Adventures of A Unicycling Sailing Whitewater Boater

Day 50.  39 degrees and a north wind in my face.  I left Vanderpool knowing I had one more big climb with some more smaller steep hills peppered along the way.  The plan.  My crew dropped me off and went for coffee.  They would meet me in a half hour in case I needed my 29 Schlumpf to climb the major hill.

Three miles into my ride I saw a hill that curved out of sight.  A fellow walking his dog that way said I was headed for a long climb.  I said that’s what I heard.  A third of the way up I could see the rest of the hill.  I was in an anaerobic state and had to take a breather.  The guy caught up to me and said when he first rode his mountain bike up the hill he stopped stopped in the very same place.  He said he slalomed up the road to take the edge off the gradient.  I started up again and passed him then had to stop again 2/3 of the way up.  He passed me again and said he would see me at the top.  We arrived at the top about the same time.

I rode on covering about 7 miles at an average of 7.5 mph riding speed when my crew showed up.  The wind was strong in my face so I could not ride in high gear.  I kept hitting little hills that should have been no problem.  I leaped frogged with my crew the rest of the day.

As the day wore on the hills got smaller but were 10 to 12% grades.  My quads were shot.  I just got off at one point to take a break and heard my phone ring.  I hadn’t had cell reception for 3 days.  My son called and I asked him what I should do to help my quads recover.  He suggested immersion in an ice bath or cold pool.

Shortly after he called the road finally flattened out and I was able to ride in high gear and give my quads a sorely needed break.  I must have crossed the Guadalupe River half a dozen times or more.

Crossing the Guadalupe River

Guadalupe River

I stopped in Hunt and ate a pint of chocolate ice cream.  I figured if I couldn’t cool down my legs one way I would do it another.

I stopped in Hunt for the day.  My cook was whipped from sorting wildflower pictures all day so we went to a local Mexican restaurant for dinner.  To make sure I am getting enough calories I had a double chocolate cheesecake for desert.  At the restaurant a fellow walked up to our table and asked if I was the unicycle man.  I said yes and he wanted his two sons to met me.  His sons Matthew and Andrew belong to a small unicycle club in Austin Texas.

Fellow unicyclists Matthew and Andrew

The Kerrville KOA graciously supported my cause by giving us a break on our camping fee for the night.

Stats for day 50:  Rode 36.72 miles at 9.0 mph, Max=15.9 mph, Ascent=2231′. Descent=2119, Max elevation=2046, Min elevation=1329′, Ave heart rate=109, Max=156, Ave temp=60 degrees, Total calories burned= 1303, Total trip mile=1463

Day 49 came with a cool north wind 10 to 20’s with gusts to 35.  My route took me northeast on 337.  Today I encountered some of the toughest hills of the trip so far.  They weren’t so long but a bit steeper than most of the ones in New Mexico.  The worst part about them was the wind.

Descending first climb of on 337. This looks like it could be fun on a bicycle

The road wound up and down the hills in every direction giving the compass fits.  More than once I was blasted so hard I almost stopped dead while trying to climb.  I stood on the  pedals with all my weight and wished I had eaten a heavy breakfast.

Ascending the second hill on 337

Ascending the 3rd hill on 337 with the schlumpf 29

This buzzard was watching me closely sure I would be his next meal

Pulling into Leakey a young couple rode up who are riding the same route but left around March 22nd.  We had just come over our first climb of the day and the one rider said he had been run off the road while descending.  I’m not sure if it was the same vehicle but I had a white hatchback of some kind come as close as he could to me and I was riding on the shoulder.  They said they had some local advise that an alternative route up to route 39 was less hilly.  I was temped to follow, but without knowing the source I opted to stay on route.

