Tuesdat July 29th -Wray to McCook

Somehow I managed to lose yesterdays blog....our intermittent internet signal remains a challenge at times, but we are thankful to have it and also for our great media staff that do their best.. Couldn't log on last night, thought I stored my blog after 12pm, very tired, and can't seem to retrieve it now, sorry. Monday was a good fast day and I rode with Dale Mowry at an average of about 28km/h. We started with a very long stretch on a bike path hugging the river. Later an even longer stretch on the interstate. We did good time as we worked as a team, taking short turns at pulling against the strong headwind.
The landscape was mostly sage brush. At one time I could not see any sign of civilization anywhere all around, except a couple of deserted windmill waterpumps. It was so hot that even the sky seemed to lose its deep blue...seemed as washed out as we felt being pelted by the stinging rays, sweating buckets. It felt to me that I'm cycling in a huge blue dome, the rim horizon dotted with scattered woolly cotton ball clouds. Higher up there were some broad white paintstrokes, almost carelessly applied, looking down on this grey sea of sage brush and sparse grass quivering in the heat. It crossed my mind that size is a matter of perspective...like a russian matruska doll within a doll witin a doll... If I should cup my hand over a few square inches of soil, it would cover a universe of millions of micro-organisms. This huge blue sky dome covers this seemingly lifeless landscape, which actually teems with millions of small animals, and humans... elsewhere. Gods hand covers the globe, the planets and the universe of galaxiesthat He had created in intricate detail. Our awesome God...indeed!

Last night at around dinner time we had a windstorm again. Despite that I cleaned some bike chains and bikes in a protected corner.Wonderful that my tent stayed up, but I got new stakes at Walmart, big enough to anchor an air balloon!
The custodian at the school in Ft Morgan is a Christian, and very much in favor of what we are doing. So he allowed us to set up dinner in the foyer. He makes little crosses of nails wound with copper wire, and gave 20 to our support staff. During the night a helicopter landed at the hospital across the road, where the road, where the injured Cynthia Aukema was, and took off an hour later right over our camp, louder than the trains nearby.

This morning dawned crisply, and people were eager to be off to try and make use of the cool time of grace before the forecasted headwind comes up. I rode with Bill Wybenga for half the ride before I gave it up on the last climb of the day. Bill is a rocket.....like an over-powered tractor trailer without the trailer, as he is riding a single bike now, as Rita is. Their tandem is resting....and got swopped for single bikes in Denver. Bill did the whole 140 km at an average of 33km/h into the wind. I rode half of it with him real fast, but then decided I had my speed fix for the day, and wanted to take some pictures and stop once in a while. The road was like yesterdays a bit monotonous compared to the mountainscapes. Here it is not flat, but low rolling hills. The headwind once again punished everyone. There were many cattle ranches, and the largest feedlot I've evr seen - Yuma feedlot, with more than a mile road frontage with cattle paddocks, and as far as the eye can see going inland. Several hundred thousand head of cattle, the rumour says. Towards Wray there were lots of irrigation again. Many corn farmers also have huge silage silos where they make food for the cattle in the feedlots. Towards the end of the ride the wind got really strong and I was glad to get into camp. I was back early and got a nice shady spot for my tent, and set up 3 other tents for people that are coming in late.

People are being kind to us because they identify with the reason why we are biking. Yesterday a restaurant gave about 40 of us free lunch and today free watermelon from a guy selling them on the street. The campsite is lovely, but the showers are 8 blocks away and cold, at the local swiming pool. We could swim for free, and was that ever good! Tonight we are having a pool party from 7 to 9. It is hot here, and will be for the rest of the week. Tomorrow we are going to McCook, 150km and a forecasted temp of 40C....WOW!!! The tour reaches its halfway mark timewise tomorrow, and distance wise Thursday. Tomorrow we are entering a new state Nebraska, as well as a new time zone. Time really flies, as happens when people enjoy what they are doing. The tour is in full swing, pushing ahead to the east! We miss all our loved ones at dearly and covet your prayers for our safety, as we had two serious accidents in two days, causing the injured to leave the tour. Our prayers are with Tyler (collarbone) and Cynthia(pelvis)!