01 July 2012

Leoti KS to Eads CO 80 miles (TransAm 2,130)

Some days out on the bicycle are best summarized by their highs and lows, of which Gina sent me her list for the day (followed by my own commentary, of course). Let’s start with the lowlights so we can end on a high note.

Lowlights
Half of the day was spent still riding in Kansas. Will crossing this state never end?
Headwinds and sidewinds. Slow and squirrelly – bad combination on a bicycle.
Nine hours and 80 miles spent in the same saddle position. Repeat: Will crossing this state never end?
The convenience store that would have been most convenient was inconveniently closed. Where’s a 7-11 when you need one?
Poor road conditions. What, no yellow brick?

Highlights
Half of the day was no longer spent riding in Kansas. Welcome to Colorado!
Found a water spigot. Apparently almost as useful as a convenience store.
Drafting with Paul. My guess is this would be more accurately stated as “Drafting behind Paul.”
A ladybug hitched a ride on my sleeve for a few miles. Always a sign of better things to come.
Nicole arriving with the van and cold Coke Zeros. Like a knight in shining armor on a big white horse, help has arrived.
A tailwind toward the end of the day. Take that, lousy Kansas headwinds.
A nice shower compared to the last 3 days. Good to know Gina is still showering, despite the group shower trauma from a few days ago.
It’s July, my birthday month. I got you a present but you’ll have to pedal another 2,000 miles to get it.