We left the fort and headed out of town toward RD 334. It was back roads and that terrible chip seal for a bumpy ride again. We had some up and down hills and though there was scrub, it was taller, greener and there were more trees on this ride.
I think everyone is feeling a little bit tired. After all, we have been on the road for most of March. The blowing winds and bumpy roads can get wearing after a fashion. I stopped to take a picture of a dead armadillo. Little did I know we would see several more further down the road. Some of my bike mates were laughing, especially ones who have seen plenty of armadillos on the side of the road before.Hey, I'm from New England, and these creatures are an oddity to me!
Further on we met a disheartened rider who was also sick of the bumpy road and the wind. We hung out together and she rode with us, at a much slower pace than she usually did for the company. We finally hit the Nueces River where there was actually some WATER! All of the creeks and rivers we have been crossing lately have just been a pile of dry beds. This had a beautiful view, and wide open expanse so we went down by the river and I soaked my feet for a little while and took an nice stretch and rested. A few miles down the road was our hotel . Our ride today was 48.8 miles.. They have a lovely little fabric shop for quilts here at the Wooddbine Hotel and do mostly on-line sales. If any of you are interested, their website is wwww.suziequilts.com. They stock some very different fabrics than what I have seen. We were pleasantly surprised to find a little cafe open for a late lunch. For some reason, most places close up by 2pm or are not open on Tuesdays in this small town. We definitely are in the bible belt from the crucifixes on the cafe walls to the open bible on the dresser.
I believe we have some hill climbing to do tomorrow, no fooling!
We are just about 1/2 way across the country already. Now that's pretty special!!!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Del Rio to Bracketville
Posted one day late due to no internet availability.
My roommate for last night is one of the few ladies that made the entire 111 miles in those terrible windy conditions. I sat outside waiting for my laundry to finish. They had some machines sitting outside next to the hotel, uncovered with coin slots, so a few of us did some laundry as the places for washing are few and far between for this next week. While I was sitting there looking at the dark sky, I was watching the these nine palm trees tops dance and move about in the relentless winds. They were around the pool and playground across the parking lot. The palm tops were swishing this way and that in the night and they reminded me of Cousin It on drugs thrashing to and fro.
This Monday morning, we left for a calm, fairly easy 42 mile ride to the outskirts of Brackenville, TX. Officially, after a week, we are in central Texas. There was no hurry to rush out today as we had a “short” ride and the terrain had some gradual climbs that were not that steep. The temperature soon reached the low 80's and you could feel a little more humidity in the air. We headed through Del Rio where there were shops of all sorts and more greenery. It felt like we were in civilization again. There was a breeze but it started to wane as the day went on, so different than yesterday. The shoulder was smooth and I commented on how refreshing and stress free this ride was. The we hit Texas chip seal and bumped our bottoms, and numbed our hands and feet the rest of the 22 miles. Just as we were about ½ mile from our destination, several of us stopped at a Mexican food place. I had the cheese enchilada special of the day for $3.99 with an orange juice. The food was good and the price was very reasonable.
We headed down the hill and turned into the Fort Clark Springs, just outside of Bracketville, which used to be an old post for infantry in the 1800's. Much of the post is stone construction and they have turned it into a gated recreational and retirement community with about 2,700 acres. There is a large spring that feeds into a large swimming pool with a year round temperature of 68 degrees. Several went swimming and I dipped my feet in for some relief from the warm day. We are staying in one of the old barracks. I was expecting 8 people in a room with cots, but was pleasantly surprised to find a lovely hotel room for two, tastefully decorated, one of the nicer places we have been.
For dinner we had chicken or eggplant enchiladas, beans and rice, salad, with some lemon pie or brownie pie for dessert. I was so full from our late lunch and dinner, I did not have the dessert. In fact, I was so full, that I went for a nice long walk around the "parade ground" past some lovely and historical homes. One of the homes was for sale for $279,000 and it had 5 bedrooms upstairs and looked like a lovely place to live. John Wayne stayed in this house while filming "The Alamo" way back when. It does cost some money to become a member in this gated community, so I am not sure how much more it would truly cost to own the home, but coming from MA, it seemed very reasonable if you had some type of work in the area.
Going to Campwwod tomorrow and am looking forward to a day off on Friday, April 3rd.
