Day 12 pics

Our new ritual is to roll into town before we get to the hotel….in search of the local bakery or tortilleria. The perfect post ride carbo load and it’s only a couple of bucks…including a Guava Soda…yummy!


Most of the people in these shops don’t quite know what to make of us. We ride in and stuff our faces…then ride off into the sunset!


Rob getting’ a haircut and a shave. We had a great time “jawin’” with the locals in there today. Most of them can’t believe we came form LA…much less that we are going to Boston. These guys enjoyed having us in there goofing around!


I-man getting a cut and shave…he’s more aerodynamic now…don’t you think?


In Dodge City…do as the locals do! Even if you only have a banana as a weapon!

Day 11 Dalhart,Tx to Liberal,Ks 113 miles @ 19.6mph

So much for our attempt at a sub-4 hour century. We had the team, we had the legs…unfortunately, the winds had not yet shifted to the south as they had been forecast. We started at mile 7 with a team of 6 and planned to crack it to the Kansas state line 100 miles to the NE. At mile 5 we were down to 5 guys…at mile 10 we were down to 4 and just a few miles later there were only 3 of us! It was NOT pretty! The wind was howling from the NE and we just couldn’t keep the speed up. My legs felt great again today. We settled into our usual comfortable pace….deciding to create a wind block for Iain. It was cloudy today…but rain free. Hard to believe we are in Kansas already! We passed miles of wheat fields that are the richest color of green I have ever seen. You can tell how far you are from the next town because you can see it's grain elevator on the horizon. Our hotel in Liberal,Ks is directly across the street from the Dorothy (Wizard of OZ) Museum. Had a great steak again tonight…hey, it’s cattle country. A couple easy days coming up (under 100 miles per day)…then a rest day in Topeka on Tuesday. I know I’ll be sleeping in!!

Sleep has been hard to come by since we started. Everyone has some sort of “issue” going on. For me it’s been…in bed around 8P, sleep and hour or two, wake up…go to sleep for another hour…repeat until our 5A wake up call. Yesterday, I think my body just decided that this is what we were going to be doing and it may as well play along instead of fighting it…and I slept most of the night! Most of the towns we stay in are very small and the hotels are right along the railroad tracks. I live in Winter Park and Katie and I both love the sound of the train at night…but when you can’t sleep it\’s a different story.

Sorry this is late…no wireless in last nights hotel and my dog yanked the Ethernet port out of my computer…no kidding!


Things get wacky when you wake up 28 cyclists at 5A to get ready for 8 hours of riding. Bill apparently forgot how to use the pump!


A clear sign that we are in Texas


This is for you Robert…the closest thing I could find to the “Owl Capital of Texas”!


It is a very small world. Bill is a retired farmer and spends winters in Tucson,Az. Today…and unexpectedly, a car rolls into our SAG stop and asks for Bill. It was one of his Tucson cycling buddies heading back to Minnesota.


“I-man” leading the rest of today’s peleton into Liberal, Kansas.

Whenever we see a “Welcome to” state sign there is always confusion. “Do we stop”…or go on? Team Europe stopped. I just shot this as we passed!


This guy ran out of the barn top follow us along the fence today…pretty cool!


Today’s peleton entering Kansas. Note crazy Rob hanging off the sign.


We try to stop at whatever bike shop happens to exist in some of these little towns. Most of their customers are long distance cyclists like us…some in desperate need of parts to continue on. I decided to try out this beauty!


Rob with his favorite video.

Day 11 pics

Cyclist clothesline


Details…details! Not sure I want them working on my transmission. (photo: Mike Monk)


Iain, me, Rob and Judd in front of the Hooker Horny Toads sign in Hooker, Ok.


The gang with Mike our ride leader


When Judd is pulling…you never really know where he will lead you! (photo: Mike Monk)

Day 10 Tucumcari, Nm to Dalhart, Tx 96 miles @ 18.9mph

The weather today was absolutely miserable. I'm not a big fan of riding in the rain. At home, if it's raining when I get up...I stay home. Out here...you gotta do the miles, regardless of the conditions. We left Tucumcari in a spitting rain that turned into a deluge just after crossing into Texas. We battled some pretty strong crosswinds again today. Fortunately, Highway 54 has the widest, smoothest shoulder we've ridden. We passed feed lots with 1000's of cows that you could smell for miles. At one point we spooked a field rabbit. Stuck between us on the road and a feed lot...the poor guy just kept running. We were going 23mph and he was still able to outrun us. He kept that up for well over a mile until he got to a clear field where he disappeared. I think he got his workout for the day. It was nice to get finished early today. Unfortunately, not much to do here in Dalhart. Had a great lunch at Hodies BBQ and a chocolate shake from DQ.

The weather should clear for tomorrow's 3 state (TX,OK,KS) run into Liberal, Kansas 113 miles away! HW 54 runs to NE as straight as an arrow. The winds are forecast from the SE...so our plan is to get a 5-man group together and try for a
sub-4 hour century (100 miles). We've taken it relatively easy the last 2 days and today my legs felt great! I think we can do it!


Welcome to Texas!!!


Say what you want about Texas being the homestate of G Bush...any state with road shoulders this sweet is fine by me!


Rain soaked self-portrait


"I-man" surviving another day on the road!!


Brian and Judd enjoying a stroll thru Dowtown Dalhart, Tx..."It's not just ugly...it smells bad, too!!"

Day 9 Las Vegas, Nm to Tucumcari, Nm 110 miles @ 16mph

It’s hard to find an FTD Florist out here, so here are some flowers for my beautiful wife! I love you Katie…and miss you very much!


The scenery today was absolutely breathtaking! I have always been a big fan of the high plains…and they did not disappoint. After the last 3 days, everyone was ready for a “bunny ride”…if you call 110 miles over a pretty hilly and extremely windy course a bunny ride! As you can see by our average speed…we took it easy. We had a gang of 9 today, which made it even easier….me, Judd, Rob (who treated us to his version of “Moon over Tucumcari”), Kasper, Bill, Greg, Brian, Guenter and Paul. The weather was perfect..and the roads were in incredible condition with very few cars. We rode two abreast most of the day. My legs really needed a break today. We had a few really tough climbs and I could really feel them in my legs. Another great day on the bike!! dd

Day 9 pics

As the sun came up we rolled past this farm. We spooked a group of about 6 stallions and they all started bucking and running for the barn….beautiful!


Judd rolling down the Rt. 104 to Tucumcari, Nm


This was by far…the most spectacular ride I have ever done. The high plains are magnificent!


Even with constant applications of zinc oxide and spf 60 sunscreen, my face is getting blasted!


The awesome beauty of today’s ride.