Day 15
Day 15 AM
Today we officially start the second half of our trip across the country while raising money and awareness for MS. Today’s ride is around 100 miles again with some big ups and also some big downs. If you are a cyclist you get used to riding from home and usually if you see a big downhill on your way out you know you will probably have to catch the uphill coming home. Well happily this is not an out and back! So plenty of challenges but unique ones.
Today again we find ourselves with very limited services during our ride. One has to make sure to have a plan to prepare to have all the fuel, both for the vehicle and the cyclists, that you will need to get from morning to the finish each day. Yesterday we went through only one town with any services and it clearly reminded all of us of a town from the old west. Very cool. More of the same today.
Cell service. I have some issues with that. Yesterday in the high hills of Texas was the absolute first day where service was questionable. How is it that I can get perfect service in a place where running water is a luxury and I can’t get service at my hotel, Diamond Mills in Saugerties, New York? Towers, towers, towers. They manage to put towers everywhere out here. Obviously they are ok with the trade off in order to have service. I wonder if the majority would feel the same all over the country.
Our schedule still calls for us to finish our trip across the great state of Texas by the end of the day Friday. That will be okay with me. On Friday we will bid farewell to Antonio and pick up Tommy Struzzieri at the Houston airport. We will have to be ready for the Alpha.win founder to push the pace on the bike. Can’t wait.
PM recap
Well today starts our third week of four in the Alpha team ride across the country for MS. Much to report.
1. We has another one of us hit the pavement today. Mike’s crank snapped in two and he was very fortunate to avoid serious injury. He presses on those pedals so hard I think the crank just said uncle. I have never seen that happen before and neither has Mike. We are a resourceful lot and swapped some things around and it wasn’t too terribly long before Mike was back to cycling. Now neither one of us needs to get a tattoo commemorating the journey as these good rubs stay with you a long time. Anyone who knows Mike is aware that he is super strong and will be himself in no time.
2. Climbing today was nearly 5000 feet. Who would guess that Texas could offer these kind of mountain views? Couple more glorious days of high country.
3. Nearly 90 miles today which is less than I expected but it brought us to our hotel and keeps us exactly on schedule. Quite remarkable given the fall and the very steep climbs that all including Jane and Antonio managed to put behind us. We have a hill at home in Woodstock with seven switchbacks known as Seven Sisters. I have found the rest of the sisters’ family the last few weeks and it is much bigger than seven gals.
4. We passed a fence today with old used cowboy boots on the top of the fence posts. Well over a thousand of them. Only in Texas.
5. Breakfast this morning was interesting. What sort of bread do you have? Only tortillas. Can we get milk with the coffee? No but we have orange juice. Clearly a cultural thing.
6. Finally saw some long horn steers today. They are huge and intimidating.
7. We are thinking of taking a day in New Orleans. Hopefully no one will think less of us.
8. Not lots to discuss in this part of Texas. We bike hard each day and have our mind on the end game which is the Atlantic Ocean and raising the 100k for MS. Keep helping us achieve the latter.