To Rte 70 onto Rte 539 onto Rte 530 and Back, I added an extra layer and wind resistant bib pants and felt too warm at the start as it got later and I was outi in the middle of no where I was so happy that I wore enough as sun went down temps drpped from 52 at start to 33 into freezing headwind the last 23 miles, my poor toes! My legs felt flat and heavy the first 10 miles, the next 11.5 miles with strong side wind I was able increase my effort, on the turn around I thought I would have a side wind and some tailwind... I was wrong it was straight into a headwind all the way back. Mr. Wind wasn't trying to kill me but make me hurt and hurtI was especiallly when it was sweeping over the long hills as I tried to maintain my speed. I was feeling good at my effort that I was able to maintain. I finally geback to familiar territory Rte 70, it was reaaly dark and now I was going into heavier traffic, one of my front lights wasn't working so I pilled overand tried to get it to stay on,
no luck! I stll had two other woking frnt lights and rear lights all flashing away. As I pulled off I noticed the headwind was winning as I had lost .4 mph in average speed. I was determined to get it back ormake valiant effort. The next 5 miles is on new road surface wit a huge shoulder, I dropped the hammer and gave it what I had, got my speed up head down and was cuttng thru the wind like warm buttter. 1 mile, 2 miles and 3 miles i picked up one tenth... startd wondering if it k that long I would never gehem back. I kept pushing 2 more miles I gained another tenth. Now I am on roads that has many rough spots that I had t pay attention butI was hoping to coast at this point, no time for taking it easy. I didn't know where I was going to get the strengt to keep up the effort for 4 more miles, 2 more miles and another tenth one more to go and I almost lost my speed, knowing if I couldn't get it back up it was over and all that work would have been for nothing. Took a deep breath pushed as hard as I could and walla the speed was back 2 miles less then 6 minutes I gave it what I could and sprinted on home! To my amazement I made up the time but the coastng and turn around to the gate I lost the final tenth but as far as I am concerned I did it!