Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Day 18 - Tuesday December 9
Description: Finished the ride just after noon today in Del Rio TX after a very short 33 miles. Remember, today was planned as a rest day.
Before I provide today's write-up, I would like to make a few comments. First of all, several of you have been worried about me getting Blackberry Thumbs. To help reduce pecking and formatting, I have saved templates for each day thanks to HP and SL. The thumbs are doing great due to all of the vitamins I am taking so stop worrying. Also, I want everyone to know that I see every one of your posts as emails and love the banter AND sage advice that I have received thus far and it really keeps me going knowing that so many people are with me on my adventure. The challenge is that I cannot reply directly to your blog posts without having access to a computer. That is why I have not responded to all of your input but please do not stop sending it my way as everyone seems to feed off of it and I do see it while riding!!! Another concern has been how I have been able to recover each day after so many back to back brutal rides. The truth is that I have been crossing the border (much cheaper and no cops) at nights for blood transfusions. I also take nightly EPO supplements, drink 4-5 cups of coffee a day, drink 2 pints a day, eat at least 1 PayDay a day, eat as many bean burritos as possible, and most importantly I shove as much protein, carbs, and fat into my system as I can! That is your answer Mr. Bridenbaugh.
Back to the blog write-up..... Today was awesome. I slept in until 7:30 and then to my delight, looked out my tent and saw the windmill behind me pointing toward Del Rio - yeehaa. I packed up my tent and then enjoyed a Starbucks Mocha Frapp (bought yesterday from Judge Roy Bean) and a Cliff bar for breakfast. Then Bob came out from his trailer and his wife offered me some fresh fruit and local almonds for the road. She also had Bob give me a self addressed card for me to send back to them so they would know I made it home - how cool was that? They were great hosts. I also gave them this blog address as they want to follow me. Then I shoved off with the wind at my back at 8:45. A mile and a half up the road, I stopped in Comstock (I did not see any gold) at Jim Holley's Bar and Grill for some coffee and home-made blueberry fried pies. Wow was that good and it only cost 2 bucks. Fully caffenated and stuffed, I rolled toward Del Rio. After twenty easy miles (my heart rate only averaged 101 today), I crossed the Amistad Reservoir bridge which was real tight on the shoulders. I cannot believe the Rio Grande feeds this huge lake based on how small the Rio was when I last crossed it a week ago. The water was clear and I will bet it is full of bass. Then I breezed the next 10 miles into the Ramada Inn in Del Rio. After a quick shower, I hit the Micky D's (had to use up my gift card)down the road for a couple of double c-burgers and fries to fill the tank with fat and sodium. I then found the local bike shop and marble distributor. Yes, that is correct, they sell bikes and huge polished marble slabs - what a combo. When I got there, the owner was unloading marble and asked me to wait. I went across the street to a donut shop for a couple of donuts and a coffee as I was still hungry. After nearly an hour, I went across the street and the owner had someone let me in so that I could maintain my bike. I cleaned the drivetrain, lubed everything up, and trued the wheels. The Mean Green Machine is now ready to make it to Florida. I also bought some extra gel handlebar tape as my hands have been getting numb from time to time. From there, I hit a Wal-Mart to stock up on supplies. Then back to the hotel for a load of laundry while enjoying happy hour in the hotel bar. To cap my calorie intake off, I had dinner at a Sirloin Stockade which is like a Golden Corral except this place had great steak. The storm that has been chasing me for days finally hit during dinner and there are now 35+ mph winds, rain, and some flurries mixed in. This is supposed to clear by morning - I have my fingers crossed as tomorrow is planned to be over 80 miles. I hope to post some new pictures to Flickr tonight.
Good night!
Weather: Warm, blue skies, and a good wind at my back - perfect.
Performance Metrics:
Miles: 33 Trip: 1,343
Total travel time: 3:20 Trip: 135:30
Bike Riding time: 2:13 Trip: 108:43
Avg speed: 14.65 Trip: 12.70
Max speed: 35.37 Trip: 41.87
Total ascent (ft): 256 Trip: 33,228
Avg pedal RPMs: 88 Trip: 87
Avg heart rate: 101 Trip: 116 - easy riding today
Max heart rate: 124 Trip: 195
Calories burned: 1,879 Trip: 78,047
Weather Statistics:
High temp 71 Trip: 75
Low temp: 57 Trip: 28
Hours of rain: 0 Trip: 8
Hours of snow: 0 Trip: 0
Total days of rain/snow: 1
Wind factor: very favorable
Total good wind days: 7
Total bad wind days: 11
Misc. Stats:
Flat tires: 0 Trip: 8
Mechanical failures: 0
Hotel or camping today: hotel - Ramada
Total hotel nights: 16
Total camping nights: 2
Cups of coffee: 4 Trip: 56
Pints: 3 Trip: 29
Mood rating (1-10): 9.25 - great rest day although the wind, rain, and snow outside my window is somewhat a concern.
