I leave before dawn with a few dozen miles of tarmac to knock off
before the dirt. By riding early I was hoping to avoid the incessant
headwind but today it is up early and blowing hard. To my surprise Scott
catches and passes me. He has new bars to replace his prized 'H' bars
and seems to be happier, he has new energy. We ride into an undulating
treeless landscape, my knee twinges only a couple of times the whole
day, I feel so strong riding but the numbness is now a constant worry
and has taken the enjoyment out of the ride. Scott falls behind, I catch
Kent and he too is dropped. The headwind saps the power from your legs.
I turn through 180 degrees to head down a gorge and all of a sudden
20-25mph is effortless, I know that this direction will be short lived
though.
Kent repairs his carbon aero bars!
Kent repairs his carbon aero bars!
Kent and I ride in sight of each other until darkness settles. I
watch a big storm push across the plain we are traversing, the skies are
a blend of dark grey and blood red. The wind is so strong I can hardly
make headway, it's a relief to turn the corner and skirt the edge of the
hills. We bivi side by side, brought to a halt by a trail that the rain
has turned into a quagmire, we can physically go no further, we sleep
fearful of grizzlies.
Windy Valley
Windy Valley