Love to all,
Robin
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Windblown in Texas
We got up at 6:15 am in darkness to get ready for the long ride today. It was 36 degrees in the morning and was hard to see as we were pumping up tires and loading luggage. Linda did her usual great breakfast so we were able to get on the road slightly before the sun rose. As it was supposed to get up into the 80's I didn't dress as warmly as I could have. I wore my toe warmers instead of my booties and a headband instead of a balaclava. Luckily I did have my full fingered gloves so the only part that was really cold was my face and my bottom. We watched the sun come up as we left Sanderson heading up over the hill south toward the border of Mexico. There were many rolling hills, that you couldn't quite climb up without an effort. I was out in front of my two friends, leading the way, feeling strong, taking on the wind that was starting to wind up. For miles the wind gusted about in cross winds and headwinds. I knew it was going to be a pretty long day anyways and the wind did not help us.
We stopped briefly at about mile 30, for a quick stretch, and potty stop but when I got back on my bike, my legs were like lead and I found it so hard to continue at a pace that kept up with my friends. We were trying to do a pace line, saving energy by riding close to each other, but I just couldn't keep up and I was having trouble shifting. They slowed the line down for me and let me sail behind them but I knew that I was not up to the task today. When we got to the SAG stop at mile 40, I asked to be bumped up to the lunch stop at mile 60 and said I would decide after lunch and a break if I was up to going on. Michelle took my bike down off of the car rack and said, do you know your back brake was rubbing? Go Figure! No wonder I was having trouble. I couldn't hear the rubbing because of the wind and thought I was having a hard time because of the wind. When I laid my bike down to go off in the bushes, it must have kicked the brake over a bit. At least I had a reason why I wasn't getting anywhere fast and why I felt so slow!
After lunch, Liz and I thought we would try and do another 20 miles. The wind is still howling and blowing us about a little. It was very slow going and depressing to only go 7 mph on a steep downhill. That's how hard the wind was blowing. I even walked for a bit when I thought it was too dangerous to ride safely. The cross winds and head winds made it difficult to proceed with mush haste.At about mile 59, we flagged down the SAG vehicle and got a ride in. The van was filled with people and paraphernalia. Half of the people said, enough was enough and came in out of the wind, too.
I'll find out tonight how many people make it in. Even though I really wanted to complete a century today, it just didn't feel right and we have a lot more riding to do over the next month or so. My "good" knee was hurting and my body kept saying "why?" There is no need to get hurt at this point. I'll just have to do a century back in Massachusetts some other time.
We're having pizza tonight. Last night we had curried chicken, broccoli,brown rice and a green salad.
Hopefully the winds will die down for tomorrow's ride.
Hugs,
Robin
We stopped briefly at about mile 30, for a quick stretch, and potty stop but when I got back on my bike, my legs were like lead and I found it so hard to continue at a pace that kept up with my friends. We were trying to do a pace line, saving energy by riding close to each other, but I just couldn't keep up and I was having trouble shifting. They slowed the line down for me and let me sail behind them but I knew that I was not up to the task today. When we got to the SAG stop at mile 40, I asked to be bumped up to the lunch stop at mile 60 and said I would decide after lunch and a break if I was up to going on. Michelle took my bike down off of the car rack and said, do you know your back brake was rubbing? Go Figure! No wonder I was having trouble. I couldn't hear the rubbing because of the wind and thought I was having a hard time because of the wind. When I laid my bike down to go off in the bushes, it must have kicked the brake over a bit. At least I had a reason why I wasn't getting anywhere fast and why I felt so slow!
After lunch, Liz and I thought we would try and do another 20 miles. The wind is still howling and blowing us about a little. It was very slow going and depressing to only go 7 mph on a steep downhill. That's how hard the wind was blowing. I even walked for a bit when I thought it was too dangerous to ride safely. The cross winds and head winds made it difficult to proceed with mush haste.At about mile 59, we flagged down the SAG vehicle and got a ride in. The van was filled with people and paraphernalia. Half of the people said, enough was enough and came in out of the wind, too.
I'll find out tonight how many people make it in. Even though I really wanted to complete a century today, it just didn't feel right and we have a lot more riding to do over the next month or so. My "good" knee was hurting and my body kept saying "why?" There is no need to get hurt at this point. I'll just have to do a century back in Massachusetts some other time.
