We are at the point in this process where we just want to ride the bike. The weather looks good and 80 to 90 degrees sounds fine. We ship the bikes early next week, and they're as dialed as they can be at this point. The same holds true about our form. We did as much riding as we could, but we are also relying on that often used philosophy of "riding into shape."
Lighter touring presupposes faster touring. The miles will pile up, we will suffer, our crotches will be on fire and we'll churn away at it. Climbing up and away from the coast, the earth will flatten out, then we'll hit New Mexico, going up and up. The benefit of climbing hills on a bike is that it allows and promotes changing position; sit, stand, hands on the drops, hands on the tops, move to the brake hoods and relax.
We reach Silver City, NM and rest for a day off the bike, then we drain down toward Las Cruces, and in another day we'll find ourselves in the unfathomable expanse of Texas. Ruler-straight, flat roads with a headwind routinely crush the toughest cyclists. Ask any of them. One word; monotony and no real sense of going anywhere. It's a killer. East Texas Hill country, beautiful and not to be trifled with. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida - flat, wet and soupy, just perfect. We then arrive at the Atlantic Ocean, and there you have it. Too much fun.
over and out
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