bonked

we left the dad’s creek cabin at 9:00, and moved to the east over 10-miles of freshly graded road. the rocks brought to the surface bounce a fully-loaded bike and can redirect your front wheel in a flash. it can be treacherous and within the group, or to whomever we encounter, “ride safe” is the word we spread.

i let a few pounds of air out of my tires to allow a more cushioned trek but still, you have to pay attention. a bad road surface means your neck and upper arms will be engaged and before too long, your upper body aches.

we left as a group this morning but in short order, the four riders with boutique 2.2 and 2.25” tires and low rolling resistance distanced themselves from me. rather than time trial back to them, i accepted my fate as the last wagon in the donner party expedition and pedaled at a comfortable pace.

fortunately, the weather had changed overnight and the northwest winds that pushed smoke towards us yesterday were replaced by a fresh northeast breeze.

mountain valleys are fickle, however, and as we climbed, we faced a stiff headwind that increased as our ascent peaked at around 8,000 feet.

uphills suck, but the benefit is that every uphill results in a downhill and with it, one has an opportunity to regroup, have some water, a snack or other recuperative items unless…the road has been graded and your hard-earned downhill turns life-challenging.

once we started the descent to the i-15 corridor and lima, we enjoyed a tail wind, which turned into a nefarious, sustained 25 mph wind for the 7-miles to lima.

i will tell you: i was completely bonked by the time i arrived at the exxon, where the group had gathered. i exhibited no social skills and only wanted to eat and drink my goods and do so in a hurry.

it is a terrible feeling to be bonked. you sense hunger and thirst and exhaustion all at once, but are uncertain which apocalyptic beast to address first.

i know my breakfast this morning was minimal for our 48-miler today, in part because our planned food resupply in grant yesterday was scratched because the store was closed and evidently, only the owner knew that.

not a good business model.

nevertheless, i felt i could make it with the snacks on hand, until the head winds slapped me into lima.

within the past hour, i have downed 130 fluid ounces of water and am just now starting to feel okay. it’s the price you pay when you assume things will be okay, even though there are always variables that will trip you up.

next: beds in a box, part 2. 😩