Wow - The Day To Indio - Not What I Expected

OK, I know, I know.  This does not look like a picture you would expect for someone riding their bike across America.  But I will explain.

Today was the ride from Riverside to Indio.  The route was 90 miles and I rode 57.  My goal when I came on tour was to ride every mile.  This morning that goal was changed to ride every hill.  I decided that being from the South Carolina low country I should take advantage of improving my hill climbing ability.  Well part-way up the second hill, in 111 degree heat, that goal went out the window.  I flagged the van down and took a 10 mile bump and got back on the road.  I rode many a mile and was doing OK until we hit headwinds going into Palm Springs.  For those of you who have ridden the tour, this is a section that normally has very nice tail winds.  In fact, Rik the mechanic said in 17 years there have only been head winds two times.  Well four miles from the SAG, the three of us riding together stopped at a service station, bought 3 gallons of cold water and poured over our heads.  After finally cooling down, we rode into the SAG and called it a day. 

While heading back to the hotel in a SAG van completely full of riders, we came across a rider on the side of the road under a palm tree.  He clearly needed to get in the van and get cooled down.  I volunteered to get out (I am kind of a pseudo staff elf) and wait with his bike for the next van.  There was no room for bikes on the first van.  By the time the day was over the second van was completely full of bikes and riders also.  And then the first van had to go back out on the road to finish up the day.  My hat is off to the riders who completed the ride today.  It was a monumental effort.

So we have officially NOT hit the desert yet.  That is tomorrow and the next day.  These are 100 mile rides and the weather will be just as hot with winds from the wrong direction.  Sooooo....  my goal changed again.  It is to stay healthy now.  In 2010 I rode the full rides in the desert and have been there and done that.  I decided that I was not riding at all tomorrow.  So I will be helping the staff with the SAGS.  But believe me that does not mean I will be cool and comfortable.  We will be out there all day and the heat will affect us as well.  We do get to cool down in the vans at certain times and don't have to pedal.  I will evaluate the second day of the desert tomorrow night.

So the reason for the picture is that Tom Gray was going to the store tonight and I brought nothing to put on my head except a helmet.  So he picked me out quite the attractive UV protective hat.  I think he did rather a good job.

So this tour is turning out different than I expected.  I will try to take some pictures tomorrow.  And I will be back on the bike.