Big climb ahead today over Hoosier Pass - followed by quite a lot of downhill Though the downhills seem to be hurting just as much as the ups. Its all the bending over, ducking down and trying to hold it to get the speed! Freezing cold this morning and I left my arm warmers in the hotel so had to go back for them. Only 20 miles to Breckenridge - but took me 2 hours - felt like I was going 1mph. There was an old lady on a bike ahead of me and it took me 5 minutes to pass her. My legs were like lead.
Had my bike looked at in Breck. Gears cleaned and a new chain put on. Definitely running better after that. Also had some French toast for breakfast there.
Headed up the Hoosier Pass, which actually went okay. i rode it pretty well - got to the top feeling fine - took some time there to take a few photos. But then I think what happened is that rolling down my legs just got stiff. I remember the same thing happening in Ethiopia - pushing so hard up one of the climbs that when I got to the top and tried to put in some speed riding down my legs just gave up and didn't do anything for the rest of the day.
Good job it was mainly downhill so at least I could keep going - just struggled up the rises and didn't really take advantage as I should have.
Met my first fans. Elderly couple taking photos at the side of the road so I pulled over to talk to them. They are Friends of the Race and come from Oregon. They had seen Jesse and the other leaders and were now on their way back to Oregon. Really weird but cool. Amazing that there are actual fans of this stupid race out there, willing to come out and watch - I thought the only followers were those that followed our spots on the computer!! Anyway this made me giggle and actually gave me a little spurt as I rode down to Canon City. I knew there was a parcel waiting for me there but I needed to get to the Post Office by 5.30. It was close and in the end I missed it by 2 minutes. I kind did that on purpose at that stage. If I had got there a few minutes earlier I would have been able to collect my parcel but there would not have been time to send off my old stuff that i was replacing. Wouldn't have been able to carry the extra stuff till the next day.
Only problem is that my back tyre is worn out and desperately needs replacing (in the parcel) so lets hope it makes it the 50 miles to the next PO in the morning.
Found a great Italian restaurant in canon City and thoroughly enjoyed my pasta - so good to have some real food for a change. So then I rode great the next few hours to Pueblo and thought about continuing to Ordway. However again there was only 1 possible hotel there and i couldn't get through when I tried calling. On my way into Pueblo my chain fell off and got caught in the crank (my gears have been playing up) - of course this is all happening in the dark. So I put it back on but it was hopping around like crazy - so I stopped again thinking that maybe I'd broken a link. Actually it was just completely bent so I had to replace the link and then fix the chain. All this at the side of the road in the pitch black while I am being eaten alive by a swarm of mosquitoes. So by this time i was definitely decided to call it a day. I found some food and actually went to my hotel room feeling pretty good for a change.
Made myself an ice bath and did some stretching and then slept well. Just need to remember to drink plenty of water during the night. Hope I wake up feeling good in the morning!
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