Early start this morning, expecting the worst. 105 miles, very cold and headwinds. As expected bitterly cold headwind, burning my face. Nothing to look at except cotton fields and oil wells. Undulating ground and straight roads. Just me and my mind today. Speeds not to bad but everything seems to be a struggle going into the wind. It’s going to be like 8 hrs of solitary confinement. Just keep pressing on. Rain clouds gathering to my right, maybe it can get grimmer.
After 35 miles I pull over to eat, urinate and put some air in my rear wheel. No where to hid from the wind just standing on the side of the road. Large pick up comes past me and does a u-turn. A gentlemen gets out and starts questioning me on my mentality and my plans. Lovely chap offers me a lift, I refuse explaining that I’m doing fine, on schedule and loaded with food. He says I’m mad and asks how difficult is it to take the panniers off. I take one off to show him and he loads it in the back of his truck. Looks like I’m getting a lift. Ed starts telling me about his magnesium mine in “Snyder”. They extract it by boring holes and pumping water in and washing the magnesium out. On his 1900 acre site. Then he’s describing the pig farm his family had in the eighties. At 83 years old he loves charging around his estate on his quad bike on two wheels. The blokes a goldmine of information. After 30 mile he pulls over, that's as far as we go. He helps me put the bike back together, shakes my hand and says I’ve got to go shopping 20 guests to feed at Thanksgiving tomorrow.
So with a smile on my face I push on into the wind for the last 40 mile. It finally rains, but only for the last couple of mile. Book into the motel and spread my gear out to dry. Venture down to Walmart in my shorts and the rain. Yes I’m an alien!