We're having pizza tonight. Last night we had curried chicken, broccoli,brown rice and a green salad.
Hopefully the winds will die down for tomorrow's ride.
Hugs,
Robin
Saturday, March 28, 2009
On the Road Again
Willie Nelson's theme song always springs to mind when we hop on our bikes to start the day, or get back on after a rest stop. On the road again,
I just can't wait to get back on the road again, Biking with my friends, I just can't wait to get on the road again!
My rims arrived at 9 pm last night. HURRAH!!!! You should have heard the cheers of my bike mates in the lobby. Pictures were taken, a phone call was made, it was a great big celebration with me grinning ear to ear. What a relief!
Michelle and I put the new tires and tubes on and then we hit the hay as it was getting late. In the morning, Michelle had finished assembling and testing everything and it was leaning against a table outside the breakfast room like a brand new present at Christmas, all shiny and new.
After breakfast of oatmeal, eggs, yogurt, and slivered almonds, we were on the road for a nice 54 mile ride to Marathon, TX. The temperature was a little cool, perhaps in the high 40's so I kept my full fingered gloves, leg warmers, booties, on for most of the day. I did put on two long sleeved shirts in addition to my wool socks and bike jersey. One of the warmer shirts came off at the first break about 10 miles out.
We saw three mule deer run across the road and bound gracefully over the barbed wired fence. Sometimes we'd see some cattle in among the scrub. There were several ranches around, but little water. A good portion of the day was spent in a canyon, but the spaces between the sides were far apart and looked like many other places we have been. I did notice some little flowers about on the sides of the road and some of the yucca plants had some yellow blossoms up high.We also saw a lot of road kill, deer, golden eagle, and fox. Usually we see skunks too.
Right now, sitting on the porch, I am looking up at a hill with flat sand colored outcroppings of rock at about the last 5 % with scrub on the other 95%. We are staying at a place called the Outback Oasis Motel. The name is more appealing than the place, but it does have some cute little features such as a porch on my side that has these huge cane chairs with rustic wooden backs and arms. I feel a little like Goldilocks sitting in Papa Bear's chair.
Tomorrow is our BIG ride as it is the longest mileage in one day. We have 111 miles to do on Sunday. I don't think we will be stopping as often as we usually do and I must remember to use and bring extra lubricant cream in my riding shorts! I'm sure there will be many sore bottoms tomorrow night.
Last night because it was so cold, Chef Linda made split pea soup, corn bread, and salad. There were also pies available for dessert but I had many cheese and crackers before dinner so I was pretty full. We were all crowded into a living room of one of the houses that three people were put in. It was nice to be warm, out of the wind, and gathered all together. The wine was readily available and readily consumed. Normally we are in a larger circle outside but it is hard to hear people who are not directly near you. Last night it was easier because we were all cozy and together.
It was great to be on the road again...
Hugs,
Robin
I just can't wait to get back on the road again, Biking with my friends, I just can't wait to get on the road again!
My rims arrived at 9 pm last night. HURRAH!!!! You should have heard the cheers of my bike mates in the lobby. Pictures were taken, a phone call was made, it was a great big celebration with me grinning ear to ear. What a relief!
Michelle and I put the new tires and tubes on and then we hit the hay as it was getting late. In the morning, Michelle had finished assembling and testing everything and it was leaning against a table outside the breakfast room like a brand new present at Christmas, all shiny and new.
After breakfast of oatmeal, eggs, yogurt, and slivered almonds, we were on the road for a nice 54 mile ride to Marathon, TX. The temperature was a little cool, perhaps in the high 40's so I kept my full fingered gloves, leg warmers, booties, on for most of the day. I did put on two long sleeved shirts in addition to my wool socks and bike jersey. One of the warmer shirts came off at the first break about 10 miles out.
We saw three mule deer run across the road and bound gracefully over the barbed wired fence. Sometimes we'd see some cattle in among the scrub. There were several ranches around, but little water. A good portion of the day was spent in a canyon, but the spaces between the sides were far apart and looked like many other places we have been. I did notice some little flowers about on the sides of the road and some of the yucca plants had some yellow blossoms up high.We also saw a lot of road kill, deer, golden eagle, and fox. Usually we see skunks too.
