in this leg are catching up with me- we've done 530 miles in the last six days (almost 90 miles per day for six straight days) and we've had three days in the last six that totaled 320 miles. So having ridden three centuries in less than a week with no days off- maybe I should be tired?? Total miles ridden is now approaching 1,900 in a tad over three weeks. A bit above my average, let's say.
I rattled out of the hotel this morning, still nearly dark, without any real plan about riding today. Within a few miles, the Paine Train came rolling by with Ernst in tow and I decided to hop on. So we shook along until the first sag at mile 30. Somehow, the Paine's had heard I wasn't 100% and I think they took pity on me and let me suck a wheel for about 25 miles. The traffic was light and polite (I believe we were running through an Indian Reservation), but the road surface was just awful- a condition we'd see through nearly all of today's route. Extremely rough texture and a deep crack every 50-75 feet that just pounded you when you hit it. This was a road that, if it were back home, no one would attempt to ride a road bike on.
(By the way, I have no idea what this picture below is. Saw this structure on the side of the road and thought it was An Important Original Work of Art- so I shot it. Actually, I heard it was some kinda wind experiment that went horribly wrong. Who knows...)
From time to time today we'd get a strong headwind. I was in misery and couldn't wait to get off this freaking bicycle. Several times I considered sagging in, but I fought the urge and stayed the course. I am a not a courageous man, but I am mortally afraid of being called a girly-man.
The scenery, however, was some of the prettiest we've seen - certainly in South Dakota. When we got the Missouri River (it is actually more like a long, skinny lake along the route because it is impounded by a dam about 30-35 miles upstream from Chamberlain) off to our right side- the views were very impressive-kinda Finger Lakes style-from the hilltops. The area is very sparsely populated in spite of the natural beauty and the town of Chamberlain appears to subsist on fisherman (walleyes)and hunters (pheasant).
Today, at the first sag, the staff had painted some stuff on the road commemorating the coast-to-coasters reaching the halfway point in the ride. My loyal readers know that I reached my halfway point a day or two ago, so I didn't get too swept up in the emotion- but did take a picture of Derek posing at the writing.
Speaking of Derk, I was riding solo following the first sag and a few miles down the road I heard something behind me, turned and there he was- right behind me. He hung with me for the rest of the ride and we entertained each other as we got pounded by one of the worst cycling roads in America. I'll betcha Borat wouldn't ride on that G.D. road- it really sucked.
At one point I decided I wanted to stop and do something. Derek decided to lay out next to the road and we were soon joined by Richard from OK, who sat on the shoulder next to Derek. I was standing next to them and along come the Three D's, charging down the road. Apparently they saw two bodies laid out on the edge of the road and thought I was signaling for help. Jen was totally freaked out. Seventeen apologies later, I think she's only slightly pissed at us for scaring her. SORRY JEN!!! I'LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN. EVER. HONEST. In retrospect, I'm not quite sure what I did wrong- guess I should have scolded Derek and Richard for unsafe sitting/laying. From now on, I will be my brudda's keepa.
We have two more days to go before our third rest day. The next two days are shorter ones-around 70 miles- than average and not much climbing. The wild card will be heat and wind. Haven't seen a forecast yet, but I'll hear one at rap in about 15 minutes. Signing off for now.
