Yesterday, I described in great detail how extraordinarily miserable it was biking in 50km/h headwinds. Today I will describe in less detail how moderately miserable it was biking in 30km/h headwinds. A 50km/h headwind is like a constant fight, an adrenaline-rushed battle, where gusts come and go, and all of your body is working as hard as it can to fight. Anything can happen in a 50km/h battlefield. A 30km/h headwind is like a neverending itch. It's not debilitating, but it's just a constant slowdown.
With the weaker morning winds, I biked from Turkey to Silverton, where I had lunch, bought the three stamps they had at the post office, and walked into the antiques shop to look for more postcards (by the way, I've got a ton of postcards and stamps, so feel free to add your name to the literal mailing list). I also stopped at the gas station to fill water, and was finally on my way to Tulia, TX, where I was planning to stay the night.
You see, it was windy, and I had started late. I figured I'd make a push tomorrow instead of today. But then I got to Tulia, bought more stamps, and thought about the rest of the day. I was planning to stay at a hotel today, due to the overnight rain forecast, so my options were a disappointing mileage day, or to bike another 50km in the headwind until I got to Dimmitt. I actually had a third option, to stop 20km earlier, in Nazareth, but I didn't notice the hotel there.
And this is where I got my second wind. I had assumed that as the day dragged on, the winds would subside, and indeed, by the time I got to Nazareth, the winds had calmed enough for me to actually bike at a reasonable pace, and to get to Dimmitt just before sunset.
Horses from Assaf Bar-Natan on Vimeo.
Today I biked 141km over the course of nine hours and 25 seconds. I finished my day at 8:30, which is the latest I've ever finished. But you know, I made good progress, and I've finally reached the halfway point of the trip! I'm a bit sunburnt, and very tired. Good night!