Right now, sitting on the porch, I am looking up at a hill with flat sand colored outcroppings of rock at about the last 5 % with scrub on the other 95%. We are staying at a place called the Outback Oasis Motel. The name is more appealing than the place, but it does have some cute little features such as a porch on my side that has these huge cane chairs with rustic wooden backs and arms. I feel a little like Goldilocks sitting in Papa Bear's chair.
Tomorrow is our BIG ride as it is the longest mileage in one day. We have 111 miles to do on Sunday. I don't think we will be stopping as often as we usually do and I must remember to use and bring extra lubricant cream in my riding shorts! I'm sure there will be many sore bottoms tomorrow night.
Last night because it was so cold, Chef Linda made split pea soup, corn bread, and salad. There were also pies available for dessert but I had many cheese and crackers before dinner so I was pretty full. We were all crowded into a living room of one of the houses that three people were put in. It was nice to be warm, out of the wind, and gathered all together. The wine was readily available and readily consumed. Normally we are in a larger circle outside but it is hard to hear people who are not directly near you. Last night it was easier because we were all cozy and together.
It was great to be on the road again...
Hugs,
Robin
Friday, March 27, 2009
Brrr...inn Marathon, Texaas
Even though I rode in the van today, it was bitter cold. It was in the low 40's in the morning and a strong wind has been blowing all morning and into the afternoon. I grabbed my heavy coat out of my suitcase and am glad that I still have it as I was thinking about mailing it home at the last few stops. I loaned Mary Jo my gloves and Liz my barlaclava (I'm not sure if that's how you spell it.) I drove with a guide to Alpine, TX and helped with the grocery shopping.
Afterwards, we checked out a little trattoria down the street and I had some hot white Tuscan bean soup and bread which warmed me up a little bit. Then we traveled the rest of the 66 miles to Marathon, TX to a beautiful old hotel, The Gage Hotel. Our rooms won't be ready for a few hours and my rims haven't arrived yet today. Normally I would check out the one block town, but it is so blustery, I think I'll stay right where I am sitting inside a lovely room with my coat on. My rims haven't arrived yet,but Fed Ex hasn't been here yet today so I'm still hoping they'll be here very soon!
Through my trials and tribulations lately, I am reminded of a saying that a friend gave me before I left that seems appropriate now. Thanks Angela!
Perseverance-The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it. (Moliere)
I'm thinking of sharing this poem with the group after supper. I wrote this before my 9th flat a few days ago so bear with me.
There once was a bike rider named Robin,
With 8 flats in 3 weeks, you'd be sobbin',
But no tears did she shed,
Let the truth be said,
She went on with her trip with no problem.
Many women among us felt pity,
Changing tires can be really gritty,
Especially when,
Gusty, strong winds blow in,
In Fort Hancock which isn't much of a city.
She learned to change tires by looking,
Take your levers and just start hooking,
Spin the lever around,
Put the old tube on the ground,
Insert the new tube and you're cooking.
Her back tires exploded, KAPOW!
Michell to the rescue, WOW!
New rim tape and file,
New tube, tire, that's style!
Back biking the roadways for now.
My thanks to to Ann, Susan, and SAG,
In helping me out, though I lag,
Behind most of the crew,
I stop to admire the view,
Don't feel sorry for me, that's a drag.
Some setbacks, I've had quite a few,
But my new friends, you've always come through,
With a big caring hug,
On my heartstrings, you've tugged,
Kind words, sage advice, I thank you!
This group of bike women is great,
Chef Linda's meals really rate,
Michelle's always about,
To help us all out,
As we bicycle from state to state.
Over 1,000 miles we have ridden,
Butterflies,desert flowers are not hidden,
Back roads, highway shoulders,
With unique, huge boulders,
More adventures lie ahead, no kidding!
Love to all,
Robin
Afterwards, we checked out a little trattoria down the street and I had some hot white Tuscan bean soup and bread which warmed me up a little bit. Then we traveled the rest of the 66 miles to Marathon, TX to a beautiful old hotel, The Gage Hotel. Our rooms won't be ready for a few hours and my rims haven't arrived yet today. Normally I would check out the one block town, but it is so blustery, I think I'll stay right where I am sitting inside a lovely room with my coat on. My rims haven't arrived yet,but Fed Ex hasn't been here yet today so I'm still hoping they'll be here very soon!
