Mosquero to Las Vegas (but not the real one)

Todays ride was 96 miles. We set off at 6 am and knew we would be descending and then ascending a canyon. Arden and I started our descent at mile 27 and didnt fully hit flat ground til more than 10 miles later. We cruised through first lunch all before 9 am. By 12 we had made it to second lunch but the van was still behind so we enjoyed a nice nap roadside. The skies were dark with clouds so the temperature was cool. The winds picked up during second lunch. Of our last 20 miles 14 were on the interstate which is legal in NM. The headwinds were terrible. At some points we were going downhill at 8 mph and pedaling to do so. We made it here by 3 and discovered that there was no kitchen to make dinner and also no fridge or freezer to keep our food or cooler packs cold. So the next few days should be interesting food wise.

I'm exhausted. Today was pretty gorgeous and we saw some neat wildlife who ran in front of us for miles. We saw an awesome sunrise and crazy storm clouds. Tomorrow we head to Santa Fe in what is supposed to be a hilly day.

Also...don't forget to send some love to the next mail drop in Farmington!

Clayton to Mosquero

Today's ride was 88 miles and we knew it would be hot and the winds would be against us, so we all agreed to wake up at 4 am and leave by 6. David and I set out just after 6, and by mile 6 I had a flat tire. I changed it and we headed on. The roads today were all very deserted so we were able to ride double file all day. By mile 15 I had flat number 2. David wasn't feeling well and luckily I think he appreciated being able to take a break. We made it to the halfway mark of our trip at mile 28 today. There was some awesome chalking and we all just generally danced around and celebrated having biked 2000 miles!!!

We made it to first lunch around mile 38 and enjoyed some shade and a sandwich. I, for the first time on the trip, went to the bathroom outside. I was applauded for upon my successful return. We left lunch and I immediately noticed my tire looked low on air. Rather than turn around we plodded on and decided to pump it up since it was a slow leak. The air held for another 3 miles and we stopped again. I pumped it once more in hopes we could find shade to stop under to change it. We didn't find hade unfortunately but I worked quickly so as to minimize our time off the bike. I got one more flat, bringing the days total to 4. And my trip total to 34. Luckily we should hit a bike shop soon. By this point the going was slow. David still didn't feel well, and the heat certainly wasn't doing anything to help. Honestly, I didn't mind our pace...it gave me a chance to really appreciate the views and even snatch some pictures. We came upon an opportunely placed "town" which included one church, 2 houses and lots and lots of cows. We did find an abandoned structure with some good shade and stopped for a snack. Chika came them with the van and water to refill our packs which was much appreciated. We made our way to second lunch @ mile 70 and enjoyed food and shade. The last 20 miles after second lunch were rough. The heat had gotten worse, all of my water and Gatorade was just a few degrees below scalding and the headwinds picked up. We knew we had a huge ascent ahead of us. Unfortunately we saw it about 5 miles before we got to it, so we had plenty of time to be apprehensive.

The climb was over 2.5 miles and our leaders tell us that we gained about 1000 ft of elevation in that time. The switchbacks and steep grade kept us from going more than 6 mph. The views were spectacular and I wish I could have taken a picture. But I knew if I stopped I would never get started again. We finally made it to the top and I haven't felt that proud or accomplished in a while. David was a little worse for the wear after the climb so we took one more break under the shade of some clouds. Today's method was slow and steady with an emphasis on the slow.

It really sucks to know that one of your teammates isn't feeling well. And harder to know that you can't do much to help them. Impressive that they stick it out and ride the miles but rough at the same time. But. We made it. To air conditioning, showers, naps, and dinner. No cell phone service since leaving Clayton...but we do have wifi. Go figure. So Mom and Dad, I'm safe. :)

100+ mile day tomorrow. With the next civilization being the town we end in tomorrow. Should be interesting.

Dalhart, TX to Clayton, NM

Today was a super short ride. Only 46 miles. David, Arden and I made it to lunch before 10 am and into town before 12. In the meantime we saw some awesome scenery and crossed into our 7th state of the trip. We also entered MST. So we are now two hours behind EST.

Since we got into town so early we took some time to explore. We climbed a dinosaur, visited a 100 yr old saloon, a few local shops and even the local museum. We had an interesting communal shower situation and another interesting time trying to figure out how to make dinner since we apparently left all of our pots and pans at a host a few stops back. Seems to be a trend as of late. First our silverware, now our pots and pans. Dinner crew DM'd an eclectic array of items that were able to leave us full and satisfied.

Last night we stayed at the same host as SC2SC and honestly, riding out this morning I have never been so happy that these 26 other people are my teammates. They really lifted my spirits when I needed it yesterday and made me appreciate our team dynamic.

Tomorrow, in 7 miles, we will gain 1000+ ft of elevation. As usual, it is predicted to be hot. But the scenery and the people are so worth it. And I truly am BIKING across the county, and I'm so excited I am.

