Day 292
Headwind
So let’s talk wind. No cyclists like a head wind. We cycle forward, it pushes us back. Then sometimes you get a side wind too, that affects our balance. Then if you are particularly unlucky it gusts too. Gusts are usually much stronger, so have the power to stop you in your tracks. Get the idea?
Then let’s then talk road surfaces, smooth tarmac means tyres roll along with little resistance. Gravel slows you down as causes drag and makes it harder to balance. A surface made up of compacted dirt drags a bit more. Wet compacted earth even more so. Deep gravel stops you in your tracks, as does deep sand.
And of course, tree-less flat landscapes means the wind can get you from any angle. We could see clearly for miles around.
So today we had it all. Awake at 6am to hopefully miss the worst, we were up and out of the Canyon by 7.20am. The first 9 miles were pretty good, yes, the wind was there, but we were on tarmac, the rolling hills and few trees were giving us some protection. We rode a section of Route 66, crossing a fantastic old bridge. Maybe it was going to be OK?!
Then the interstate road appeared so it was back to farm roads for us. The gravel was loose, deep in places and hard to cycle. The wind built. We got wet sticky earth for a while where no doubt the gravel had been blown away. Then gravel, then sand, then the road suddenly ended. We sat in a ditch and had a brief reprieve from the wind as we planned a new route.
Then things got worse. Sand so deep neither of us could cycle, pushing our bikes was a struggle. Fortunately, we were soon back on gravel. The wind really built up, I was continually stopped in my tracks, or pushed off my bike by the strong gusts. Tom offered to tie our washing line to my bike and pull me along. I’m a stubborn fool so declined. The worst point was when the gusts were so fierce, I struggled to stand holding my bike as the sand and gravel from the road blasted into me. At one point I saw what looked to be a swirl of wind and gravel forming a tornado, happily it was just dust blown up by an approaching lorry!
As all things must, it ended. We reached tarmac, rather frightening at times as I struggled to stop the wind pushing me into the traffic, but our speed built up, the wind eased a little as we approached the town of Watonga our destination for two nights. Strong headwinds are forecasted for tomorrow so we intend to have a bike maintenance, laundry washing, blog updating, film editing and familycalling rest day!
