Howdy folks, we're in Texas!The camera's working again, hurrah. Yesterday's photo is of a tourist information board on the way in to Tucuncari. It shows an area roughly 100 miles by 100 miles in which there are 5 points of interest - and one of those is the visitors' centre (where presumably you can learn about the other 4.)
Really nice, short day today. 8am start meant a leisurely breakfast and then plenty of time to get ready. Day was blue skies with white fluffy clouds, the kind of perfect English summer day that we haven't had in two years. Winds where moderate and from the South (anything with a south or west in it is good, anything with a north, or especially east, is very bad.)
I started out on my own, enjoying the sunshine, but soon got caught by a 4 man paceline moving at about 25 mph. I hooked on to it and managed to stay there for about 10 miles. It's exhilarating, but also scary travelling at 25 mph literally 12 inches from the back wheel of the guy in front. I dropped off when I was knackered and also my knee and hip started hurting. They soon recovered when I slowed. From the first SAG at 26 miles, to the lunch SAG at 66 miles I think is one of the best cycling experiences I've had. There were 4 of us working a paceline at 20-25 mph which was flying, but not stupidly quick. The roads where wide, flat, smooth and clean.
It's wide open countryside out here, endless grasslands, but somehow not as desolate as the last couple of days. Just before Dalhart we passed some cattle feeding lots. There are cows in pens as far as the horizon, thousands and thousands of them. It's burger production on a massive scale. The smell hits you like a wall.
We covered the 96 miles in five and a half hours and that included two SAG stops, one puncture (not mine) and several photo ops. We lost an hour today as we passed from Mountain time in to Central time. I think we're only 6 hours behind the UK now. People seem friendy here, we've had several toots and waves, but also had a bottle thrown at one of the guys today.
The guy who was taken to hospital a couple of days ago is now fully recovered and rode the full day. However we had another in the van all day. He's been suffering terribly from saddle sores almost since the start which meant he's been standing on the pedals a lot recently. It's now all got too much, he's gone to the hospital this evening to see if there's anything they can do, but I guess not riding a bike is going to be the main advice. (WARNING TOO MUCH INFORMATION ALERT) My arse is fine in case you were wondering. I know an excellent nurse who recommended a special cream.
At dinner I thought I'd try the local delicacies. 'Brisket' is very thinly sliced roast beef, which is smothered in BBQ sauce, delicious. I haven't yet tried a Breakfast Burrito, which is like a tortia wrap filled with bacon, sausage (OK so far) scrambled eggs (hmm not sure about that) and pancakes with maple syrup (you've got to be kidding.) If like me you are trying to follow a 4000 calorie a day eating plan, I can offer some handy advice. Some prefer a Big Mac and fries at around 4pm as a kind of apperitif to the main meal, whereas I prefer a jumbo sized Twix just before bed.
Tomorrow is 113 miles and we're into the wind, word is, it's going to be a tough day.
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