These are the days of wind.  We have had headwinds almost every day of this journey, but they really hit a peak these last three days. The 18th was likely the worst of it, with winds in the high 20’s MPH, and gusts up to 37 MPH. Not quite hurricane numbers (that starts at 74 MPH), but enough to make forward progress a challenge and occasionally throw us around.

We are very pleased to be joined by Steve O and Lucy, who joined us in Santa Fe and will ride the rest of the way.  You know the kind of people who you like on sight?  These two could be instructors on the subject.  They live in Arlington, VA and, though neither have PD, Lucy is a skilled dancer, who has become a dedicated teacher in Dance for PD.  They ride a tandem bike, and are astonishingly fast and strong, particularly in the harsh headwinds and on downhills, and the rest of us jockey for position to draft behind them. When describing the social dynamics of life on a tandem bike, Steve O commented that “whatever direction your relationship is heading, a tandem bike gets you there faster.”  They got engaged.

Bill returns from a sojourn to visit his daughter at her college graduation.  The last time that I travelled with Bill he also had to leave for a few days and, like then, I am always astonished that he returns.  I mean, a taste of freedom from our chaotic, topsy-turvey,harrowing fun ride seems too enticing.  But more than just returning, he returns reinvigorated.  For those in the know, a reinvigorated Bill is a lot to handle – renewed energy, ideas, goals – but that is the fun part.

Some highlights of the past few days include a drive through Madrid (along the Turquoise Trail between Santa Fe and Albaquerque), a conclave that is so archetypally hippie, it looked like a movie set. Our route happened to coincide with a famous and well-attended 50 and 100 mile Santa Fe Century cycling event and we had a moment of pride when the small collection of competitors that we were traveling with did a short turn while we continued on. A definite highlight has been – and continues to be – the wonderful Air BnBs that Joyce manages to find at a fraction of the cost of hotels.  For instance, today’s gorgeous home was built up into the hills overlooking Albuquerque and framed by the mountains – a stunning sight at sunrise through the big picture windows.

Thanks to the efforts of Ross, who is helping with the event promotions, we have another contact with the media, who have covered our story in many of the major cities that we have visited.  We learn that they are planning to use the collected footage as part of a large special series on Route 66.

The real story here is what I witness with this team when the riding conditions are tough, and the hills and strong winds of the last few days have given me ample viewing opportunities.  The degree of grit and determination I see is off the charts.  Conditions that would curl the toes of most cyclists don’t deter this group, even if many of us actually cycle with curled toes. Perhaps the slow devolution of PD compels constant adaptation and innovation, resulting in increasing resilience or tenacity.  Whatever it is, this group is hardcore.