The Forecast Says...

Ride Day 11

This morning we climbed out of the tent into a 33-degree morning after a night of robust winds and coyote songs. Throughout the night the tent had felt like it might collapse, but the manufacture’s declaration that it was safe in winds up to 50 mph must be true after all, because it held fast. The Bob got the water boiling for our mandatory pre-ride coffee, and in short order we were all huddled together in the glow of brilliant, early-morning sunlight drinking camp coffee and shivering uncontrollably. Breakfast consisted of Cream of Wheat or oatmeal, both of which taste like heaven when camping. After breakfast we broke down camp like a better-oiled machine than the morning before, and then off we went to commence the day’s ride

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The wind was forecast to be colder and much stronger than the previous day, still coming from the worst possible direction, which would mean we’d yet again be pedaling non-stop into another HEADWIND! And the forecast was unfortunately and absolutely, one hundred percent correct. The wind blew across the vast and open terrain like it owned the joint, bending the scrub trees and grass to the same tortured angles all day long. It teared our eyes and froze our extremities. It made Hank an unsteady beast, and it turned relatively flat earth into one long and never-ending hill. Odie described it perfectly and succinctly: “It wasn’t fun at all.”

Due to the grueling nature of the day, we made the decision to ride in 5-mile increments, take a quick break and repeat. Our goal for the day was to reach Lordsburg, NM, a mere 31 miles away. It turned out to be a good plan, because around mile 4 of each leg our own legs and lungs would start to protest, and that last mile would seem longer than the 4 that proceeded it. On the second leg we caught up to our new friends Dustin and Ana who were suffering just as mightily as we were. They joined us on a few of our breaks, dining with us on the cornucopia of scrumptious offerings contained within the OREM. We commiserated about the wind a little, but mostly we learned more about each other’s lives before once again climbing into the saddle to do battle

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After 6 of these cycles, we finally arrived in Lordsburg around 3:30pm, spent but happy. It felt like the team had its mojo back, the OREM was still warning-light free, The Bob was back to doing his leprechaun dance, and Odie and I seemed to be well-settled into our groove aboard Hank.

The forecast was calling for more bone-chilling cold tonight, so upon my urging, the team has decided to stay in a hotel for the night. We were three days beyond our last shower, reason enough to stay in a hotel, but besides food and water, a good night’s sleep now and then is paramount to helping us achieve our ultimate goal. We ate dinner at a Mexican restaurant with Dustin and Ana, who are also sheltering in a hotel for the night. For the casual diner the food was at best average, but for we 5 weary travelers viewing the meal through the prism of the day’s ride, it was wonderful and greatly appreciated!

Tomorrow the winds are forecast to lighten and turn westerly as the day progresses, so by midday we should have a tailwind pushing us down the road, which means more miles and more smiles! But of course, who knows, because the only guarantee on our journey is this: The Southern Tier giveth, and the Southern Tier taketh…peace.