a view across the hill country roller to the next climb at the end of the valley
a beautiful longhorn steer on one of the exotic game farms
the buzzard tree waiting for us to pass so they can get back to the road kill
"fatcat " at the Lovecreek Orchard Store who has yet to meet an apple pie he didn't like.Today was another hill climbing day. Although there were only two climbs, they were both longer and steeper than any climb we did yesterday. Today was also day 7 in a 7 day stint of riding and we are all eager to have a day off to rest, regroup, do laundry, field strip and clean our bikes, fix the small rattles and clanks, and hit the bike store for more energy shots, electrolytes, tire tubes, tires, chains etc.
We started out with a nice downhill coast along the canyon with a tail wind. It was so smooth a ride that several of the riders missed the turn off just past the market and kept going, but most of us managed to turn east on road 335, putting the wind as a quartering headwind from the front and cruising up and over the rollers without too much stress. As we ride closer and closer to Austin, we are seeing more and more high square mesh electrified fences and passing more and more fields of exotic animals. Today's count included mule deer, white tailed deer, prong horn antelope, a smaller African antelope, eland, raindeer, moose, Ibex, big horn sheep, kudus, kangeroes including several babies, and several other species of antelope/deer that I couldn't see close enough to identify. these animals are kept on the ranches behind high fences, allowed to breed and then set up for hunters to bag as trophy kills. After all why travel to Afica when you can kill an eland in Texas? And of course everyone knows that raindeer and moose are native Texan species.
The first climb was quite steep for the entire climb, and unlike yesterday, didn't seem to have anywhere where it leveled out slightly. At times the headwind switched to a tail wind strong enough to actually give some assistance, but mostly it was a matter of put yourself into your lowest gear and just focus on the white line and breathing. The higher we climbed, the stronger the head wind seemed to be until several of the riders were beginning to shout out "give us a break" at the wind as they climbed. The climb was through a series of cuts alternating with open areas which meant that in addition to the headwind, there were vicious side gusts to cope with as well. Like yesterday, the road was press seal and there was little or no shoulder before the cross country gravel began, so having vehicles passing wasn't much fun either. Finally, just as I was beginning to contemplate toppling off of my bike for lack of momentum or air, the climb topped out with a short level and then a short downhill to the first SAG stop which gave us all a chance to pull off the road, use the bushes, catch our breath, swear at the headwinds and ask about the riders who had missed the turn.
The next 8-10 miles of the ride were the roughest in terms of headwinds and side gusts as we were essentially riding across the top of the hills over a series of small dips and swerves. We stopped to help with first aid one two riders who had been tossed off onto the gravel by the wind. Both had managed to unclip and get one foot down but had then had the bike get picked up and knock them over. Elizabeth was badly scraped up, so we pooled first aid supplies and got her cleaned off and bandaged. Peggy, the other rider, had managed to sit down, and although bruised and shaken from the bike landing on her, was not scratched or cut. Once we had finished the first aid, and Lois,another rider and a doctor had checked them out and given them the ok to ride, we went on.
It was tough riding, the road was level and the headwind was the stiffest we have had so far, but the side gusts kept us swerving off onto the shoulder and over the center line into oncoming traffic. I felt my pedal scrape more than once because of the angle I was leaning to fight the bike back onto the road, and ended up riding unclipped just so I could push off with my foot if I started to fall over.
Wind shaken and buffeted we were especially greatful to have a gentle 4 mile downhill which allowed us to mostly use our bodies as wind resistance brakes against the headwinds, and rest our hands. Once in the valley we started passing small streams and lakes, and xome very verdant farm lands with big horn cattle, horses, donkies, sheep and goats all grazing close to the road where we could see them. This section was without question the nicest part of the ride so far and comparable in bucolic scenery to anything we have passed.
At Medina, we were glad to turn away from the headwind and detour to the Lovecreek Apple Orchards which had been highly recommended as a food stop. According to the town sign, Medina is the "apple festival capital of the world" which seemed strange since I hadn't seen any kinds of orchards at all. Lovecreek Orchard is a little country store, self service cafe that specializes in all things apple including apple relishes, apple pie easily 6" thick, apple cookies, dried apple art, apple art themed quilts, cards, clothing (children's ) books, candy, etc. We all opted to eat in the inside screened in protected porch and sat down to apple pie with apple syrup and apple streusel coffee. Shortly after we sat down we were joined by "fatcat" a very mellow and very fat tabby cat who obviously has never met a piece of apple pie he didn't like. While I was in the restroom, he had jumped up on the bench and been trying to get hold of my apple cookie, but when I came back he was sound asleep and pretending innocence.