Through my trials and tribulations lately, I am reminded of a saying that a friend gave me before I left that seems appropriate now. Thanks Angela!
Perseverance-The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it. (Moliere)
I'm thinking of sharing this poem with the group after supper. I wrote this before my 9th flat a few days ago so bear with me.
There once was a bike rider named Robin,
With 8 flats in 3 weeks, you'd be sobbin',
But no tears did she shed,
Let the truth be said,
She went on with her trip with no problem.
Many women among us felt pity,
Changing tires can be really gritty,
Especially when,
Gusty, strong winds blow in,
In Fort Hancock which isn't much of a city.
She learned to change tires by looking,
Take your levers and just start hooking,
Spin the lever around,
Put the old tube on the ground,
Insert the new tube and you're cooking.
Her back tires exploded, KAPOW!
Michell to the rescue, WOW!
New rim tape and file,
New tube, tire, that's style!
Back biking the roadways for now.
My thanks to to Ann, Susan, and SAG,
In helping me out, though I lag,
Behind most of the crew,
I stop to admire the view,
Don't feel sorry for me, that's a drag.
Some setbacks, I've had quite a few,
But my new friends, you've always come through,
With a big caring hug,
On my heartstrings, you've tugged,
Kind words, sage advice, I thank you!
This group of bike women is great,
Chef Linda's meals really rate,
Michelle's always about,
To help us all out,
As we bicycle from state to state.
Over 1,000 miles we have ridden,
Butterflies,desert flowers are not hidden,
Back roads, highway shoulders,
With unique, huge boulders,
More adventures lie ahead, no kidding!
Love to all,
Robin
Thursday, March 26, 2009
A Day of Challenges
Wednesday morning we got up at 7:30. Due to the time change of Central Time Zone it was still too dark to ride. Linda made a great breakfast with eggs, potatoes, oatmeal, yogurt, and fruit. It was a day to eat hearty as we had an 88 mile day ahead of us to go from Van Horn to Fort Davis, Texas. Because of the rough surface on the frontage road yesterday, we scooted right on the interstate 10 where the road shoulder was smooth for the first 15 miles. The weather was great, cool to start out and a little cloud cover so as the sun rose higher you could shed the windbreaker and leg warmers by about 20 miles out.
The road surface got a little rough after 15 miles,but I was very careful to avoid any little bits of debris. We stopped for a gal that had a flat on the shoulder and then headed for our first SAG stop for snacks. I usually get a V8 and some sort of cheese or fruit and a few almond covered m & m's. It's easy to keep dipping into the chips and cookies that they also have and I always top off my water bottle and my bottle that I have some electrolytes in. When it's cooler in the mornings, I have to remember to drink more as you don't feel as thirsty as when it is hot.
The tail winds were with us again, and we zipped along often at 20 miles per hour on the highway. When you stopped, it felt cool, but when you were biking, it was warm, so we were often stopping to unzip or zip up some garment among us.
After we got off the interstate at mile 40 and went around a corner, the winds REALLY started GUSTING and there were hard CROSS-WINDS or HEADWINDS. It kept changing directions and intensity. Our mileage slowed down to about 8-12 mph for a while. As I was going downhill I felt as if the wind was going to push be back up, that's how hard it was gusting.
As we were out in the middle of nowhere, our group provided us a lunch stop at about mile 44. I can't tell you how slowly the odometer seemed to move those last four miles. The wind continued to howl across the valley, between the hills as we hunkered down with our turkey sandwich on the ground on the side of the van for a little break. Several people opted to "bump up", or get a ride to mile 62 as the winds were SO STRONG! One of my mates chose that option, but the other gal and I decided to press on. After about mile 52, the gal I was with, opted for a ride up to the top of the mountain. I was determined to keep going. The wind would blow so hard that you would be moved sideways. There was very little traffic so we did have the roadway practically to ourselves. It took me hours to get to the next stop where the van and trailer were waiting. 5 other people were waiting for a ride. I asked if I could just come into the van for 5 minutes to rest, get out of the wind, befoore making my decision to get a ride up or ride up on my own.
After my break,I figured I felt OK, and would like to try riding for another hour or so, asking that the SAG driver, to come back and check on me to see how I was doing. I took frequent breaks, drank a lot, snacked often to keep up my strength. This was the hardest ride of my life!
