Day 11-Dust in the Wind

Albuquerque, NM to Cuba, NM
Distance: 76.73 miles
Time: 6:25:16
Max Speed: 33.4 mph
Average Speed: 11.9 mph

The day did not start off well, to say the least. We found out this morning, to our most unfortunate surprise, that Zeke, our beloved teammate from the swamp (Florida) would be leaving us due to knee problems which had occured in the past as well. He was worried he would screw up his knees if he completed the trip and would regret it at a later point in time. As sad as it makes me to admit it, Zeke made the best decision regarding his well-being, but he will indeed be sorely missed. I have only known Zeke for a couple weeks, but I think everyone on the team will agree with me when I say he seemed as though he had been in Austin with the team from the very beginning and fit in perfectly. He was one of the funniest, most easy going guys on the team, and just a great guy all around. And, he was so good at keeping a straight face while saying the most ridiculous things. It was quite impressive. Anyway, it was very depressing to see Zeke leave, but there is still a chance he may meet back up with us in San Francisco if there is no serious problem with his knees. I really hope that is indeed the case. I nearly cried this morning when he told us, but I was able to hold back. We miss you Zeke.

Needless to say, most of the team started today's ride in a less than favorable mood. I did not really feel like riding when we started. To make matters worse, the road leading out of Albuquerque was terribly littered with broken glass and we had about 10 flat tires within the first 10 miles. I got two flats at the same time when we stopped to fix Jordan's second flat of the morning. We spoke with a construction worker while we were stopped and he told us that the road was constantly being littered by drivers after they did projects to improve the road, and people would even steal trees that had just been planted. It is sad to see how little these people care about projects they pay for with their own tax dollars.

Once we got all the issues with flat tires resolved, it was fairly smooth sailing to the first rest stop at 20 miles. It was already past noon at that point as the day was moving extremely slowly. At one point, it had been 3 hours since we had departed, yet we had only been actually riding for 45 minutes. It was slightly ridiculous.

Following the first rest stop, we were greeted by a nasty headwind that only intensified as the day went on. It was the most frustrating experience I have ever had as we were going through a pass in the mountains, so no matter which way we were headed, the mountains directed the wind right into our faces. Physically, I was not too tired, but mentally I was a broken man, frustrated and defeated.
The day has not been my shining moment, and I do not know that I have ever been so challenged in my life. It was quite a struggle and the first time on this trip I have ever seriously considered sagging. But, I made it. I arrived triumphantly in Cuba, thanks to the company and support of my teammates, who were all struggling as much, if not more than I was but still found the strength to encourage me and help me keep riding.

We ate dinner at Subway and are now sleeping in the basement of a church here in the small town of Cuba, New Mexico. Today I overcame, and thinking about the memories Zeke has given us was a great source of inspiration. Hopefully tomorrow will be better as we head to Farmington.

Peace and Love,
Monster Miggy