Saturday 19 June 2010

Day 31 Newberry to Wetmore

Saturday 19th June

Daily mileage 55miles Average Speed 11.4mph Ride Time 4hr51min
Total Mileage 1052

We didn’t start cycling until 11am as we wanted to use the hotel room until check out. With the towns today being few and far between we cycled 15 miles still along the same road west on M28 then stopped on the roadside for a quick slice of cold pizza.

We continued to battle into the headwind for a further 10 miles and stopped at Seney for lunch. Although it is really sunny today the headwind is making life very difficult. I have it slightly easier than Kris as he provides a good wind break for me, if I keep low I can grab the occasional free wheel where as Kris must cycle constantly. The winds were not gusty just relentless.

We only made it a further 4 miles out of Seney when we came across a rest area with our names on it! We laid out the sarongs and slept in the shade of a tree for an hour hoping that the wind would disappear when we woke. Unfortunately this was not the case but at least we felt more awake.

We cycled for 25 miles to Shingleton where we sat on the comfy concrete with a poweraid. Absolutely shattered due to the wind. We passed a bloke cycling the opposite direction touring on a recumbent cycle who pleasantly shouted out to us… you are going the wrong way! Thanks, that really helped. However, we know its true, everybody does the trans america tour west to east due to the prevailing winds, we had our reasons for going east to west but we admit we are wrong and are now being punished for it.

Only a mere 5 miles further on we came across Wandering Wheels Campground who offered us a pitch, internet, showers and electric for free. Thanks so much! This was too good of an offer to refuse so we pitched the tent, showered and enjoyed movie night in the tent with a nice hot coffee from the garage over the road.

I wanted to mention a few more things… Kris’s speedo is in km and mine is in miles so after 10miles I ring the bell once after 20miles I ring twice etc. So after 60 miles for example I have to ring 6 times and I am always reluctant to do so as I don’t want to draw the bears attention to us! Mind you Kris’s singing to the ipod would be enough to keep the bears away.

Also, we have been following the same road now for two days which is very long and very straight. The mirage on the road makes it hard to see where the horizon finishes. It is quite deceiving sometimes where the road looks as though its going uphill but feels easier to ride whereas sometimes it looks as thought the road is going downhill and yet its tougher to ride, may be something to do with the wind but it’s a real mind blower. I think anyone could physically cycle this trip given training and time but you have to be extremely mentally strong.

Finally, if its not the jerk driving past beeping with his fingers up at you, you have to dodge the wasps and horse flies, mind out for the trucks not to mention the family holidaying in their humungous RV towing a 4x4 towing a speed boat!








3 comments:

  1. Looks as if you are wishing a train would stop and you could board and be whisked down the track!I have heard of railbikes that would ride the rails, would be perfect if the wind was at your backs. Lets hope you are right, the prevailing winds are west to east, but I have read plenty of stories of it blowing the other way. We shall see.Keep having fun.

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  2. sending you mental power :o)

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  3. You guys are doing realy well when you get back over here we need to meet up and have a nice relaxing day with no biking or running.
    a few drinks and some good food. good luck with the up comming days.

    bbl

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