Most of the time I could only go 4-8 mph only against the wind. The next 14.5 miles were difficult as the route began to climb with some very steep and short inclines. I have to admit, I got off and walked up a few of the steepest parts that were more than 12% as my legs were so tired. After a brief stretch and a short walk of 100 steps or so, I would get back on and pedal some more. Luckily there were some downhills along with some uphills, but still the winds would inconsistently blow in all directions. Once in a while you'd get a break and a tailwind would help you up a portion and everything would be fine for a while. I traveled up to where we could see the McDonald Observatory up off to the right. The panorama vista was amazing. I remember going down around a corner on a downhill and just yelling out loud to the world. WOW! WOW! WOW! This vast open expanse of valleys, mountains, and breathtaking views all around were incredible. And then...
KAPOW! My rear tire tube exploded on a downhill just after I feathered my brakes to take a corner. Luckily, I stayed upright, but I could hear the grind of the rim scraping the pavement until I could get the bike to stop. I just remember thinking, get your feet out the clips NOW!. This would be flat number NINE, I consider myself to be pretty handy at changing a flat and though I was on my own, went about my business of taking out the old tube and changing the flat. I couldn't find any glass, thorns, just that big ugly split of about 6 inches that has happened so many times on my back tire. I put the new tube in and got a little frustrated with the little pump that I have. Usually I use my friend's pump as she has a much more efficient one, or I use the floor pump from the van. By now it is about 5:30, and I've been on the road since about 8:00. The Sag wagon came back noticing that I was behind and got the floor pump out for me. My NEW TIRE that was just put on three or four days ago was shredded so I couldn't ride the rest of the way anyways. We threw everything into the back seat of the wagon and headed in the last 10 miles, past all the downhill that I had worked so hard for climbing those hours before.
I was so discouraged when I got in because my back rim was shot, I just went into my room and cried. We are in a place that cell phones don't work as we are nestled in the side of a mountain, so I knew I couldn't even call anyone for a part to send out until the next day.
Well, my friend, Susan, a project manager, and Michelle, the mechanic, sprung into action for me while I took the longest hot shower of my life. They determined that my rims are poorly constructed and with my permission ordered me two new ones that will be shipped overnight today to the place we are going tomorrow, (I think it's Marathon, TX.but I don't have my sheet with me as I am up in the lodge near the office as I can not get internet connection in my room.) They went online to see what rims places had in stock, but many of them did not have two or could not ship it right away. By now it is around 6:40 central time here so Susan thought to call her bike shop in CA right before she closed to see if she could help out and that bike shop will take care of shipping it out and Michelle will install everything tomorrow.
I am so relieved and thankful for their help. I know it will be alright now and I might get an extra day off and that's OK with me too. I feel so lucky that I didn't get hurt on that downhill blowout and there was no traffic at that moment. I even felt good enough to clean and lube my bike today, what was left of it , this afternoon whereas yesterday, I was ready to throw it off a cliff...
So if any bike enthusiasts know any problems with the rims of a Specialized Sequoia elite, please let me know. I'm not sure what to do with the rims for now. But I think my bike store needs to know and Specialized needs to know though I doubt I'll be reimbursed for the new parts and tires, an additional nearly $400 for new tires, rims and all those tubes I've used up.
I did not get much sleep last night but at least it is a day off. I went into town , four miles away, and walked around, got some lunch, and looked at some shops. My laundry is done for now and I will put my feet up for a while and do some stretching that I did not do yesterday.
Last night after a glass of merlot, we were sitting on the edge of the lodge waiting for javelinas to appear at dusk. I saw something move in the distance but could not make out the animal clearly. This afternoon, from the balcony I I saw three javelinas out in the grass near the back of the hotel. I did not think they would be out in the middle of the day. They are the first of these critters that I have seen in the wild.
So,yesterday was a day of challenges but I look forward to the promise of tomorrows!
Safe and sound,
Robin
The road surface got a little rough after 15 miles,but I was very careful to avoid any little bits of debris. We stopped for a gal that had a flat on the shoulder and then headed for our first SAG stop for snacks. I usually get a V8 and some sort of cheese or fruit and a few almond covered m & m's. It's easy to keep dipping into the chips and cookies that they also have and I always top off my water bottle and my bottle that I have some electrolytes in. When it's cooler in the mornings, I have to remember to drink more as you don't feel as thirsty as when it is hot.
