We were the last people to leave today at 7:15. There is supposed to be a staggered start with the slow people leaving first, then the fast riders. Some riders leave before everyone else though and are fairly fast riders. They don't stop long at stops either. Anyway, Nigel, Keith, Brian, and I started a good pace line as we rode into the blinding yellow morning sun. It was also quite nippy out; everyone was bundled up really good. We got a good rhythm going, we passed a lot of people, then Wes and Terri joined us. We got to the first stop at 30 miles. Lon was taking everyone's picture with our bicycles. Another picture of me in my bug-eye sunglasses.
We started our ascent over the 9400-foot La Veta pass. There was a good tailwind and I big-ringed it with a 53x23. Took some pictures at the summit sign. Nigel, my fellow fearless downhiller, went ahead of me, and I was right behind him. We whistled down the mountain. We both topped out at 50mph several times. Brown fields surrounded us. A fierce tailwind pushed us along at speeds between 25-40mph. We would descend over 3000 feet by the time we got to lunch. This section we did in record time.
Had a sandwich, potato chips, and a Chocolate Suzy-Q for lunch. We got another pace line going again. We picked up Spencer for a bit. Up and down through endless empty fields of brown grass. There were occasional scattered boulders and trees. A sign had warned of 72 miles without services, this was no joke.
We reassembled at the next rest stop and did not stay long. The wind began to turn on us. The next stop was at the top of a hill by a microwave radio tower. Refill of water bottles, watermelon, some Pringles and we are off again. We are taking strong pulls at the front to make this day over already. We start to enter some fields, and more populated area. The town line is declared as the sprint. Wes, Mr. 56 tooth front chaining, takes off with Brian and me in pursuit. We catch him, they draft me down a small hill, and then they both take off up it, leaving me behind. I watch Wes win the sprint up ahead. We need more of this to break things up. I just need to make sure the next town line is not at the top of a hill.
Tomorrow is our longest day at 161 miles as we go to Kansas. Hopefully the wind will be at our backs.
