Basically, left late today, at around 10 and just as I hit the 18th mile, this perfect 20 mph headwind started to kick in. For the next 50 miles, I had this wind in my face and it was honestly the most frustrating thing ever. Just as a notice, a 5mph headwind is equal to 1% grade. (A 6% grade is basically climbing the rocky mountains) So in essence, I was climbing a 4% grade hill.
It took me 1.5 hours to travel a sad 8 miles. It was demoralizing and a pure waste of energy, not to mention it hurts your ass like crazy. Can you imagine sitting on a skinny little saddle for 13 hours pedaling through headwinds?
I don't know how I did it, but for a good 10 miles, i was able to average 10 mph into this wind because I was thinking about cute ways to ask out a girl to prom. For some reason, it just took my mind off the pedaling.
I haven't been on many 8% gradients downhill but when I came to one, the wind was pushing so strong in my face that I had to actually pedal downhill in order to go at a decent speed.
At around 7 P.M, the wind started to died down and at about 8,
I got to the bottom of a mountain. Although it was 5 miles long, I sped up that thing like a monster. The mountain range blocked out most of the leftover wind which gave me renewed enthusiasm to bike faster.
I got to the top in half an hour and then seeing as it was already dark, I tried to get to the state border as soon as possible. (There was a motel at the border for some reason) The wind had died down almost completely by now and I even had a very small downhill slope all the way to the end.
Distance traveled: 88 miles
Time outside: 13 hours
Delta, UT >> the state line border, NV
(Finally, Nevada)
No comments:
Post a Comment