Dangerous

Very difficult conditions. Wind gusts over 35 mph. A mental and physical beating. The wind was constantly surprising us with an onslaught of varied directions and speeds. It would play with us, hiding behind a stand of trees, or a hill, then at a clearing jump out and try to knock us over. Even when we had it at our backs we had to be on guard. There were times when it was a steep lean into that cross wind.
We stopped once to make sure continuing on was the right and safe thing to do. At Jordan there really wasn't a decision to be made. Belle Plaine was not going to be visited today. These conditions are especially hard for smaller cyclists. Amy's 5'4 120 pound body was enduring major abuse from the wind. It was close once, but she didn't quit. Not only that, but she rode smart, reducing all the risks that were being thrown at us. I was lucky to be riding with her, a really smart, tough cyclist.
We just put our heads down and cranked out a consistent cadence, that could not be stopped by the wind. Trying to maintain a straight line was no easy task. Arms and hands are still sore from the effort to keep the bike under control.
It was a ride of opposite extremes, 13 mph on the flats and 38mph on the flats. Didn't have a large enough gear, spun out in my 53/11. Barely a word spoken in the first 40 miles. Favorite pizzas described at 70 miles. Grunts, groans, yelps and smiles. One to be remembered. Epic. 79/19.2