Amarillo to Dalhart

Today was rough. And that is an understatement. The route was gorgeous but unfortunately it was overshadowed by my 8 flat tires, bringing my trip total to 30...and a smattering of other bike problems. By 10 am we had eaten and left first lunch...2 hrs later we were less than 15 miles from lunch. We stopped at a roadside cafe, the only civilization we saw all day, to refill our camelbaks and managed to find some awesome post cards and I even found Tampico, one of my favorite though rarely available beverages. Soon after leaving there we rode less than a miek before I got a flat. We fixed that and rode 30 meters only for me to get another flat. As soon as that was fixed we discovered Jack had a flat. And once we fixed his I had another already. We were in the same spot for over 2 hrs patching and fixing flats. We were almost completely out of water but found second lunch just in time. My 8th and final flat of the day rounded out our day on the suffer bus and after almost 10 hrs outside, less than half of which were spent riding (like how for 15 miles we averaged 26 mph) Jack and Made it to Dalhart. We didn't eat dinner til after 8 pm. By then I was a seriously unhappy camper and was not in a good place. There is no feeling worse than having a body willing and capable of doing the miles and a bike that won't cooperate. I felt so helpless. And honestly, calling the van to pick me up crossed my mind. Though I am glad I didn't. Tomorrow we head to NM and I can say I am ready to be rid of TX.

This heat is nuts. It's dry which makes it very easy to not realize you're sweating. More times than not the sweat evaporates before you notice it. Over 500 oz of fluid today have managed to still leave me dehydrated.

Today our route crossed paths with SC2SC, another B&B route. We had big plans for Bike and Build Olympics but sadly today's heat zapped the energy out of all of us and none of these ideas came to fruition. Still cool to get a chance to meet some other B&B'ers.

Over and out from Dalhart. Westward to New Mexico in the morning, we even get to sleep til 6 because our mileage is only 46!!!

Memphis to Amarillo and a day off

We knew the forecast predicted temperatures of over 100 degrees so we made it a point to be on our bikes by 6 am. But, before the day could even start I had a flat back tire to deal with. With some help I was able to dig out the metal shard causing the problem. I rode with Kristin and Susan (shout out to Diane Rhodes!) and we quickly realized that although the headwinds were already beating at us we were better off riding 3 wide and keeping the conversation going. Most of the ride was uphill and my legs were not in the mood. Mentally I was ready for the challenge but my legs were in the in-pain train. The Hoff was truly a beacon of hope to see at the top of a long hill. After first lunch we headed out with the knowledge that the next town had a DQ. We committed to stopping for milkshakes and headed out with spirits high. About 10 miles from lunch we heard a rush of air and I knew it was my tire going flat. That made flat tire #22 for the trip. To put that in perspective many people have only had one. The pavement and tire had gotten so hot that the patch on it wrinkled allowing the air to leak out. The only plus side, since there was nary a bit of shade in sight, is that I'm getting decently quick at changing a tire. We got back on the road and used our desire for milkshakes and air conditioning to power us up the last hills to the town. A chocolate peanut butter milkshake has never tasted so good and by the time we were ready to head out the rest of the team was there. We struggle bused it to second lunch and relished the shade there. The next ten miles were a struggle but after we made one of our last turns the wind was in our favor and we flew into the host around 22 mph. We were greeted by awesome snacks and after a solid nap an amazing dinner. Another nap followed.

By the time we made it into the host I remembered ways more about the great conversation I had with Kristin and Susan than the long hills and strong headwinds. What a great feeling.

About half of us woke up early to had to nearby Palo Duro Canyon. Look it up, it was gorgeous. It was already 110 degrees when we started hiking around 1030. So we kept it short and sweet but still enjoyed ourselves.

Altus, OK to Memphis, TX

Today was an awesome day. And truly I think today 100% captured the essence of B&B. We had a 72 mile day today but the high was forecasted to be 106 degrees and since it was a Sunday we had to be out of the church by 7 am. But it was a blessing in disguise. Arden, David and I made it to lunch before 930 and quickly headed back out. The scenery was gorgeous and there was not a cloud to be seen all day. The winds were decently strong and the hills the last 10 miles were killer...but I was in too good a mood to let that keep a smile off my face. Dinner was a smattering of casseroles and some awesome cake. To try and beat the heat wake up is at 430 am. Like back in my college rowing days.

Honestly...today is hard to write about. I had an amazing time and I feel like today was a perfect example of why there is nowhere else I would rather be this summer.

Lawton to Altus

Today was another short day...only 57 miles, so as a group we decided to sleep in until 645 because the church was willing to make us a hot breakfast if we stayed until 8. What an excellent decision. They had some awesome breakfast potatoes and I definitely made a trip for seconds. We did get a pretty late start on the road but Ben, Jay and I kept a steady pace despite the headwinds and crosswinds. We made it to lunch and took solace in the little shade available. We headed out again and made the last 25 miles go by quickly as we told stories. We stopped by an old antique like shop hoping that the Coca-Cola sign out front meant that we could buy an ice cold one inside. While this was not the case we still enjoyed exploring and we each left with an authentic wooden nickel. Another stop at Taco el Rey and we were able to DM dinner for all of us. Then, we made one last stop at the local pool, complete with water slides, DM'd of course, before finally heading to the host. Dinner was great and was followed by some DM'd Italian ice from Riley's Brain Freeze. I had lemon and mango and it really hit the spot, especially considering temperatures here are still in the upper 90's. OK has been good to us, but I'm excited to head back to Texas tomorrow...but mostly just so I can get a picture with the OK state line sign.

The scenery today was pretty amazing. And while my body was a little sore, I enjoyed every baking hot minute of today.

It's crazy to think, but come Thursday we'll be in NM. And while we're on crazy...I'm pretty excited...our silverware was left in Elm Grove, more than a week and a half ago...so we have had one fork, spoon and knife between the 27 of us. So we've been getting creative and also doing a lot of sharing. BUT...tonight we are getting silverware!!!!!