I have had harder rides may times when trying to keep up a pace with stronger riders, but today was just fatiguing. This likely is the most days in a row (7) I have ever ridden, and ended with a second century distance. There are different types of tired riding, and the first type is when trying to ride too fast with better, stronger, and more fit cyclists. This often can show itself with leg cramping, or having to ride near an anerobic threshold. Today I experienced the other type of tired where I wanted to be home or on my hotel bed sleeping. Even at our 65 mile rest stop there was a sign that prohibited us from sleeping on the picnic tables: as you will see law-abiding Doug trying to sleep upright, and an act of civil disobedience by Steve Leibo, ignoring the rule clearly posted on the sign. We had some long climbs rogue headwinds leading up to our lunch break, and on a stretch of Interstate 10 that wore us out.
There where no stores or services on this long, desolate route, so we thankfully relied on Carol and Julie meeting us with food, drink, and you guessed it, ice cream! Much of the ride was on interstate 10 frontage roads, that ran adjacent to the freeway. With the exception of listening to the traffic for hours, these frontage roads have the advantage of little to no traffic because all the trucks and most other vehicles are riding the interstate. These frontage roads and Hwy 20, that began the route, had great surfaces. I hope this is a sign of road maintenance that we can expect all across Texas, which already appears vastly better than Arizona and New Mexico. Road surface quality has become very important to us on this tour.
An interesting human interest story early on this route was meeting Edie Littlefield Sundby section walking the entire southern tier route, east to west, from St Augustine to San Diego. Fortunately, Doug had the good sense to stop and talk to her and her husband after both Steve’s road by her, only saying hello. Doug learned she is a serious cancer survivor , book author, and has written articles in the New York Times. They exchanged B-Cards, pictures and some information, and we all wish her well on her journey.
Tonight we start a two night stay at Hotel El Capitan, a very nice historic hotel with a restaurant, to celebrate Doug’s B-Day dinner and tomorrow’s rest day!
