Day 35 - Grinding Away into Dalhart, TX

The days get harder and harder as our bodies get sorer and sorer. Texas has not been treating us well. After two days of intense crosswind, today we were treated to 86 miles of straight headwind. The first part of the day we were able to travel between 11 and 13 mph but by the end of the day, 8 mph was all we could muster. It took us more than 3 hours to compete the last, mind-numbing 30 mile stretch. 

This trip would be impossible without my teammates. This morning, I rode with Eliza and we chatted for the first 50 miles, distracting each other as the miles crawled by. There wasn't much to look at, just lots of wide open space broken occasionally by an oil well or a factory farm. There was one pretty scene this morning as we descended into a valley. Rocks rose up in either side of us and the land went on farther than the eye could see. It is amazing how vast the land stretches. 

At mile 51, there was a Dairy Queen that was treating everyone to free ice cream!!!! It was our saving grace today because it was roasting hot on the road. I had a s'mores blizzard which was so delicious I almost cried. Eliza had a Butterfingers blizzard. 

 

After that, we just put our heads down and grinded out the last 30 some miles by sheer willpower. The heat was so dry that my mouth felt like sandpaper no matter how much water and Gatorade I downed. I heard that it was 112 degrees on the road today, but luckily the wind took some bite out of the heat and there was a little cloud cover. I turned my computer upside down to avoid watching the miles accumulate so slowly. JD, Curtis, and I formed the slowest pace line ever but we managed to keep it together and I could barely believe it when we rolled into Dalhart. These last three days have been the toughest I've ever experienced. Our minds and bodies are worn down but we are determined to keep going. Just keep pedaling, just keep pedaling. 

We have learned so much about ourselves and our limits on this trip. It amazes me how much the human body and soul can do. Every person on this trip is driven by their passion to serve others and sometimes, that is the only thing we have to carry us from one city to another. Thank you all so much for your support, especially during these tough days. It is hard but we know that we can do it!!!

92 mile day tomorrow into New Mexico! The team cannot wait to leave Texas. A new state should definitely boost the team morale!

Well, I've just finished using the "Stick" to help stretch my sore quads and it is about time to hit the thermarest. Pray that there is a tailwind tomorrow! Goodnight all!!