Before I provide today's write-up, I would like to make a few comments. First of all, several of you have been worried about me getting Blackberry Thumbs. To help reduce pecking and formatting, I have saved templates for each day thanks to HP and SL. The thumbs are doing great due to all of the vitamins I am taking so stop worrying. Also, I want everyone to know that I see every one of your posts as emails and love the banter AND sage advice that I have received thus far and it really keeps me going knowing that so many people are with me on my adventure. The challenge is that I cannot reply directly to your blog posts without having access to a computer. That is why I have not responded to all of your input but please do not stop sending it my way as everyone seems to feed off of it and I do see it while riding!!! Another concern has been how I have been able to recover each day after so many back to back brutal rides. The truth is that I have been crossing the border (much cheaper and no cops) at nights for blood transfusions. I also take nightly EPO supplements, drink 4-5 cups of coffee a day, drink 2 pints a day, eat at least 1 PayDay a day, eat as many bean burritos as possible, and most importantly I shove as much protein, carbs, and fat into my system as I can! That is your answer Mr. Bridenbaugh.
Back to the blog write-up..... Today was awesome. I slept in until 7:30 and then to my delight, looked out my tent and saw the windmill behind me pointing toward Del Rio - yeehaa. I packed up my tent and then enjoyed a Starbucks Mocha Frapp (bought yesterday from Judge Roy Bean) and a Cliff bar for breakfast. Then Bob came out from his trailer and his wife offered me some fresh fruit and local almonds for the road. She also had Bob give me a self addressed card for me to send back to them so they would know I made it home - how cool was that? They were great hosts. I also gave them this blog address as they want to follow me. Then I shoved off with the wind at my back at 8:45. A mile and a half up the road, I stopped in Comstock (I did not see any gold) at Jim Holley's Bar and Grill for some coffee and home-made blueberry fried pies. Wow was that good and it only cost 2 bucks. Fully caffenated and stuffed, I rolled toward Del Rio. After twenty easy miles (my heart rate only averaged 101 today), I crossed the Amistad Reservoir bridge which was real tight on the shoulders. I cannot believe the Rio Grande feeds this huge lake based on how small the Rio was when I last crossed it a week ago. The water was clear and I will bet it is full of bass. Then I breezed the next 10 miles into the Ramada Inn in Del Rio. After a quick shower, I hit the Micky D's (had to use up my gift card)down the road for a couple of double c-burgers and fries to fill the tank with fat and sodium. I then found the local bike shop and marble distributor. Yes, that is correct, they sell bikes and huge polished marble slabs - what a combo. When I got there, the owner was unloading marble and asked me to wait. I went across the street to a donut shop for a couple of donuts and a coffee as I was still hungry. After nearly an hour, I went across the street and the owner had someone let me in so that I could maintain my bike. I cleaned the drivetrain, lubed everything up, and trued the wheels. The Mean Green Machine is now ready to make it to Florida. I also bought some extra gel handlebar tape as my hands have been getting numb from time to time. From there, I hit a Wal-Mart to stock up on supplies. Then back to the hotel for a load of laundry while enjoying happy hour in the hotel bar. To cap my calorie intake off, I had dinner at a Sirloin Stockade which is like a Golden Corral except this place had great steak. The storm that has been chasing me for days finally hit during dinner and there are now 35+ mph winds, rain, and some flurries mixed in. This is supposed to clear by morning - I have my fingers crossed as tomorrow is planned to be over 80 miles. I hope to post some new pictures to Flickr tonight.
Good night!
Weather: Warm, blue skies, and a good wind at my back - perfect.
Performance Metrics:
Miles: 33 Trip: 1,343
Total travel time: 3:20 Trip: 135:30
Bike Riding time: 2:13 Trip: 108:43
Avg speed: 14.65 Trip: 12.70
Max speed: 35.37 Trip: 41.87
Total ascent (ft): 256 Trip: 33,228
Avg pedal RPMs: 88 Trip: 87
Avg heart rate: 101 Trip: 116 - easy riding today
Max heart rate: 124 Trip: 195
Calories burned: 1,879 Trip: 78,047
Weather Statistics:
High temp 71 Trip: 75
Low temp: 57 Trip: 28
Hours of rain: 0 Trip: 8
Hours of snow: 0 Trip: 0
Total days of rain/snow: 1
Wind factor: very favorable
Total good wind days: 7
Total bad wind days: 11
Misc. Stats:
Flat tires: 0 Trip: 8
Mechanical failures: 0
Hotel or camping today: hotel - Ramada
Total hotel nights: 16
Total camping nights: 2
Cups of coffee: 4 Trip: 56
Pints: 3 Trip: 29
Mood rating (1-10): 9.25 - great rest day although the wind, rain, and snow outside my window is somewhat a concern.
