Distance: 89 miles
Average Speed: 19.5 mph
Terrain: Rolling for first 2/3rd. Hilly for last 1/3rd.
Today was all about the day coming up tomorrow. The mileage was light, the terrain was moderate. Don’t do too much work, get in early, rest. That was the credo for today because tomorrow will be a bear, the longest day of the journey at 145 miles and over 6800 feet of climbing, none of it on those long mountain pass grades that I fell in love with in California. Two years ago someone counted the grade changes on tomorrow’s leg on their Garmin and came up with over 240. The whole route is steep, short ups and downs. Tomorrow’s route goes through a place called Thousand Hills State Park, for Christ’s sake. The joke circulating around here is that Missouri used to be bigger than Alaska, but somebody had to scrunch it all up to wedge it into the contiguous states. Enough about tomorrow. I’m actually looking forward to it because I have no sense whatsoever.
I did the needful today. I stretched my legs in a fast pace line for the first third doing turns with the ride leader who does maybe forty miles a day and a racer named Jay for whom today was the last day. At the first SAG stop I knocked that off and sat on a pretty fast paceline and let Jay and Karen, another low mileage staffer, pull. After the first 2/3rd we had an average speed of 20.8 and had spent some miles in the Missouri terrain. The last 1/3rd I rolled in comfortably with a guy named Ron. It was a good day. I got a taste of the terrain for tomorrow and didn’t work very hard.
A couple of random things:
First, a recovery tip. Lie on your back on your bed with your butt against the headboard and your legs straight up against the wall. Spend some time there reading a book, doze off, whatever. Getting the legs way up helps with flexibility and gets them fresh for the next day.
Second, bike maintenance. I was complaining today how my tires had not held up at all. I had only had them for less than two months, and they were destroyed. The ride leader said, “Andy, how may miles have you ridden over the last few weeks?” The answer is almost 2000 since this ride started. Duh. Equipment gets torn up at this mileage over these roads at an amazing rate. Bike shops on the route are highly valued. At least we’re off the interstates now.
A little video now. Topeka is Hannah’s dream city so I thought I’d pull together some footage of our egress from that city as well as the moment I finally got out of Kansas.
Average Speed: 19.5 mph
Terrain: Rolling for first 2/3rd. Hilly for last 1/3rd.
Today was all about the day coming up tomorrow. The mileage was light, the terrain was moderate. Don’t do too much work, get in early, rest. That was the credo for today because tomorrow will be a bear, the longest day of the journey at 145 miles and over 6800 feet of climbing, none of it on those long mountain pass grades that I fell in love with in California. Two years ago someone counted the grade changes on tomorrow’s leg on their Garmin and came up with over 240. The whole route is steep, short ups and downs. Tomorrow’s route goes through a place called Thousand Hills State Park, for Christ’s sake. The joke circulating around here is that Missouri used to be bigger than Alaska, but somebody had to scrunch it all up to wedge it into the contiguous states. Enough about tomorrow. I’m actually looking forward to it because I have no sense whatsoever.
I did the needful today. I stretched my legs in a fast pace line for the first third doing turns with the ride leader who does maybe forty miles a day and a racer named Jay for whom today was the last day. At the first SAG stop I knocked that off and sat on a pretty fast paceline and let Jay and Karen, another low mileage staffer, pull. After the first 2/3rd we had an average speed of 20.8 and had spent some miles in the Missouri terrain. The last 1/3rd I rolled in comfortably with a guy named Ron. It was a good day. I got a taste of the terrain for tomorrow and didn’t work very hard.
A couple of random things:
First, a recovery tip. Lie on your back on your bed with your butt against the headboard and your legs straight up against the wall. Spend some time there reading a book, doze off, whatever. Getting the legs way up helps with flexibility and gets them fresh for the next day.
Second, bike maintenance. I was complaining today how my tires had not held up at all. I had only had them for less than two months, and they were destroyed. The ride leader said, “Andy, how may miles have you ridden over the last few weeks?” The answer is almost 2000 since this ride started. Duh. Equipment gets torn up at this mileage over these roads at an amazing rate. Bike shops on the route are highly valued. At least we’re off the interstates now.
A little video now. Topeka is Hannah’s dream city so I thought I’d pull together some footage of our egress from that city as well as the moment I finally got out of Kansas.
The river valleys in Missouri run generally North to South, relatively parallel to those two BIG rivers. You and Sexybike are riding West to East. Up and down and up and down and up and down.
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying your creative verbiage.
Continental Ultra Gator Skins are good and very long-lasting tires. Try those.
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying reading about your trip!