The two climbs I did after we parted were challenging and I have one more to go.  If I can make it through tomorrow I should be through the toughest hills of the trip.  I didn’t feel as wiped out as I do on some days but my legs are just dead.  Holding myself back on some of the descents was almost as hard as the ascents.  According to my cycle meter some of the grades were 14%

Stats for day 49: Rode a measly 30.06 miles the snails pace of 8.2 mph, Max=15.3 mph, Ascent=2762′, Descent=2946′, Max elevation=2386′, Min elevation=1581′, Ave heart rate=109, Max heart rate=153, Ave temp=63 degrees, Calories burned=1202, Trip miles to date=1426

Day 48 was a mixed bag.  I started riding East of Brackettville on route 334.  The winds were cross winds or headwinds depending on the direction the road wound.  A porcupine started out in front of me and just as I was plotting my evasive maneuvers to create the most distance between us, a semi truck passed me and scared the critter off.

I battled the wind until I turned north on route 55.  Route 55 is tar and chip like most of the roads in Texas, but is in good condition.  Unfortunately it carries more traffic and the speed limit is 70 mph.  Having the wind at my back was a welcome change and I rolled along on fairly flat road at a good clip.  But not fast enough for some motorists.  I had at least 5 drivers honk their horn at me in anger.  I’m not sure where they all learned to do that since I have never seen in any car owners manual honk your horn if you are angry.  I’ve never even seen a bumper sticker that says that.

I did have one motorist go by me while I was taking a break and then come back to see if I was OK.  He was a bit concerned because as he said “You are kind of in the middle of nowhere”.  Funny, except for El Paso and maybe Del Rio, I have had that feeling the whole time I have been riding in Texas.

After 37 miles I arrived in Camp Wood.  I scored a pint of Dutch chocolate ice cream (640 calories for those of you who are counting).  I was just getting ready to shove off again when my crew showed up and caught me in the act.  Joan wanted to check out the town, and I want to get in 40 miles.  My crew agreed to pick me up in a half hour.  Forty five minutes and 7 miles later my crew showed up.  Another day down and another day closer to nowhere.

Stats for day 48: Rode 44.38 miles at 11.4 mph, Max=15.5 mph, Ascent=1385′, Descent=968′ Max elevation=1860′, Min elevation=1165′, Ave heart=108, Max heart rate=134, Ave temp=77 degrees, Calories burned=1203, Total trip miles=1396

Day 47 felt like I was riding through molasses.  I left Del Rio into a headwind on route 90 on a gradual upgrade.  Route 90 is a chip and tar road with a high rolling resistance.  Sometimes it has had a smooth shoulder but most of the time the shoulder is rougher than the road.  Today the traffic was heavy enough that I frequently had to jump back and forth from road to shoulder.

I was able to ride in high gear most of the time but with great effort.  After riding hundreds of miles on route 90 I finally switched routes in Brackettville to route 334.  Route 334 is has less traffic but no shoulder and is also tar and chip.  When I started on 334 my direction changed more to the north so the headwinds turned into crosswinds and my effort went from pushing the pedals to staying up right.

One of my fears is that some law enforcement official will observe my pitching and weaving and think I am unicycling under the influence.  And I am.  I’m riding under the influence of the wind.

Often I have had a big mileage day after a layover day but it just wasn’t in the cards today. The average temperature was only 77 degrees today but it did get up to 95 and for once there is some humidity.  After 32 miles my crew rolled up an saw me sitting on the ground in the shade of a tree want’abe.  A pickup truck pulled up just after and wanted to know if I was alright.  Apparently when he pulled out of his drive he saw me dismount and turned around to check on me.  Aside from border patrol he was the first Texan to stop and check on my welfare.

I told my crew I was only good for 40 miles today.  She left and said she would be back.  At 40 miles she found me again on the side of the road.  She must wonder how I get from one point to another if I am always hanging out on the side of the road.  But it was perfect timing. I had ridden my 40 miles and she handed me a chocolate milkshake enough was enough.  Garmin agreed with me today that it was a tough day and gave me credit for 1348 calories.

I stopped for the day outside a ranch that made me nervous.

Mountain View. I don’t want to view any more mountains

Stats for day 47:  Rode 40.75 miles at 10.4 mph, Max=14.3, Ascent=1099′, Descent=669′, Max elevation=1520, Min elevation=1040′, Ave heart rate=113, Max heart rate=139, Ave temp=77 degrees, Calories burned=1348, Total trip miles=1351.