OK ESN:0-7458562
This is Steve and I am checking in to let everyone know that I have finished my ride for the day safe and sound.
ESN:0-7458562
Latitude:29.3864
Longitude:-100.9046
Nearest Location: , Del Rio, TX, US
Distance: 0 km(s)
Time:12/09/2008 10:03:51 (US/Pacific)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=29.3864,-100.9046&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
ESN:0-7458562
Latitude:29.3864
Longitude:-100.9046
Nearest Location: , Del Rio, TX, US
Distance: 0 km(s)
Time:12/09/2008 10:03:51 (US/Pacific)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=29.3864,-100.9046&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Day 17 - Monday, December 8
Description: Sorry for the delayed blog entry but no cell coverage. Also, some of you were wondering why I did not ride up the hill to Comstock for a motel instead of the RV park. Answer #1 is that I was too tired and #2 is that the only motel is closed and under reconstruction.
Finished the 90 mile ride in Comstock TX at a small RV park.
Have you ever stood at the top of a sand dune at the beach and almost been blown backward as the wind whipped off the ocean? Well, that is how I felt on my ride all day long. I watched the weather forecast last night and they were posting wind warnings and said it would get worse as the day went on. Up the mountain where I just rode through, they were calling for 60-70 mph winds at Fort Davis and the McDonald Observatory areas! No breakfast buffet at the little motel this morning but I was prepared with oatmeal, Pop Tarts, a banana, and coffee. I ate around 6:30 and hit the road before the sunrise to get a jump on the wind. For the first 20 miles, it was cold, windy, and extremely foggy. I had all of my lights on and stayed well to the right of the shoulder hoping the hunters in their big trucks would not hit me. At 8:45, I arrived at the small town of Dryden which had a little store where I was going to load up on some coffee and snacks. They were supposed to open at 9 but after seeing no signs of life by 9:15, I decided to ride on into the fog in need of caffeine. Eventually, it warmed up and the fog lifted but the wind stayed relentless and was getting stronger by the hour. I was barely able to ride 9-10 mph all day and the ride was mostly downhill!!!! I pressed until I came across a place called Langtry which was at 60 miles. Believe it or not, in the middle of nowhere there was an old gas station that used to run by "Judge Roy Bean" whoever that is. The good news was an old man ran the store and made homemade smoked "Texas" beef bar-b-q. Man was it good and was I hungry. I had some chips, an ice cream sandwich, and a large bottle of Gatoraid. It hit the spot. I then moved forward in hopes of stopping at 80 miles at the Seminole Canyon State Park for the night. After crossing the Pecos river (this was a big river), I spoke with a guy parked on the side of the road in an RV. I asked how much further to the State Park? He said it was closed yesterday due to hunting season. Crap - now I had to ride at least another 10-12 miles. Luckily the Desert Hills RV park was open in Comstock. After battling the wind for 90 miles, I was whipped and ready to relax. I quickly set-up my tent and cooked a big dinner of 2 packs of Ramen noodles, a large pack of chunk chicken, a bag of trail mix, and hot chocolate. They had a great shelter with a sofa, table and chairs, lights, and heat for me to write this blog entry. Will be an early lights out tonight.
Tomorrow will almost be considered a rest day as it will only be around 35 miles into Del Rio. It is expected to be cold and maybe some showers as a front moves through. I hope it changes the wind direction! I will need to take some time to re-stock supplies, wash some clothes, and plan my next week's rides which do include lots of smaller climbs as I head toward Austin.
Good night!
BTW, special thanks to Bob and his wife (hosts at the RV park) for taking care of me and loading me up in the morning with fresh fruit and nuts!!!!
Weather: Cold, Fog, and windy in the morning which turned into a very nice afternoon except for the wind in the face.
Performance Metrics:
Miles: 90 Trip: 1,310
Total travel time: 10:00 Trip: 132:10
Bike Riding time: 9:22 Trip: 106:29
Avg speed: 9.60 Trip: 12.60 - record low!
