Clarinda to Waubonsie State Park: Into the loess hills
Friday May 21, 2010, 41 miles (65 km) – Total so far: 699 miles (1,125 km)
Dead. Absolutely dead. The legs did not want to come out and play today. The normal first 20 minutes of hurt lasted all day today, even though it was a short day. The wind wasn’t really a factor but climbing the hills still took a while. Traffic was pretty light to Shenandoah. It lies a couple miles off of Hwy 2, so I didn’t go into town. There were periods of light and heavier traffic between Shenandoah and Sidney, and I continued to experience Murphy’s Law of Hills. You can ride a flat section for 10 minutes and not have a single car pass you, but as soon as you start up a hill with no shoulder and a ‘No Passing Zone’, you’ll get several cars that will pass you. In addition, cars will come in bunches, usually in multiples of three. I have no scientific way to prove these things, but the anecdotal evidence is strong. I’ve noticed this on other days, but it occurred quite a few times today. Read more →