While we were eating, Michelle came in and mentioned that five riders had been seriously blown off the road, one had hit her head and they needed to get her into the ER in Kerrville, and that they were not going to call the ride, but were "strongly recommending " that people SAG in and not ride as the winds were increasing. Wisdom being the better part of valor, and realizing that the next 20 miles were all into the headwind, with the steepest longest climb yet to come, the rest of us sagged. The 4 big dogs, the ladies who ride hard, fast and do all the miles, along with our youngest rider Marcy who is 42 had already headed out and were determined to do the miles. As we headed out of town, we passed each of them and got a thumbs up signal, indicating that they were good, so we drove on into town, passing up and over the "eagles nest" climb- which was a series of steep 20% hairpins alternating with 10% stretches to the top of the ridge and then an equal number of scary steep hairpins down the other side, all of this with no shoulder to speak off. I have seen roller coaster curves that were tame compared to those curves and descents. I was very glad to not be riding them down.
We dropped Donna and Dr. Lois off at the ER and proceeded onto the bike shop to drop off bikes needing major repairs and replacements. The three guys took being swarmed by 15 women all intent on using the bathroom, getting resupplied and shopping in good humor although I did hear one of them commenting to another customer that he didn't know when he was going to get home. Several of the ladies bought armless jerseys figuring that they would need them eventually, while the rest of us stocked up on the usual electrolyte drinks, gu and gel shots, and chamois butter.
We are staying at the Y.O. Ranch and Convention Center, an extension of a large ranch further out. The lobby is high ceilinged and we all had ample time to examine the chandeliers with authentic Chisolm Trail branding irons dangling down from old iron rimmed wagon wheels, along with the over "30 examples of mounted game heads." They actually brag about this on their website. I counted at least 13 species indcluding the rare west Texas moose, reindeer, ibex and eland, along with the front half of a mother giraffe emerging from a limestone wall with her neck protectively wrapped around a baby giraffer, across the lobby from a fully upright stuffed brown bear. The head count does not include all of the sets of antlers, horns, the longhorn steer head and the mexican bull head. I did not however manage to locate the stuffed buffalo which is supposedly lurking somewhere.
Kerrville boasts that it is the home of the "fighting antlers" which I find exceedingly strange to think of as a team mascot. What they couldn't afford the whole animal? or are they just abbriviated in their thinking? Very strange.
Interesting signs today in Kerrville included "Thunder in the Hills
Christian motorcycle church", and " the only true freedom lies with Jesus." hmmm.
A festive dinner in the conference center dining room and a chance to meet our new guide, Carol, who is coming in to replacd Michelle followed the usual group whooping and cheering as the big dogs rode in. One of them took me aside and said "based on the last few days of headwinds, you couldn't pay me to live in Texas, you have my sympathy." I felt better about sagging out after that.
Day off Activities
I slept until 10:00 AM becuase our room was in shadow and I kept waking up, looking out and deciding it wasn't light enough yet to get up. Robbin, my roommate, started stirring and making getting up noises about then so I dragged myself out of bed although I could have just as easily turned over and gone back to sleep. We are halfway distance and day wise through the trip and the toll on the body is beginning to show. I had a cup of coffee, did some hand laundry, begged a ride into town with one of the riders whose friend had showed up to visit, ran some errands, walked back three miles as cross training, met up with a couple of the ladies for lunch, went down to the van and field stripped my bike and cleaned and lubbed everything I could get to and generally just hung around an putzed.
We have put behind us the longest days, and althoug we have four more that are 80 miles, we will be out of the hill country pretty soon. I keep telling the ladies they will miss the hills and the headwinds if the weather turns warm but I keep getting razzed for that comment. We have also put behind us the longest riding stints of 7 and 8 days and will be back to more frequent breaks, usually after 5 or 6 days. It all has to do with population distribution and accessibility to facilities.
Most of us are sunburned, tanned, peeling and most of the blisters are healing. We can climb, we can ride distance, we can fight headwinds, and everyone of us, the guides included, agree that our butts are smaller. We have coalesced as a group and generally know each riders speed, style of riding and preferance for bed at night. We can recognize each other from behind, and know each other's bike from the rear, the side and the front. We can tell at a glance who is missing and who is not, and we pretty much know each other's dietary eating habits as well. It is very rewarding to be friends with 22 other marvelous women, and I am looking forward to an more relaxed riding period to get to talk with each of them while riding.
Life is good.
Yesterday's stats
25.31 miles
1:56
12.5 mph
No comments:
Post a Comment