A bunch of miles that I lost track of. The plains are downright hot!
I'm starting to get behind with all this night riding to avoid the heat.
The last few days, in summary:
We rode out of Olney Springs at 4 am to make miles before the 100 plus degree heat smacked us. After a long, mid-day siesta, we finished riding at night. It's the only way to combat the heat.
Riding with the sunrise and sunset has been beautiful. The early mornings are cool and peaceful, and there's barely a car on the road. I'm so glad we started doing this, because it's my favorite time of day. As the sun comes up, the sky turns a vibrant pink, and as it sets, the sky has an orange hue to it. Everything just looks prettier and more interesting.
Yesterday we stopped in at a Bible Church to rest and wait out the heat. I lost all energy and had nothing left to give, so we ended up rolling out our sleeping bags and calling it a day. It was cozy and clean, and we had a huge kitchen to cook in. I even played a little ditty on the piano for kicks.
Earlier in the morning, we met 2 families of 12 on 6 tandems, riding west. I have never been more impressed to see young kids piloting tandems, clipped into the pedals, and very seasoned riders. One young fella about 13 seemed way beyond his years, as we talked about saddle sores and Gold Bond powder. An 8 year old let me test out her saddle and told me how great it was. And one other young girl checked to make sure everyone had enough water. I still can't get over how impressed I was; most young kids would rather be home horsing around all summer, but these kids were spending their summer on a bike with their parents. What incredible lessons they are gaining so early in life.
Today, we entered our 6th state, Kansas. We rolled up to the border just beyond sunrise and did a little jig of happiness. Kansas is flat, hot, dry, and full of corn and wheat fields. We're going to make some miles!
Just beyond the border, we met Tyler, a face I know from the Crazy Guy on a Bike site. He just graduated from high school and is now on his third tour, the first being the whole TransAm when he was 16. Neat.
Oh, and we are now more than half way to Virginia. Yep, we are awesome.
Ok, off to jump in the pool and cool down. Riding a bike is tough.
Patrice, you continue to amaze me!!
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