auger in...

windy as a...fill in your own expletive(s). maybe one of the hardest efforts I've ever put in to make it 40.68 miles before making the turn for the "free ride" back to my starting point.  High winds, loose/deep gravel, & 42x18 were the components for this lesson in diggin' deep.  That "free ride" I mentioned was a challenge in itself, the cross-tail on the way home was so vicious that I had to fight the forced drift towards the ditch, skating across the gravel into the even deeper stuff on the edges. Losing it going 30+ on gravel was not in the game plan... 

thought a 7:15 start might cheat the wind. wishful thinking, it was already
hammering SSW at 20...

a lot of this, out of the saddle (on the flat) trying to keep things rolling...   

a sheltered (much needed), get my shit back together moment...

part of a 4-mile stretch, mmr was all dry, but felt like riding on carpet...

mmr carved out of the landscape, a shelter from the wind & a place where corn stalks go to die..

I've decided that strava is great for tracking my route, but just doesn't mesh with my computer which I believe to be accurate.  I've got to rely on one & since the strava app is on my iPhone in my pocket I'm going to go with what I can see on my bars.  Also the app drained my battery & my phone died on the journey.  I'm going with 80.29/14.1 avg.

As I write this post (5:30pm) I'm fighting to keep my eyes open, I'm that worked...



btw - "auger in", that's an Eki term from TI last year, love that expression...

to all that fought the fight today...hell yeah!

later,

tk