Pratt, KS to Winfield, KS - 129 miles

Today continued our brutal foray into a crosswind. The wind had shifted slightly, however, and was a direct south wind instead of a southeast wind like yesterday. Nigel and I pretty much stayed together all day. At the first rest stop, Terri was playing Bruce Springsteen's album Nebraska to get us in the mood for the monotonous grain silos, endless milo, corn, cotton, and sunflower fields. There were actually quite a few more trees today, which helped in sections to cut the wind down and add variety to the scenery.

At the second stop before lunch we picked up Clifford who hugged our wheels for the rest of the day. Lunch was chicken salad and chocolate Zingers. The fast guys who don't stop long left before we did. Nigel had some business to take care of in the woods, and then we pulled into the last rest stop. Refill of water bottles, some Fresca, and cookies.

We turned directly into the wind for the fifth time of the day. Crawled along to Winfield. Nice big town, what you would think of if someone said "Midwestern town" - Main Street, movie theater, furniture shops, etc.

The wind mentally taxed me again today, especially the headwind sections. One of them was on freshly paved, oily black asphalt. Gravel clinked against our bicycles, the heat rose from the fresh road, and the wind battered us like Ping Pong balls. Quite unpleasant. The road crew just shook their heads as we moved in slow motion past them.

Tomorrow we go into Missouri. We will start to get more rolling hills which will break up the riding.
This flat stuff is better than hills, but it is b-o-r-i-n-g.

Ulysses, KS to Pratt, KS - 151 miles

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.

La Junta, CO to Ulysses, KS - 162 miles

Today was the longest official day of the whole tour at 162 miles. We had a brisk North wind to contend with from the start. All flags were stiff as boards pointing straight across our path. We would have to contend with this nasty crosswind for most of the day.

In order to deal with it, we started out with a large group and rode a rotating pace line. Riders rode through on the right side, and then eased off when they pulled over to the left. This became very efficient, and the first 86 miles up to lunch melted away. Our core group was Nigel, Brian, Keith, yellow Spinergy Bob, Dave, Les, Steven, and I. After lunch, we had the wind at our backs for 35 miles. Keith blasted part of this section out and did not drop under 27mph. We regrouped at a rest stop, then continued to blast out the rest at similar speeds with a double pace line. We then turned into the wind again and started another rotating pace line, and did it riding echelon as well. Steve sprinted for the Kansas state line, but there was no welcome sign! We stopped at the last stop and refueled again. Excellent white macadamia chocolate chip cookies were available and eaten in quantity.

The last twenty miles were on a pretty busy road so we all rode in at our own pace. The on bike average for the day was 19.6mph. It was great to ride with such a strong experienced group of riders. Our teamwork made the day much more bearable than imagined.

Kansas is flat and there are lots of cornfields. We some cattle, and at one point, we saw a collection of llamas! Lots of farm machinery in the fields. There are still lots of small undulations in the roads as we dip down to creeks and gulleys. We are going to have to be very creative about sightseeing.
We had dinner at a museum sponsored by the town. The local residents were very nice and the food was excellent, plus the museum was pretty fancy. Dairy Queen topped the night off.

More of Kansas for the next couple of days. Another big day tomorrow with 150 miles.

Alamosa, CO to La Junta, CO - 146 miles

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.

Pagosa Springs, CO to Alamosa, CO - 91 miles

The morning started out with winds whipping around, dark purplish blue clouds hovering over the mountain tops in the distance, and occasional raindrops sputtering down on us. We descended into the hunting town of Pagosa Springs. This is your typical Colorado postcard scenery - green mountainsides, small lakes, fields with horses in them, snow-capped peaks in the horizon. The dark angry gray clouds off in the distance looked extremely ominous. Several white jagged streaks of lightning danced on the top of one of the peaks. We were ascending up to a mass of earth that has its own personality, capable of changing at any minute. I just hoped we would not see any of that lightning. This was a scene out of Dante's Inferno.

Riders were all strung out. I stopped and got some pictures of the sky and a mountaintop. As we pulled into the first stop at 18 miles, it became apparent we would be veering away to the right of the lightning valley. Just eight more steep (7% grade) miles to the top. The fast guys were way ahead, as everyone left before me, and I like my kneecaps. Lon was climbing this thing on his single speed before everyone else. There were basically three turns to wind up over this pass. Some sheer rock cliffs were on our left hand side at one point, a sign warned to "watch for falling rock". The road was pitted from this falling rock hitting this concrete section of road. We went around the first switchback. There was a breathtaking view below of the valley we just climbed up. More pictures. There was a run away truck stop to our left, always a good sign you climbing (or descending) a monster hill. I passed quite a few riders. One last stretch through some work area. I look back and there is Spencer. All right, none of that. Drop, drop, goes my chain and I drift ahead. At the top, Lon is waiting with the van. There is no "Wolf Creek Pass" sign, however. This is a brown sign common in mountain passes that notes the name of the pass and the elevation. Great for taking pictures with. Someone supposedly stole it. Those damn kids! A "Continental Divide" sign had to do. I got my cold weather stuff on, as it was around 50 degrees. I put on booties, another jacket, big gloves, ear covers, leg, and arm warmers. Nice and toasty. The fellow with five chain rings in the front pulled in. I suppose they come in handy at some point, but possibly having 30, 35, or 40 gears would just confuse me. My 39x25 rarely got used as I mostly stayed in my 39x23 and 39x21. You sure can feel the burn of your legs when you exert yourself over your pace. The lack of oxygen has not bothered me too much, but you definitely have to be careful.

