Tail Wind!
We left Odessa around 7 AM aided by a southwest wind of about 10 to 15 mph. We were windstrong, no big hills and a chip and seal road in good repair. We made excellent time to our first water stop at Harrington (23.7 miles). There it looked like our luck had run out.
While getting water, the wind blew our bike off its kickstand, snapping the rear brake lever. Rich, the mechanic on the ride, came up with an ingenious work around. He used zip ties to make a loop that I could fit my fingers through and actuate the rear brake. We only lost about 20 minutes before we were back on the bike. By the time we reached our lunch stop at Reardan (49.8 miles), he had gotten a new brake lever from a local bike shop. He installed it while we had lunch. The man is a miracle worker!
The descent approaching Spokane was something else, long, lots of curves, and good pavement. We lost 431 feet in 2.8 miles and got up to 39 mph, and we might have gone faster, but cross winds were too strong. This hill is part of a marathon in Seattle. It's run in the opposite direction near the end of the race, and it's called "Heartbreak Hill."
Rest day tomorrow. I think most of us can use it.
1 comment:
Whoo Hoo! A day of rest and just in time. Sounds like you guys are real pros. Solving problems and biking like super heroes. Keep it up; we're all rooting for you! am
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