Warm Apple Pie

Our Altimeters acutally showed 3800 feet climbed, oh well. Longer ride than yesterday, but more gradual climbs, except for one bitch of a hump to climb to get over to Weed.

Started with a 17 mile downhill in sunny weather all the way to Mayhill. Took the right turn onto 130, which basically started some false flats and rollers.

Kathy was feeling really strong early on. She decided to give me "The Look."


Got to the turnoff to do the 10 mile out-and-back to Weed, who can resist?


This dude from McAllen saw us on the road and decided to join us. I think he said he was the 2001 TMBRA state champ. He was strong, and he proceeded to repeatedly tell us how much the next climb was gonna suck. And after that climb, he told us the next climb really sucked. And on and on.


Well it did suck indeed, not horrible, but it was steep and long all right. Steepest, longest climb we've done, so far. We had to get up and over that ridge.


But then there was another ridge on the other side. Anyway, here are some pics.






We were down there. No, not there, way over to the right, way to the bottom.


And it was still gonna suck.


Anyway, we made it down the nice descent into Weed. I don't know what it was about that town, but it gave us the munchies. So we went to the Post Office/Convenience Store/Weed Cafe and each had a slice of warm apple pie.

Climb back on over. The descent was nice, and was over really quick.

Here we are back at the bottom, and the climb up and over (and back up and over) Denny Hill (that's what the people of Weed called it), getting ready to ride back to Cloudcroft. By this point, we're over 2 hours into the ride, and we've gone past Kathy's limit. But we've got another 20 miles and 2000 feet to go past that limit. Notice the clouds in the distance. It had been really nice earlier, and now it was pretty hot down at 6300 feet, but it was getting ready to get colder.


It was pretty damn cool though, it was like the damn tour...camera's getting too close to the riders as usual.


The camera loves us. I almost pulled a Virenque, or that other french dude that plays to the camera, and started to wag my tongue.


Peace Out Mofos!


p.s. Started thundering later, and rained hard enough to pull out the baggies for our camera, phones, ipod, fax machine, and had to pull on the vests and arm warmers. Left the rain jacket behind, to make room for the camera. It was worth it. This time at least.