It was cold last night and a lot of people were complaining this morning about being cold at night. I even had to pull my fleece out this morning before the ride. Breakfast was being prepared by some local catering company and they were late delivering the breakfast burritos so everyone sat around chomping at the bit ready to go. They were worth the wait and the sun came up and warmed things up.
George from Texas announced this morning that to day would be his last day riding. He may come back in a couple of weeks however he is taking all of his gear so I would not give that a high likelihood. His wife is sick with cancer and he needs to be with her while she receives treatments. I hope things go well.
The ride was 75 miles to day and we started off down some little used roads before getting on to the I-10 for a few miles. Then we crossed over to this frontage road which paralleled the I-10. It was a chip seal road. The chips were huge chucks of gravel and they just jarred your teeth out. The road had a 1% up hill grade virtually all the way. So it wasn’t steep but between the chip seal and the grade it just wore you out. One side was the I-10 and on the other was the railroad. It was dead straight and really boring and hard.
I got to the lunch stop which was at the 40 mile mark by 10:40 Am and didn’t feel like eating so I just rolled on through. I don’t think I can eat another plate of refried beans.
After the last sag stop at the 60 mile mark we crossed over the interstate and the last 15 miles was down the interstate. I just got onto the interstate when I broke my chain. It was a brand new Ulterga chain too. So there I was on the interstate with a broken chain, and by now it is close to 90 F. The pin which let go was still attached to one side of the chain so I beat the pin back in using a pair of rocks. By the time I was finished I was black with chain grease up to my elbows. There was only one hill which was about a mile long and then a 6 mile down hill to Van Horn. The beat together chain held and I made it in first.
We are here in a KOA campground which is pretty nice. Hot with no shade but they have WIFI and tonight is barbeque brisket.
Terry
3 comments:
Glad y'all have made it to TX!
Love your stories.
Having Fun??? Are refried beans becoming to you as Sauekraut is to me? You need a warmer sleeping bag?
Stay safe. Sweet vest you get to wear. Hope they let you keep it.
Beating your chain back together with rocks? You're an animal!
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