What a day! Steady winds of 20 mph and gusts up to 35 mph directly into our faces over a long course. Only about half the riders completed the route and those of us that did questioned their decision. Long and hard but we were briefed, prepared for what we faced and had regular support and offers to bring us in. Another accompanying women's tour seemed to have similar difficulties and only 3 of 20 completed their route which was even longer at 113 miles than ours at 82.
The picture above illustrates the limestone geology as well as the highway design. Unfortunately the cut lowering the climb acted as a perfect funnel for the wind as we climbed what seemed like endless hills and had to pedal downhill at 8 mph.
Along the way and after a modest lunch several of us ventured into Langtry to visit the saloon and museum honoring Judge Roy Bean. He was quite the self-promoter and suggested that the town was named for British singer, Lilly Langtry. Not so, we learned. The town was named after a Southern Pacific RR surveyor, but Bean named his saloon, Jersey Lily. Name misspelled on purpose. The flags above are an indicator of wind ferocity.
We arrived arrived after crossing the Pecos River, above, after 10.5 hours of riding at our campsite in Seminole Canyon State Park. Very windy night with dust covering luggage and inside tent the following morning. We stopped at the park museum the next morning and learned that the canyon was named after escaped slaves of the Florida Seminole Indians who had been moved to Oklahoma. The blacks had served has scouts for the US Army in the wars to suppress the Comanches and Apaches. The park is a n historic site to preserve caves and pictographic art.
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