SlickRock

Great Divide Race June 2005

Day 6

The Wind Blows Harder

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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

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