The tail winds were with us again, and we zipped along often at 20 miles per hour on the highway. When you stopped, it felt cool, but when you were biking, it was warm, so we were often stopping to unzip or zip up some garment among us.
After we got off the interstate at mile 40 and went around a corner, the winds REALLY started GUSTING and there were hard CROSS-WINDS or HEADWINDS. It kept changing directions and intensity. Our mileage slowed down to about 8-12 mph for a while. As I was going downhill I felt as if the wind was going to push be back up, that's how hard it was gusting.
As we were out in the middle of nowhere, our group provided us a lunch stop at about mile 44. I can't tell you how slowly the odometer seemed to move those last four miles. The wind continued to howl across the valley, between the hills as we hunkered down with our turkey sandwich on the ground on the side of the van for a little break. Several people opted to "bump up", or get a ride to mile 62 as the winds were SO STRONG! One of my mates chose that option, but the other gal and I decided to press on. After about mile 52, the gal I was with, opted for a ride up to the top of the mountain. I was determined to keep going. The wind would blow so hard that you would be moved sideways. There was very little traffic so we did have the roadway practically to ourselves. It took me hours to get to the next stop where the van and trailer were waiting. 5 other people were waiting for a ride. I asked if I could just come into the van for 5 minutes to rest, get out of the wind, befoore making my decision to get a ride up or ride up on my own.
After my break,I figured I felt OK, and would like to try riding for another hour or so, asking that the SAG driver, to come back and check on me to see how I was doing. I took frequent breaks, drank a lot, snacked often to keep up my strength. This was the hardest ride of my life!
Most of the time I could only go 4-8 mph only against the wind. The next 14.5 miles were difficult as the route began to climb with some very steep and short inclines. I have to admit, I got off and walked up a few of the steepest parts that were more than 12% as my legs were so tired. After a brief stretch and a short walk of 100 steps or so, I would get back on and pedal some more. Luckily there were some downhills along with some uphills, but still the winds would inconsistently blow in all directions. Once in a while you'd get a break and a tailwind would help you up a portion and everything would be fine for a while. I traveled up to where we could see the McDonald Observatory up off to the right. The panorama vista was amazing. I remember going down around a corner on a downhill and just yelling out loud to the world. WOW! WOW! WOW! This vast open expanse of valleys, mountains, and breathtaking views all around were incredible. And then...
KAPOW! My rear tire tube exploded on a downhill just after I feathered my brakes to take a corner. Luckily, I stayed upright, but I could hear the grind of the rim scraping the pavement until I could get the bike to stop. I just remember thinking, get your feet out the clips NOW!. This would be flat number NINE, I consider myself to be pretty handy at changing a flat and though I was on my own, went about my business of taking out the old tube and changing the flat. I couldn't find any glass, thorns, just that big ugly split of about 6 inches that has happened so many times on my back tire. I put the new tube in and got a little frustrated with the little pump that I have. Usually I use my friend's pump as she has a much more efficient one, or I use the floor pump from the van. By now it is about 5:30, and I've been on the road since about 8:00. The Sag wagon came back noticing that I was behind and got the floor pump out for me. My NEW TIRE that was just put on three or four days ago was shredded so I couldn't ride the rest of the way anyways. We threw everything into the back seat of the wagon and headed in the last 10 miles, past all the downhill that I had worked so hard for climbing those hours before.
I was so discouraged when I got in because my back rim was shot, I just went into my room and cried. We are in a place that cell phones don't work as we are nestled in the side of a mountain, so I knew I couldn't even call anyone for a part to send out until the next day.
Well, my friend, Susan, a project manager, and Michelle, the mechanic, sprung into action for me while I took the longest hot shower of my life. They determined that my rims are poorly constructed and with my permission ordered me two new ones that will be shipped overnight today to the place we are going tomorrow, (I think it's Marathon, TX.but I don't have my sheet with me as I am up in the lodge near the office as I can not get internet connection in my room.) They went online to see what rims places had in stock, but many of them did not have two or could not ship it right away. By now it is around 6:40 central time here so Susan thought to call her bike shop in CA right before she closed to see if she could help out and that bike shop will take care of shipping it out and Michelle will install everything tomorrow.
