One person - six foot four British wonderman Nigel made today easier. He insisted on pulling Brian, Keith and I along through a brutal 30-40mph southern crosswind. We took turns sitting on his left side in echelon formation for most of the day. He says it is just as much work switching around in a pace line, and he likes to use his aero bars. Hey I won't argue.
Before this train started, however, on our way out of town at least four people were taken out by some nasty railroad tracks. Nobody was hurt, but a few wheels were put out of true (and egos bruised).
At the first stop we got a good group picture with some sunflowers in the background. After the stop the road was lined with people with disassembled tires and tubes. Little prickly burrs called goat heads had stuck into several people's tires to flatten them.
Nigel continued to power away pulling us along through this brutal flag stiffening wind. We passed some cattle feeding lots and we got about a mile of foul smelling cow shit dust in our faces. Semis plowed along the road passing us. We pulled off onto a less traveled road, which eased our nerves. More wide-open fields of milo and corn, and hardly any trees to break the wind. Lunch was grilled cheddar cheese, tomato, and red onion sandwiches. Yodels and brownies for dessert.
We muscled along through the wind. At one point in the town of Ford we met the wind head on and crawled along at barely 12 mph. Just horrible. Then a few more rest stops and we got back with an hour of sunlight to spare. A lot of people had to get sagged forward (rode in the support van) to make it back in time. Got a good group picture at the end of the ride.
This was probably one of the most difficult and mentally taxing days so far. The wind is extremely demoralizing when it is continually whistling through your ears, helmet and tossing you front wheel around. Several times we bumped elbows due to the jostling by the wind. When will this wind be at our backs? I thought a tailwind, bicycling east, and Kansas went together. Hopefully tomorrow.
