The Tour de Dad has entered the brutal phase. Less than 250 miles remain, but each comes at a price.
Yesterday, the Weather Channel had promised northwest winds, and the athletes gamely talked of another 90-mile day. The morning’s southeast winds, the riders knew, would fade. But they did not fade. They strengthened. Around noon, the winds seemed to shift, only to cruelly smash right back into the riders’ faces. And then there were those hills. “Baby Monster,” ravaged Fred’s legs – he nearly called it quits after the 26th mile. When my dad reached BM’s peak, he slowed to yell another joke in the direction of the sag wagon. Instead he wobbled and, still clipped in, the wind threw him to the ground.
The winds shifted, now they did indeed blow from the northwest. But they blew cold. My dad packed on the layers and had me check and recheck the hourly forecast Weather.com, despite its recent treachery, while he paced about Lee’s Travel Court.
And for the first time on the Tour de Dad, he broke out the goggles.
“Are ya going skiing?” Fred asked when my dad climbed into the truck. The sky spit rain, the winds roared in 30 miles per hour gusts, pushing the riders all over the road. No matter.
After that little jaunt at 75-miles per hour, the riders remounted. Yes there may have been less joy in their riding and more weariness in their peddling. And yes the old sense of adventure may have been replaced by a grim determination.
As a hobbit once asked, “do adventures never end?”
This one should. In about four days.
Rose & Steve
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Cold Weather
Sounds like the cold weather and wind that arrived here today was already with you. Fred, you should have taken my lobster claw bike gloves. We have been out this week scouting rides for next falls Hubbard bike ride. We have been on some great trails but nothing as exciting as you have experienced on your trip. We will try and find a big steak and beer joint so you will feel at home. Travel well and finish strong, Steve and Rose