|
||
|
|
|
|
Thank God for the humidity, else I'd have burst into flames. It was Hot today, and it got hot early. We're riding in a section of eastern Kansas called the Flint Hills. These are mile after mile of low, rolling hills. The only way to handle them is attack the descent (pedal downhill as fast as you can), so that you have some momentum going up the hill. You should be cranking like an eggbeater at the bottom. Then gear down one step at a time as you go uphill. Don't wait too long to shift down, or you'll drop your cadence too low, and put undue strain on your knees. Also, it's just more work to grind up a hill in a high gear at a low cadence. (Besides, I just like fast descents.) As a result of this strategy, I left Andy further and further behind on each hill. I spun down and relaxed on the straight-aways, to try to let him catch up. Andy is a much stronger rider than when he started out, but he still has some trouble with the hills. (Just the same, I had to use my granny gear today. In Kansas. Oh, the shame!) The other thing about going fast is that you get in out of the heat quicker. Dan has this mastered, but we're getting there. We finished the 108 miles at 2:30, whereas Michael struggled in at 4:30. Gruelling. The deli that was suggested as a "good luch stop" closed 4 months ago. The general store that had "great pie" closed before we got there. It's Saturday, and they closed early. Apparently, the tour leader usually calls them in advance, to ensure that they stay open, and that they have whole pies (they had a few slices left when the early riders came through).
Also, the sag van has been much more visible lately, sweeping the road. Support is important, especially on really long, hot days like this. We passed the halfway point for the Fast Ride. Of course, they get there on day 15. |
|
2000 miles! Two. Thousand. Miles. On a bike. And we're still in
Kansas.
But, lo and behold!, we had unmanned water stops today! And, despite
Bruce's predictions, the jugs were not stolen. In between the first
and second sag stops, there was a water jug next to an orange traffic
barrel, so it looked kind of like two traffic barrels if you were just
driving by. Between the second sag and the finish, there was a water
jug nestled next to a barn, quite near the farmhouse. Also, there was
a large plastic cow on the other side of the driveway, so a passing
motorist might not notice the water jug.