It was quick because we had a great tailwind today. The ride was effortless all day long. I averaged 19 mph and the average heartbeat was only 92. Many riders pressed on hard to the hotel just to see how fast the day could be. Yesterday, I rode at the front and today I rode at the back for over 60 miles. No hurry when the effort is so little. I did pass some lunching riders in Larned. Sadly, the restaurant I stopped at 4 years ago was for lease and closed.
George and I stopped at Pawnee Rock, a lookout point along the old Santa Fe trail. It was an important vista in the mostly otherwise featureless plains. I took a few snaps there.
People have interesting bikes. Champ has a seat that looks like a shark bit off the front half of it. It is designed for male anatomical comfort and he swears by it. Champ also rides with pedals that we all used in the 50s and 60s. He generates adequate power, much to my surprise. His bike in Los Angeles looked brand new when I unpacked it. It was not new; his bike store had cleaned it so well that it looked brand new. Harry has custom made handlebars with the Spiderman theme on them. Someone said that the bars cost $2,000. One of his wheels is Campy carbon and costs $3,000, or more than many bikes on this tour. The full bike is well over $10,000. Harry rides with a stuffed dog on the bars and a small aquarium with fake fish under the seat. I am finally getting used to his Liverpool accent although I still do miss some words.
Just two more days of riding for me.
Cheers,
Tom
No comments:
Post a Comment