More Big Wind

We did 85 miles from Dodge City to Great Bend Kansas.

Its flat out here! Nothing to hold back the wind. Today we had 20-25 mph side winds from start to finish. It should have been a 5 hour day but instead was a 7.5 hour day.

We had two SAG stops at 36 and 62 miles. Unfortunately there was no shoulder for about 20 miles so no amount of drafting is going to help because with winds from the side you can't position a pace line such that it crosses the road. So everyone just had to work.

After lunch SAG at 62 miles, we got a nice aide shoulder such that we could have 3 bikes aside. It was a very tight fit and I had to concentrate very and grip the bars very hard to maintain a constant line of track. I had help from the thunder from down under; two Aussies Max and Norman. Both are older than I am by several years.

The wind was from the left. So the rider on the far left would ride as close to the rumble strips as possible to give the other two riders enough room to squeeze in between the far left and the shoulder's edge.

As wind strength varied or traffic passed the wind changes would threaten to push us together. Took a lot of concentration. We each pulled for two mile intervals. My HR was 115 while protected on the inside and then 135 while pulling on the outside. We did a great job together. My neck arms and hands were more tired than my legs at the end.

No pictures to post but I do have this video from Applebee's where some folks were asking Barry what we were doing.