Max speed: 34.69 Trip: 41.87
Total ascent (ft): 2,174 Trip: 35,146
Avg pedal RPMs: 86 Trip: 87
Avg heart rate: 108 Trip: 116
Max heart rate: 137 Trip: 195
Calories burned: 4,626 Trip: 76,168
Weather Statistics:
High temp 63 Trip: 75
Low temp: 44 Trip: 28
Hours of rain: 0 Trip: 8
Hours of snow: 0 Trip: 0
Total days of rain/snow: 1
Wind factor: Major Against at 15-25+ mph
Total good wind days: 6
Total bad wind days: 11
Misc. Stats:
Flat tires: 0 Trip: 8
Mechanical failures: 0
Hotel or camping today: camping - Desert Hills RV Park
Total hotel nights: 15
Total camping nights: 2
Cups of coffee: 2 Trip: 52
Pints: 0 Trip: 26 - dry night
Mood rating (1-10): 7.93 - OK, the wind has been hammering me for 3 days now. I am hoping for a change tomorrow.
Finished the 90 mile ride in Comstock TX at a small RV park.
Have you ever stood at the top of a sand dune at the beach and almost been blown backward as the wind whipped off the ocean? Well, that is how I felt on my ride all day long. I watched the weather forecast last night and they were posting wind warnings and said it would get worse as the day went on. Up the mountain where I just rode through, they were calling for 60-70 mph winds at Fort Davis and the McDonald Observatory areas! No breakfast buffet at the little motel this morning but I was prepared with oatmeal, Pop Tarts, a banana, and coffee. I ate around 6:30 and hit the road before the sunrise to get a jump on the wind. For the first 20 miles, it was cold, windy, and extremely foggy. I had all of my lights on and stayed well to the right of the shoulder hoping the hunters in their big trucks would not hit me. At 8:45, I arrived at the small town of Dryden which had a little store where I was going to load up on some coffee and snacks. They were supposed to open at 9 but after seeing no signs of life by 9:15, I decided to ride on into the fog in need of caffeine. Eventually, it warmed up and the fog lifted but the wind stayed relentless and was getting stronger by the hour. I was barely able to ride 9-10 mph all day and the ride was mostly downhill!!!! I pressed until I came across a place called Langtry which was at 60 miles. Believe it or not, in the middle of nowhere there was an old gas station that used to run by "Judge Roy Bean" whoever that is. The good news was an old man ran the store and made homemade smoked "Texas" beef bar-b-q. Man was it good and was I hungry. I had some chips, an ice cream sandwich, and a large bottle of Gatoraid. It hit the spot. I then moved forward in hopes of stopping at 80 miles at the Seminole Canyon State Park for the night. After crossing the Pecos river (this was a big river), I spoke with a guy parked on the side of the road in an RV. I asked how much further to the State Park? He said it was closed yesterday due to hunting season. Crap - now I had to ride at least another 10-12 miles. Luckily the Desert Hills RV park was open in Comstock. After battling the wind for 90 miles, I was whipped and ready to relax. I quickly set-up my tent and cooked a big dinner of 2 packs of Ramen noodles, a large pack of chunk chicken, a bag of trail mix, and hot chocolate. They had a great shelter with a sofa, table and chairs, lights, and heat for me to write this blog entry. Will be an early lights out tonight.
Tomorrow will almost be considered a rest day as it will only be around 35 miles into Del Rio. It is expected to be cold and maybe some showers as a front moves through. I hope it changes the wind direction! I will need to take some time to re-stock supplies, wash some clothes, and plan my next week's rides which do include lots of smaller climbs as I head toward Austin.
Good night!
BTW, special thanks to Bob and his wife (hosts at the RV park) for taking care of me and loading me up in the morning with fresh fruit and nuts!!!!
Weather: Cold, Fog, and windy in the morning which turned into a very nice afternoon except for the wind in the face.
Performance Metrics:
Miles: 90 Trip: 1,310
Total travel time: 10:00 Trip: 132:10
Bike Riding time: 9:22 Trip: 106:29
Avg speed: 9.60 Trip: 12.60 - record low!
Max speed: 34.69 Trip: 41.87
Total ascent (ft): 2,174 Trip: 35,146
Avg pedal RPMs: 86 Trip: 87
Avg heart rate: 108 Trip: 116
Max heart rate: 137 Trip: 195
Calories burned: 4,626 Trip: 76,168
Weather Statistics:
High temp 63 Trip: 75
Low temp: 44 Trip: 28
Hours of rain: 0 Trip: 8
Hours of snow: 0 Trip: 0
Total days of rain/snow: 1
Wind factor: Major Against at 15-25+ mph
Total good wind days: 6
Total bad wind days: 11
Misc. Stats:
Flat tires: 0 Trip: 8
Mechanical failures: 0
Hotel or camping today: camping - Desert Hills RV Park
Total hotel nights: 15
Total camping nights: 2
Cups of coffee: 2 Trip: 52
Pints: 0 Trip: 26 - dry night
Mood rating (1-10): 7.93 - OK, the wind has been hammering me for 3 days now. I am hoping for a change tomorrow.
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