The long descent started. A semi passed me. I gained on it then whoosh I pass it. We go under a snow-shed tunnel and I slow things down a bit. Then out of it the speedometer says 52mph. The wind is buffeting me and I realize its time to feather the brakes a bit to slow down. The road narrows at one point and I stop to get a good picture. Then another stop to shed some layers of clothing. Jay and I whip along and almost pass lunch by. After a peanut butter, jelly, and BBQ chip sandwich, and some macaroni and cheese, we jump on the road. There is a screaming tailwind. The next stop is 25 miles, and I cover that in under an hour - and I had time enough to take a leak and a picture! A small group assembled at the stop. As a tandem leaves, we hop onto their wheel and the mileposts whiz by. Riding behind a tandem is a dream. You might as well have a truck in front of you.

We finished this short day around 2pm. Tomorrow is a long day - 146 miles, followed by a 161-mile day. Tailwind - stay!

Cortez, CO to Pagosa Springs, CO - 114 miles

Today started out with a nice climb up to 8000 feet (we started well above 6000 though). Rode part of the climb with Mike from California. At the first stop, recharged with some food - I'm getting a thing for Pringles - and Coke. Since today was going to mostly up and down, I figured I would ride alone. The next section was basically a screaming downhill into Durango. There were some slack jawed Billy Bob types in some of the pickups passing us. But everyone gave us a pretty good berth when passing.

After Durango, some more slow rollers into the countryside. Cows and horses were in fields next to the road. Tall mountains loomed everywhere as we snaked through valleys between them. Large billowy clouds hovered around some peaks, looking threatening, casting their shadows down their sides. There can be very localized weather patterns on mountains; hopefully we won't get caught in any.

Lunch was hamburgers! I woofed down two pickle, tomato, lettuce, and onion laden burgers and pondered getting a third. Phil from Florida did not ponder and helped himself to his third. Bisti the Pactour mascot dog got a burger dropped by the cook. Bisti likes burgers!

Left and we had more of the up and down. We had gone off the main road Route 160 on some back roads; they were pleasantly lightly traveled and very scenic. Pulling up to the last rest stop in the shadow of Chimney Rock, we were almost done. More grape soda, some chocolate chip cookies, watermelon, and Pringles. The last section had some climbing. Stopped at a historical marker before town. It was the spot where a frontiersman fought an Indian in a knife fight to settle a land dispute (the Indian lost - sorry!).

Tomorrow is the dreaded Wolf Creek Pass at 10,800 feet. Someone said it already has snowed up there. Keith has been up it on his motorcycle, and says the only thing he was thinking of when he went up it was how un-fun it would be to do on a bicycle. Lon said there might be a semi official race after the first checkpoint up the pass, at mile 18. Mile 26 is the summit, and we then drop to 4000 feet. This is going to be a fun downhill.

Chinle, AZ to Cortez, CO - 141 miles

We started this day early due to the long distance. I woofed down some oatmeal with brown sugar and milk, a yogurt, some cheese Danish, and OJ. I was a little nervous going out onto the road in the semi-darkness on this Indian reservation. Late night Thunderbird drinking, pickup driving Indians combined with us bicycle-riding idiots would make anyone nervous. Luckily we greeted the sunrise quickly, as a huge 15 or so rider pace line formed. There were beautiful red rock buttes and mesas all over the place and the red rising sun made odd beautiful shadows. We stopped to take several pictures.

I ditched the Camelbak at the first stop. That darned thing is annoying on your back all day. It was essential in the desert, but it has only been getting up to 90 or so in this high desert. Two big water bottles with ice would keep me for roughly 30 miles (A Camelback is a large plastic bag, typically 70 oz, of water covered with Neoprene for insulation, and worn like a backpack).

The next segment we rode by Half Dome Rock, an interesting butte. Then we whipped along in a tailwind into the next stop. I rode with Jay, who was on his every other ride day from crewing. Refueled at the next stop, then rode with Kimberly, the Serotta couple, and Stu. Had a nice big tuna sandwich with red juicy tomatoes, green sandwich slice pickles, cheese, and lettuce. A perfect sandwich. Some AZ state troopers stopped to warn us about nutty European tourist drivers who have a predilection for riding on the wrong side of the road (maybe they are just bad drivers?). Pat, who is an ex-New York City cop, was in her element chatting away with them. Susan said they were the nicest cops she'd ever met.

Hopped on a tandem for some nice descents. Turned off for the "four corners" stop - where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado all join. Got my picture taken on the plaque. Had a bubble-gum flavored snow cone. A big group left and we descended into Colorado. A few climbs thrown in. Nigel and I rode together, and he added to his story about his three-month truck trip from London to Nepal in 1979. He said this trip reminded him of that one because of the mixed bag of people and every one's different story. To be able to physically do this ride is a feat in itself, but getting the time off is the bigger feat for most.

The last section was into Cortez. Nigel and I stopped for a Dairy Queen shake right before the motel. Mesa Verde, the famous cliff dwelling place is around here so this is a tourist town. Plus supposedly there is a large German speaking population here and we have some motel literature in German.
The dreaded Wolf Creek Pass is coming up on Monday. I met with my Great Uncle and Aunt for dinner and they told me the road up Wolf Creek Pass is in really good condition compared to what is has been like in the past. Hopefully it won't be snowing!