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Day 22
We scoff at 122 Miles!

ROUTE: Pueblo CO to Lamar CO DISTANCE: 122 Miles WINDS: Light and variable at aour back at departure until about noon...then easterly 5-10
WEATHER: Cloudy high of 78 TERRAIN: Rolling...overall descending TOTAL CLIMBING: 1200 feet

DAILY DOINGS: Welcome back...it was a good day not to be riding yesterday.  We had winds in the 40-50 MPH range until about noon yesterday...flashbacks of Wendover.  When I got up and walked to breakfast, I almost got blown over twice.  By noon they calmed down and we were supposed to get headwinds today of about 20 MPH and thunderstorm all day...I love it when weather forecasters miss their mark...especially when they miss that kind of forecast.  We had clouds all day and the temperatures for this part of the country this time of year were really mild.  Last week it was 103 here...today it didn't get above 78.  Only hitch, when we get mild temps in the plains, it seems to always bring easterlies.  Oh well, it really doesn't matter, we're going to ride anyway.

The riders enjoyed a little time off yesterday.  Some went to the hot rod show to see the classic cars.  Every year we get here the same weekend of the classic car show...unfortunately, they sit outside the motel and drink to the wee hours of the morning and make lots of noise.  Hard to get a good night's sleep for a 4:30 wake up in Pueblo this weekend.  It's like that at every motel in town...every room is filled so we just have to deal with it every year.  At least the motel security made an effort to shush them around 11:00 last night or they'd still be going.  Several riders went to Colorado Springs for the day and others just lounged around the motel.  It was a good day to clean bikes, rest, and actually read something like a paper.  Only thing I hate about a day off is today...after the day off.  It really throws us out of our routine and makes getting going early this morning tough...but we managed.  We only had a couple stragglers at load that forgot what time we were leaving.  Hated to tell them their luggage was a bit too heavy for them to carry on their bikes if they missed loading...we're outa here!

Today was our longest day in mileage and most of the time we don't get through until around 6:00.  But today, everyone got an early start and all but one was finished between 2:00 and 3:30!  Great job gang!!!  I was supposed to ride today, but because of the longish distance and 3 SAGs, I felt I needed to be in the truck to make sure we covered all the mechanics and stops...as it worked out, support wasn't nearly as tough as it usually is on this day.  Everyone zipped right along covering lots of early miles while the temperatures were still cool and before the winds picked up.  Plus, we didn't get the thunder storms either...I missed a great day to ride...WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Our route today took us toward western Kansas...it looked like western Kansas all day even though we are still in Colorado.  Long gone are the mountains...welcome large ranches and dry climate at the start of the day, but by the time we got to the second SAG we started to see lots of green.  The terrain dropped about 1000 feet over the day which made pedaling a bit less strenuous and we didn't really have any significant climbs all day.  The terrain was nothing more than gently rolling when ever we encountered any type of hill.  That's the story for the next few days...rolling and dropping.  Nice to be over the divide finally.

Long day...only had a couple maintenance problems to deal with and we said hello to two new riders at rap...Kevin Spivey and Bob Shaw.  They'll be going the rest of the way with us...welcome Kev and Bob!

Tonight we had to shuttle to dinner...great spread where everyone in these parts go to eat on Sunday.  Now we'll be all tanked up for another longish ride tomorrow into Garden City a mere 104 miles away.  I'm riding tomorrow...yeah!  Finally I can get my butt out of the van for a day or two.  Check in and see how we do...I'm expecting headwinds now that I'm riding...or at least that's what the riders say.  See you tomorrow.  M

DAILY DISCERNING DIALOGUE:
"Now that the air is thicker, my tires are not losing air as often."  Scott, he's getting better.

"Most people drop bread crumbs to find their way back, but Clarence has left articles of clothing in just about every motel since we left California."   Susan...send 1 Under Armour, 1 pair of bike shorts, 1 pair of gloves (maybe 2), and a phone charger. 

At the SAG...Johnny commented to Clarence that he understood, it was just like him on the first day when he lost his phone..."I knew right where I lost it but never found it...it was on the Golden Gate Bridge."
"Oh, that was your phone?  I saw that phone on the bridge and I thought to myself, there's somebody's phone," said Clarence.
"You saw my phone?  And you didn't pick it up?"
"I didn't know you then," said Clarence.

"My legs are so tired, I feel like I'm riding into a gale force wind...please tell me the winds are that bad." 
"Sorry, they are tailwinds right now."

"It's not me this time...Larry's the one with the flat."
"Yeah Scott, but you are with him."  Sorry I had to point out that Scott was involved in another flat...he's like a flat magnet.

"It sucks to be 50."
"Yeah, but you get a 15% discount at Bells."  Florida girls.

"Looks like it was put on badly...the tube was pinched.  Who put on this tire?"
"Me," Monica replied meekly.

"I'll bet there's a lot of banjo pickers out here."
"Yeah, and a few harmonica players too." 

"Seems like we've been going uphill all day."  Greg.

 

 DAILY DUH:  

OK, it's me today...I get a lot of Duhs because when I do something stupid, I'm usually there to see it...if I'm paying attention...sigh.  I've done these rides so many times that I rarely use a route sheet anymore...I just follow my nose and get where I need to go.  Well this morning I was driving out of town and missed the only turn of the day...highway 50 took a left and the main road (which used to be highway 50) went straight.  I probably should mention that I briefed the route at rap and told everyone not to miss the first turn...but that's another story.  Anyway, I was just driving along and started to think back, "I don't remember a town here...hmmmm."  Before I knew it, I started to recognize areas I shopped in yesterday...I was in old downtown Pueblo...WHAT...HOW DID I GET HERE?"  I called Barb on the phone and asked her who moved Pueblo, I thought I just drove out of town...how could I be in the middle of town...I'm in town and I can't get out!!!!  It didn't take long for me to figure out, "Oh yeah, I was supposed to turn left someplace."  I turned around and retraced my route back to the turn...then I came up with a good story.  "I was just cruising the area for riders who may have missed that turn"...yeah, that's the ticket...I decided to stick with that story until I realized I'd already told Barbara over the radio that I'd found myself somehow in town...busted.

DAILY DIGITAL DELIGHTS

While solo, Tim thought, "Hmmmm, paceline drafting.  I wonder if that will work with bicycles?"

Linda wore her "Share The Road" shirt today.  "If they won't share the road today, I'm going to eat one of those breakfast burritos," she said.

UCK!!!!  What's with that?

 

Rich noticed some of the residents of this town were a little stiff...but friendly.

I couldn't figure out how Bob got his chain is such a twist...until I saw his feet...they were on the wrong legs.

The last cyclist that came through here stayed in the outhouse a little too long.

 

Now ain't that cute?

Darryl exclaimed, "My fiancé brought cookies and when I get here they are GONE!  What's with that?"

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