Blow Me

“White knuckles and sweaty palms from hanging on too tight. Clenched shut jaw

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I think I finally had enough. I think I maybe think too much. I think this might be it for us

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I’ve had a shit day

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Life’s too short for this” - P!nk

Pardon me for the crudeness of the title but the lyrics are too bang on to pass up. In all of the miles I’ve ridden my bike over the last 45 years, I can honestly say I have never worked so hard to go so slow, if I wasn’t climbing a big hill. In a single word - brutal. I have whined and complained about the wind before, but that was mostly just bellyaching and injection of a bit of humor into the blog. There was no humor in today's ride.

We left the hotel at our usual time of 9:00 under milder temperatures and a sunny sky that has proved elusive until today. It’s safe to say that by 9:05, questions about our sanity were starting to enter my brain and by 9:30, I was ready to be done. The winds were a solid 20-25 mph and gusting to 35. After the first few minutes, they were either coming straight at us or from our front left. This combined with an inexorable gradual ascent through rolling hills. When we’d crest one and get a slight downhill before the next rise, we had to pedal down the hill, or risk being stopped in our tracks.

After 20 exhausting miles, we came to the first and only town on our planned route today. McLean, Texas - population 665. We had to stop and take a break because if not then, when? There was a small table In the gas station/convenience store and we sat for awhile. I looked at Dan and told him it might take some heavy equipment to stand me up and get me back on the bike. We had 30

more miles today and then 40 tomorrow into winds that were forecast to be as bad or worse. At that point, we made the best decision of the day - we were done. Almost. The gas station was not the optimal spot to find someone going to Amarillo. Really our only choice was a rest area on I-40 about 13 miles further up the road. We hadn’t gone more than 1/4 mile from the gas station when a woman in a minivan rolled through a stop sign and then accelerated across the intersection, slamming on her brakes less than a foot from my front tire. Of course I was hard to spot in a f’ing BRIGHT GREEN windbreaker directly in front of her. I was screaming at her through her rolled up window as she backed away. Flustered from that, we hadn’t gone another 1/4 mile when we inadvertently ventured on to the I-40 on-ramp. We quickly realized the mistake and cut across about 50’ of grass to get back on the right road. During that little traverse, Dan’s chain came off. I was no more than 10’ in front of him and he was yelling to get my attention. He happened to be yelling directly into the wind so I never heard a word. I pedaled for a few more miles before I turned around and noticed he wasn’t behind me. Eventually, he caught up and we slogged our way to the rest area with the last 1/2 mile on the freeway, into the wind, going up the biggest hill of the day. Fitting.

We had figured that the best way to find a ride west to Amarillo was to be in the westbound rest area, where every vehicle in there was heading our direction. After 45 minutes or so, we’d had a few polite conversations with potential rides, but nothing materialized. Enter Sandeep. We had noticed him earlier. A 30ish man who walked past us when he first arrived at the rest area. He proceeded to roll out his yoga mat and begin to exercise. Turns out he was a long-haul truck driver, originally from India and now living in Toronto when he’s not on the road. He had noticed our bikes when we walked by and after his yoga, he came over and started talking to Dan. Dan explained our predicament, and Sandeep gladly offered to take me to the Amarillo airport. He just needed another 30-45

minutes to finish his exercises. We were so excited and grateful for the ride, we didn’t mind at all. He then went back to his truck and brought out his dumbbells and began doing curls. It was only about an hour to the airport from where we were, and Sandeep and I had a very pleasant conversation. He asked me how to follow this blog, so Sandeep, if you are reading this, thank you again for your kindness!

After picking up the van from the airport, I drove back to get Dan and the bikes and we ended up back at the same hotel in Elk City, Oklahoma that se we’re at on Saturday night.

This segment of Route 66 is now over!

Special shout to oldest daughter and technical director of this blog, Erin. While writing last night’s post, I hit my storage limit but was unable to upgrade on my phone. I frantically texted Erin and she completed the upgrade for me. I have a few straggling photos from yesterday that hadn’t made it in, so those first.

State #5 on Route 66 heading west

Right up there with the tanning salon back in Illinois as my favorite Rte 66-themed enterprises. Pretty sure vaping didn’t exist when this road was built. Neither did tanning salons.

On to today’s photos

Perhaps nowhere in this country is there more pride in the shape of their state. IMHO, all hat and no cattle. More to be ashamed of here than proud of.

My sentiments exactly as the day wore on.

You get the idea

Me and Sandeep when he dropped me off at the airport.

That averages 9.1mph.