It was very tough going today, fighting a headwind over much of the 77.8-mile ride from Ft. Hancock to Van Horn, TX.
It would have been a lot tougher had my Minnesota friends not volunteered to carry my rear panniers in their support vehicle.
So I guess I just did my first day of a partially supported tour.
It’s not hard to see why many people prefer to do supported tours like this, because every pound you carry on your bike truly makes a difference when you are pedaling uphill or into a headwind.
But I still prefer the independence I get from carrying my own weight and riding solo. Too much politicking involved in riding with a group. And I’m thinking it would too tempting to ride in the support vehicle whenever the going got rough. What’s the point of that?
Anyway, hopefully we’ll get a tail wind during tomorrow’s 74.3-mile to Marfa TX, where the the Minnesota crew and I will be parting ways.
That’s where they are heading south to Big Bend National Park, and I’ll be continuing east toward Austin.
Much of today’s riding was on a frontage road—the old highway—alongside I-10.
Mark was the only member of the Minnesota crew who pedaled the entire 77.8 miles with me. The others rode much of the day in the support vehicle.
DM:77.8; TM:1,129; 2,104 ft climbing; avg. spd, 10 mph; 7:28 hrs riding time
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| Mark |
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| Lunch, with county jail inmates in background |
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| Dinner at Van Horn RV Park |
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| Van Horn RV park campsite |
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| Van Horn RV park |
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