Day 12, Thursday, September 19

We're over half-way through the trip mile-wise, now, and will be over half-way through the trip time-wise by the end of the day tomorrow. The second half should be easier because the miles are shorter, there's less climbing, we won't be at altitude, and we're all stronger!

Richard "Criterium Specialist" from Iowa.

Phil "Lone Wolf" from Florida

Charles from Minnesota

Troy from Michigan

Doreen from Maryland

Josh from Maryland

People on this trip are just too dang nice. Today, Richard from Iowa shielded me from a pair of black chase dogs, and also helped me find my room at the very confusing hotel in the evening after I'd been wandering around for twenty minutes with my gear bag and bike. Phil from Florida brought my bike up the stairs for me. Troy from Michigan slowed down so I could draft him from the second rest stop until the end of the day, about a hundred miles later. I also drafted Josh and Doreen on their tandem for several mi, and rode with Charles in the morning, each time keeping people at my left to shield me from the winds blowing from the north. Without all that drafting it would have been a much different day and I'm very grateful for all the help.

Oklahoma is beautiful, much more varied than the part of Texas we saw. We got rained on in the morning, and for most of the day the giant sky was filled with dark clouds that looked very "picturesque" -- as they used to say in art history classes -- behind the farms and open fields. I do think I saw more cemeteries than people in Oklahoma today, though, and we saw our first armadillo road kill and some road kill turtles as well. Josh and Doreen said they stopped yesterday to move one turtle out of the road, which is very thoughtful of them.

Tomorrow is going to be even longer, with probably more of the same riding conditions as today -- strong side winds with lots of rolling hills all day. I'm pretty sleepy now so will sign off and get rested for tomorrow's ride.