Not riding today.  Went to the Doc’s in Del Rio to check out a sore on my thigh unrelated to cycling, got some antibiotics.  The reason I mention this is for all of you concerned I am not eating enough.  I am now at just about my perfect weight for riding.  175 lbs.

Stopped in a bike shop in town and met another couple a day behind me. They are riding a section of the route I am riding that they did not complete the first time through.  They are taking the day off tomorrow so I figure they should catch me in a few days.

Staying at a nice RV Park the Broken Mill.  They have a pool but it is to cold for anyone but my intrepid crew Joan.

Day 45 (Sunday) was a much better than yesterday and I badly needed a good day.  I rode across the Pecos river and on through some more rolling hills on a close starboard tack with a light breeze.  The road was a bit rough chip and tar at first, but the shoulders were smoother than the road.

Pecos River Crossing

Pecos River Bridge

My back was a bit tight from yesterday but the going got easier as I went along.  After riding about 32 miles I saw an Exxon station and decided to treat myself to a refreshment. Just as I was about to cross over 5 lanes a couple of cyclists coming the other way crossed over to meet me.  They asked If I was cycling across the country and when I said yes they followed me into the Exxon station.

It turns out I had heard of one of the cyclists from a young cycling couple I met the day before who told me they met Dex Tooke a 60+ year old who had completed the Race Across America (RAAM) he completed the bicycled the crossing in 12 days.  he became only the 6th person in history over the age of 60 to complete solo RAAM.  I guess need to stop being such a wimp and pick up the pace.  He hosts cyclists passing through.  We exchanged cards and went our separate ways.

I treated myself to a 14 oz cup of chocolate peanut butter chunk Haagen Dazs ice cream.  I noted the 14 oz cup claimed to be 3.5 servings.  I easily ate it as one serving and replaced 770 calories of the 1097 I burned today.

Feeling wonderfully recharged I blitzed the next 8 miles to Del Rio.  My crew showed up as I stopped at the first traffic signal in 5 days of riding.  We continued on in town to the end of Map 3 of 7 maps for the trip.

Stats for day 45: rode 43.87 miles at 11.2 mph, Max=14.6 mph, Ascent=1004′, Descent=1345′, Max elevation=1644, Min elevation=1010′, Ave heart rate-105, Max heart rate=131, Ave temp=77 degrees, Calories burned=1097.

The wind blew all last night and increased from the day before.  And anyone who plies the water knows the longer and harder it blows the bigger the waves get.  That was just the case today with the wind on my nose again only stronger, the waves (hills) were bigger.   I reefed down to low gear and never shook the reef out all day.  And just to make me feel like I was at home and on Lake Erie I could feel the spray in my face.

The spray was coming from the overcast skies.  The precipitation was the first I had felt since starting the ride.  I know it won’t be the last, but they typically only get about 8 inches a year around these parts so the fine rain was mystifying.  I never really got wet, but I could have used some wipers for my sunglasses.

Near the end of my ride I was working up a long hill barely moving against the wind which always seemed to get stronger at the top when I broke a spoke.  As I walked over to a sign to prop the unicycle up to work on, my crew showed up and made a wind block with the truck so I could work in peace.

Today I met a young couple riding from Austin Texas headed for San Diego, and a retired couple on a tandem riding from Jacksonville Fl.  They were all enjoying the wind at their backs.

Unfortunately this day broke my string of eight 40 mile plus days in a row.  I rode 32 miles to just before the Pecos river about 45 miles west of Del Rios.  It was a very tough day.

Stats for day 44: Rode 32.73 miles at 8.4 mph, Max=11.5, Ascent=1378’, Descent=1566, Max elevation=1841’, Min elevation=1310’, Ave heart rate=106, Max heart rate=138,  Ave temp=60 degrees, Calories burned =1219.  Total trip miles =1267.

Day 43 opened with a light breeze on my bowsprit I continued to beat into progressively stronger headwinds and waves all day.  Waves you say?  You’re in the middle of the desert.  Not really waves but riding the rolling hills into headwinds felt like I was going up and down big wind waves all day.  In some perverse way I think I preferred the headwinds to crosswinds.

Saw this guy the last couple of days.  I wonder how he fairs in the wind.

