Elevation gain: 6800 for 106 miles
Riding halfway across America has a detrimental effect on your brain, especially the reasoning part. I am proof of that. If you have been following my blog, you know I really struggled through the last two days of riding before rest day. I really hoped the rest day would do miracles. I started out a bit better and was drafting behind the tandem. Two miles out we hit some rough road and all of a sudden I lost the tandem and was down to 9 mph. I looked down to see if I had a flat. Nope. There was a headwind so I thought that was causing my problems. After 5 miles one of the Crossroads staff dropped back to let me draft. I couldn't feel any benefit of being behind him. I was going up the little hills about 4 mph and down the other side at 9 mph. I was about to cry. My legs just couldn't do any better. At 13 miles I flagged down the van. The staff member driving the van took my bike to load it up. He immediately said: "Jan, have you been riding this way all morning?". The back wheel was on crooked and one brake pad was tight against the rim. So effectively I was riding with my foot on the brakes! Now I think that was part of my problem for the last several days. Once the wheel was on correctly I was riding great. It felt so good! Yup, it was pretty stupid not to check the bike and assume it was my legs, contrary to all indications. But boy am I glad I found the problem.
There was a headwind all day today but no rain and it was cooler today. The countryside was a luscious green and so beautiful. Rolling hills all day. We crossed the halfway point today, which is why I am lying on the ground. The picture of Jyl and I is in front of a sculpture made of junk bicycle parts.
Yesterday in Abilene I went to the Eisenhower museum. It was really fascinating. We had dinner at a homestyle chicken dinner restraunt. It was just like a Sunday dinner in my childhood.
Tomorrow we cross into Missouri.
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That was one of my favorite rides last year. The flint hill and the lushness of the scenary were great. I have the same picture in front of that bike from last year. Some of my group wanted me to leave my bike at that house along with the other ones.
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