July 16

Snyder, Texas

Not a bad start to our death run across Texas today. The wind didn't quite want to cooperate with us but it wasn't terrible and we made pretty good time. I rode with the two fastest guys on the team and almost died but it was well worth it. A lot of the groups got racked for time today but we were able to do every mile. I definitely overestimated myself today. The combination of little rest and overcoming my illness meant that I had little energy left over for riding. I was sore, tired, cramping, and ready to cry and quit- and that was during the first ten miles.

About twelve miles in I got a flat and was able to stretch out some and things were a bit better. I just had to focus really hard on everything except for how much I hurt. Bobby Blackstock, one of the aforementioned fastest guys on the team, is well known for his propensity to only stop every thirty miles or so while everyone else stops every ten. I was pretty worried about that but the other guys bailed me out pretty consistently by needing water and stuff so we never went too far. Today was the day that I thought my legs were just going to literally stop working. For awhile there, I was kind of hoping they would, just so it'd be over. This isn't the hottest it's been all trip, but I can't remember the sun ever being this oppressive. I took my helmet off at a crew stop and sweat that had been pooling literally splashed out. It was towards the end of the trip. We thought we'd been Red Flagged but we hadn't and so it didn't take long for us to get back on the bike and take off again. Days like this show me just how much I can go through. There are a few rides on this trip that I will distinctly remember, and this one isn't one of them. But I think that's what makes this so special- the fact that there are numerous days that would stick out in any other time in my life but are just normal days now. There are too many things on this trip that have made me proud of myself to count, and when all that starts to blur together, you know you've pushed yourself to your limit.