Strange bike

The hills were just steep enough to force me into low gear, the rest of the time I powered on in high gear against the wind.  The crosswinds make balancing much harder than headwinds.  After 40 miles I was spent.

Last hill on day 43

Stats for day 43: Rode 40.21 miles at 10.6 mph, Max=16.2 mph, Ascent=860′ (felt like the whole way), Descent=1959′ (all felt like up hill), Max elevation=2666, Min elevation=1470′, Ave heart rate=103, Max heart rate=141, Ave temp=66 degrees, Calories burned=1038. Total trip miles=1234.

On day 42 I was determined to get an early start despite the festivities of the night before.  I just have to get some miles in before the wind finds me.  We were up before the sun getting ready in 35 degrees.  The crew wanted a hot breakfast but, they would have to wait until they dropped me off 6 miles east of Marathon.

I put the shell on my helmet, wore long sleeves and a windbreaker to start.  There was not a breath of air.  I rode well for a couple of hours before the breeze started to tease me.  Some cross, some head and a little tail breeze took turns keeping me guessing.  The breeze continued this game most of the rest of the day.

The night before we met Ron and Natasha headed the same way I am on their bikes.  This morning I cheated by starting where I left off the day before 6 miles and 50 minutes ahead of them in the race (not really) to Sanderson TX.  As it turns out I rolled into Sanderson about 5 minutes ahead of them.  I think they were a little surprised they didn’t see me sooner.  Of course my crew beat us all and had already sucked down a chilidog.

We all took a lunch break at the only open café in town.  I was pretty much done for the day but decided to ride with them for a few miles.  They seemed a little impressed as they watched me struggle with the building winds, and my cruising speed when not hampered by the wind.  They were riding on for another 30 miles.  I am always very impressed with the self-supported riders touring the country.  They can’t just quit any old place, have to carry everything with them all the time, and don’t always have a very good place to camp.

Dave, Ron and Natasha

Leaving Sanderson

Me, I’m a baby just stopping whenever I feel like it and calling the crew to come get me.

We came across another cross country rider coming from the outer banks area of North Carolina.  He had no particular destination in mind.

Stats for day 42:  Rode 51.51 miles (second highest to date, first back to back 50 mile days) at 12. 1 mph, Max=15.8 mph, Ascent=513’, Descent=1957, Max elevation=4297’, Min elevation=2680’, Ave heart rate=103, Max heart rate=146, Ave temp=65 degrees, Calories burned=1148.   Total trip miles=1194

Yesterday the temperature rose to 99 degrees while we were touring Big Bend.  I skipped a rock across the Rio Grande and hit a 1500′ wall in Mexico.

Santa Elena Canyon

Class V rapid on the Rio Grande

Today I started riding in long sleeves and 41 degree temperatures. I rode for 4 hours in long sleeves, the longest I have ridden in anything but short sleeves on the trip so far. There was a cool north wind, sometimes it was NW, sometimes it was N, sometimes it was NNE. Most of the time the breeze was on my port quarter or my beam. It has been very hazy the last few days due to dust storms.

When I first started 14 miles east of Alpine there was little breeze and I did the 14 miles without dismounting. Then the winds started to play with me so I alternated in high and low gear. I got a good stretch with the breeze on my quarter and logged some miles. By 12:15 I was having a real chocolate milkshake with chocolate ice cream and milk, in a little dinner in Marathon.

My crew called and said they were finished touring and grocery shopping and headed my way. I was able to ride another 6 miles before they caught me for my second longest day at 50 miles. By this time the beam reach was causing me to make too much leeway so I called it a day.

Met a father daughter team Ron and Natasha at the White Buffalo Bar in Marathon riding the same route I am. We drank some beer and swapped riding tales. They were chased by the same pack of dogs I was. We hated to end the evening, but figured we would run across each other on the ride the next day.

Stats for day 41: Rode 51.13 miles at 11.6 mph, Max=14.9 mph, Ascent=791’, Descent=1732’, Max elevation=5083’, Min elevation=4045’, Ave heart rate=100, Max heart rate=140, Ave temp=58 degrees. Calories burned=1088.