So far 1,976 81,000 7 0:56
Another day in Paradise. I made up with route 8 this morning. The pavement was great. This section was lightly travelled and roamed across Arkansas through forests of southern pines. A mellow day on the bike. I wish I could bottle the absolute bliss I feel on the road sometimes, especially early mornings. The world is at peace, there are no clouds in the sky and the temperature is perfect. What can I say? Why am I on this ride this year and experiencing some of the best cycling weather I've ever experienced? Even the temperatures on the early days in the desert were below normal.
At one point today I was riding on the shoulder of route 8. The road pavement up to the shoulder was dark and reflecting the heat of the sunshine. The grassy, dappled in shade shoulder to the right was cool, giving off morning mist and coolness. So my left side was warm, almost hot while the right side was cool and comfortable. Was I half-baked? There is a picture of the road below.
Somewhere a bit short of halfway riders began to talk about the length of this trip. It IS long. But now that we've competed eighteen days it seems quite doable. The hardest days are behind us and I think momentum is starting to build toward the finish. Perhaps a little soon. As I contemplate the so far and the still to come the enormity of this undertaking starts to impress me. But I've ridden plenty of century rides before, so this is just a matter of stringing together the best, and hardest, of the bunch. How I like being strung along.
I fear my "cleverness" is starting to turn goofy, so let me regale you with some photos from today's ride. First, the dual-temp road shoulder:
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Bob Longoria |
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| Jerry |
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| Tracey & Gerhard |
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| Bob Clark - Breaking Away |
Some logging activity along the route:
Today's scenery:
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| Today's defunct gas station |
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Bear Bryant's Birthplace
Town
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| Wimsey |
Great description of your morning riding. It is so hard to verbalize that feeling and it explains why we do it. I don't know how you can ride so many miles everyday without a rest day. You are doing great!!!
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