I sure do miss Katie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We knew today, being the second longest mileage day of the trip, was going to be a challenge. Yesterday taught us (the hard way) that the 3 of us were working way too hard. We needed a recruitment campaign! At breakfast, we discussed adding at least 2 more riders to our group to lighten the load of pulling across another long stretch of wind-blown prairie. We got lucky and got 3...Steve (a huge engine), Ken and Geoff! We were set! All safe riders and very capable of keeping the pace up. For you non-cyclists: the "draft" is key. The guy at the front of a paceline is doing most of the work (pushing the wind). If you stay close to his wheel you can "draft" ala NASCAR and reduce about 20-30% of the effort. If you only have 3 riders rotating off the front of a paceline every mile...each guy is pulling once every 3 miles. If you have 6...each guy is working at the front once every 6 miles and sitting in the group getting a rest the remainder of the time. More guys=less work=the ability to maintain higher speeds over a longer distance. This sounds like one of those algebra questions I always hated! Anyway, we were a fine-tuned machine today. We were so far ahead...the staff wasn't able to get to the last SAG before us, so we rolled on into Albuquerque! Some beautiful scenery again today. Cowboy and Indian country. I have trouble getting the theme somg from "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" out of my head...heyyahhh! Took some pics at the Continental Divide...and rolled thru a really cool lava field. Most of the day on the Laguna Indian Reservation. The poverty in this area is really sad to see. The people have all been extremely friendly. I talked to group of ladies at a store stop today...they couldn't believe we'd come from Los Angeles. They really flipped when I told them we were on our way to Boston.
Getting this post done early today so I can get an extra hour of sleep tonight. Another long one up to Las Vegas, Nm....no, not that Las Vegas...I wish!
Our early morning roll thru Gallup…to Denny’s Grand Slam #4. I swear, after this trip…to never eat at Denny’s again!!! We rode 8 miles to get there this morning. I was starving!
A table full of Grand Slam’s
Our “Gang of 6” heading toward Albuquerque
Me at the Continental Divide Trading Post
Me again at the actual Continental Divide
1 comment:
Now this would have been the prefect place for your "rest stop" photo! You know the one with viewer discrestion adviced.
Half of you could have relieved yourselfs to the pacific and half to the Atlantic!
Keep up the peddling! Great trip man!
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