It was almost like a rest day, except for a few of the fast guys who took the opportunity to post insanely quick times: how about 3 hours and 45 minutes for 100 miles? For what it's worth, they had to cycle a few extra miles to clock the distance but didn't enjoy cycling back into the wind to the hotel, hah-hah!
The good roads department people of New Mexico making good some tatty tarmac, which held us for a few minutes.
Never ceases to amaze how much freight is shifted in this country both by road and rail.
Well, it's almost 'Dallas', isn't it? Alright, I'll get my coat...
Had to take a picture as the fast fifty rolled-up...ridiculous.
The obligatory set of photos on about 10 different cameras which explains the rather half-hearted and frankly, limp effort on display here.
From the left we have...Daryl, Mark, Me, Lasse, Steve, Bob, Jason, Jim, Patrick and Steve.
Oh yeah, we lost another hour today, so now am only 6 hours behind the Motherland. Good day to lose it on, though.
Shot to ribbons. The sign, that is.
You heard The Can.
More freedom to roam...make the most of it, lads. You'll see why shortly.
But before that, here's a lucky escape...I was cycling beside Mark at 25mph explaining to him how that despite what he had heard Stateside, all the arseholes haven't quite given-up on killing in N.I. yet (he asked me, honest), when his rear wheel goes BANG and he manages to remain upright.
As you can see, a nail had decided to get acquainted with his tyre and rim. Good job it wasn't his front, eh? Jim the mechanic was with us before too long and had it sorted. I had only just changed a tube myself so we were glad of no further dramas.
Dalhart is a cattle town and below is a tiny section of the many thousands of animals who are sent here to eat constantly for 6 weeks prior to being offed. And then scoffed. Their weight will increase from around 800lbs to over twice that in that time-span.
There are quite a few of these vast feed stations along both sides of the highway, and as we caned-it past there were cattle trucks arriving and departing constantly.
Didn't really fancy a steak tonight.
Embarrassed stats time...fantasy conditions=jacuzzi cycling stats!
