A quick visit to CrossRoads tour

Thomas, an Episcopal priest on sabattical, after descending the Canadian escarpment. Riders are still traveling 30 mph.

One of the roller-coaster hills on the way to Las Vegas. I hit a several-year best of 40.1 mph on one of them. (Slow for many of you I know!)

Tracy asked me a week before tour began when I would be visiting the tour. That set my thoughts to driving to Las Vegas (a five hour drive from Denver) and riding with CrossRoads for a couple of days. The original plan was to ride out to the SAG from Santa Fe and meet my good friends Jim Olsson, Jim Hall, and Rick. Jim called me on Sunday morning and said that Rick spent the day in Santa Fe being treated for altitude sickness. He asked if I would drive out 50 miles and let Rick drive my car back to the hotel so Rick could get more rest and get down from altitude. I did that and then rode to Las Vegas. Averaged 18.8 miles per hour!

Jim O. and I took turns riding and driving to Tucumcari. I rode 57 miles and averaged 18.1 mph today. I remembered Charlie as I approached the 5 mile mark and thought of what a traumatic day it was for us two years ago. I had some quad cramping just before the wall and after as well. A couple of gels relieved the problem. A truck hauling cattle was stalled on the wall (max 11 percent grade) with an overheated transmission, as I found out later. I was praying before I got to it that its brakes would hold.

Jim and I return to Denver tomorrow. Rick is better now and rode the whole day today. I am pleased to say that the tour had an aiding wind on both days with some crosswinds today. Today was the hottest day of tour with 90 degrees on arrival in Tucumcari.

I saw Hank and Carol in Mexico in late March and am pleased to report that they are doing well.

It is a cohesive group and Barbie, Harry, and Darrell will be welcomed by them when they begin riding. Tracy and staff are doing well.

Enough for one day

I was scheduled to ride a local hill climb race on Saturday but it was cancelled due to high winds. So Jim, Craig, and I went to do it today as a hard workout. I was to meet them at 10:30.

Shortly after I got on the Interstate, traffic comes to a standstill. I had passed two law enforcement cars already. I notice that no cars are coming from the opposite direction, so I figure a major accident on the other side has stopped us as people want to get a peek at the carnage. A police car comes racing toward me on the opposite of the highway. I look in my rear view mirror at the car and see it come to a stop with the officer jumping out with weapon drawn. The driver of a truck gets out but just goes to the back. Soon the officer has left the scene. Then a whole phalanx of officers are walking down the line of cars in front with weapons drawn. Not just pistols but assault type weapons. This is serious! They ask for all drivers to roll their windows down so they can look inside. This happens three more times. I tell the woman in the car next to me that I thought they found Osama last night. She laughs hysterically. It is one half hour before we can get going again. I learn later that two idiots have robbed a bank and they chose the Interstate for their escape. They are spotted and the road is shut down. Yes, they were captured. Several hundred drivers are ready to turn the keys on these idiots' prison cells and toss the keys away.

I called Craig and they have waited for me. It is 44 degrees when we leave and supposed to reach a high of 56. We finally get underway at 11. By the time we reach the top of Lookout Mountain, we have ascended just over 2,000 feet in 13 miles, with 1250 of it in the 4.5 mile race course portion. Weather is moving in it appears. We are not looking forward to the descent over the back of the mountain on the return to our cars. Fortunately, it does not really snow on us although flakes are flying. We have 8 miles of descent. I am OK for the first 5 of it but when we turn into the wind I begin shaking. It was worse when I pedaled. I could not maintain a straight line. I am so cold when I reach the car finally that I skip the planned lunch. Jim tells me later that he and Craig begin to shiver at the restaurant despite being seated under a heater. It is 34 degrees when I leave to drive home.

Yes, it was enough excitement for one day. I am going to Tracy's tonight for dinner. I have been helping a little with tour preparation The staff will be leaving Wednesday for the drive to Lost Angeles (I can say it since I lived there). For the XC09 riders, Mack will not be part of the tour this year. Given his early departures from tour over the past few years, travel insurance for him was prohibitively expensive.