I am so relieved and thankful for their help. I know it will be alright now and I might get an extra day off and that's OK with me too. I feel so lucky that I didn't get hurt on that downhill blowout and there was no traffic at that moment. I even felt good enough to clean and lube my bike today, what was left of it , this afternoon whereas yesterday, I was ready to throw it off a cliff...
So if any bike enthusiasts know any problems with the rims of a Specialized Sequoia elite, please let me know. I'm not sure what to do with the rims for now. But I think my bike store needs to know and Specialized needs to know though I doubt I'll be reimbursed for the new parts and tires, an additional nearly $400 for new tires, rims and all those tubes I've used up.
I did not get much sleep last night but at least it is a day off. I went into town , four miles away, and walked around, got some lunch, and looked at some shops. My laundry is done for now and I will put my feet up for a while and do some stretching that I did not do yesterday.
Last night after a glass of merlot, we were sitting on the edge of the lodge waiting for javelinas to appear at dusk. I saw something move in the distance but could not make out the animal clearly. This afternoon, from the balcony I I saw three javelinas out in the grass near the back of the hotel. I did not think they would be out in the middle of the day. They are the first of these critters that I have seen in the wild.
So,yesterday was a day of challenges but I look forward to the promise of tomorrows!
Safe and sound,
Robin
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Fort Hancock to Van Horn Texas
Because of the very strong wind conditions at night, our guide and cook thought it prudent to eat breakfast inside at the little place across the street called Angie's. Though it didn't open until 6 am, about 15 of us were out there waiting in the dark and the cold for the place to open at 5:55, all thinking we would get there first and be out sooner. Because most of us were in bike shorts, we did the penguin huddle for warmth until the truck came with the person to open the place. Then we took the quiet little place over with 23 people.
After a breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon, I went back across the street to load my luggage and haul out my bike. When I looked down, I noticed the back tire was a little soft, having lost some air during the night. (For those of you keeping track, that would be flat #8). After consulting a few of the pros, I decided it would be best to change it before starting out. (So much for our early start on our 74 mile trip today!) I did change the back tire and replaced the tube without much difficulty. Susan warded off all those people who were ready to "help" me and "pity" me. The culprit was a tiny black thorn on the inside of the tire.
There was some gradual uphill after some flat riding on some back country roads. The advantage was it was quiet with little traffic, but the disadvantage is that much of the road surface today was rough. We climbed up into the town of Sierra Blanca after crossing the lower part of the same named mountains. We mistakenly ate at a little restaurant which had terrible food at about mile 42. After leaving most of it on our plates,we journeyed onward the other 32 miles with some travel on an interstate and some travel on a frontage road.
About a mile from our motel, Liz got a small wire in her tire and got a flat. It was changed quickly and we were on our way. Overall, it was a great day as the tailwinds were at our back and the weather was just perfect in the high 60's for most of the day. I think we were all worried about the mileage today but the weather, wind, and terrain really impacts the ride and today we lucked out!
I'm off to do laundry as we have very little chance to do launder again until 8 more days.
Hugs,
Robin
After a breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon, I went back across the street to load my luggage and haul out my bike. When I looked down, I noticed the back tire was a little soft, having lost some air during the night. (For those of you keeping track, that would be flat #8). After consulting a few of the pros, I decided it would be best to change it before starting out. (So much for our early start on our 74 mile trip today!) I did change the back tire and replaced the tube without much difficulty. Susan warded off all those people who were ready to "help" me and "pity" me. The culprit was a tiny black thorn on the inside of the tire.
There was some gradual uphill after some flat riding on some back country roads. The advantage was it was quiet with little traffic, but the disadvantage is that much of the road surface today was rough. We climbed up into the town of Sierra Blanca after crossing the lower part of the same named mountains. We mistakenly ate at a little restaurant which had terrible food at about mile 42. After leaving most of it on our plates,we journeyed onward the other 32 miles with some travel on an interstate and some travel on a frontage road.
About a mile from our motel, Liz got a small wire in her tire and got a flat. It was changed quickly and we were on our way. Overall, it was a great day as the tailwinds were at our back and the weather was just perfect in the high 60's for most of the day. I think we were all worried about the mileage today but the weather, wind, and terrain really impacts the ride and today we lucked out!
I'm off to do laundry as we have very little chance to do launder again until 8 more days.
Hugs,
Robin
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