Wow time flies. I fly out May 30th for Astoria, that is only 9 days away.
Most of the links on the blog have been updated. I am now down to checking my GPS tracking to make sure everyone can stalk me as I cross the U.S.
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i am packing up the bike for another go. I was challenged last year by the company I work for to give TABR another go. After thinking long and hard about it I decided why not?
Many of if you know I have used this race as the platform for raising money for The Joshua Chamberlain Society. This is a St. Louis charity that aids wounded and fallen military heroes. Riding for them is a way to help and to say thanks for the sacrifices they made defending our freedoms. I have set my fundraising higher than in the past but am confident it will be met over the course of the next few weeks. Enough said for now. Follow the links on this page that will all be updated over the next couple days. The race begins on June 2 first I want to say happy father’s day to all fathers. Even though my race is over my son Sent me the below post.
How could I even be disappointed with my decision when what I have done has meant so much. No matter what ride I have done or how far I have ridden or fallen short of a goal this is what matters most to me After riding single speed the one night for 13 miles and the next day riding in 37 mph headwinds my Achilles was not going to let me go further. I was having shooting pains into my left calf muscle and the right Achilles was starting to ache. I am going to start making my way back to St. Louis via Tracy coming up to get me. I did make it to Walden Colorado and rode over 1700 miles. In the next day or so I will right up a synopsis of my adventure. I have ridden across 4 states and have been a part of the landscape for weeks. Below are a few pics from the last few miles and one of my swollen Achilles.
after fixing the gear cable which was all jammed down in the lever I got moving. There was a 37 mph headwind almost all day. Big clouds overhead kept the temps down though. I crossed the Colorado border which was out in the middle of nowhere
heading to Saratoga Wyoming I had a gear cable break. Lucky for me I have an extra and can change it in the morning. My front brake disc is loose also and will take a bit more to get it going. I should make it to Colorado. Riding in on on gear was hard on the achilles. Time for more ice and new KT tape
i just rode across what I think was the most difficult foreboding section in my life. And I’ve crossed Kansas twice. It was right at 100 degrees with headwinds and crosswinds around 40 mph. And no services for some 50 miles. And sprinkle in a few long climbs.
I was so dehydrated that I could barely swallow and I can scrape salt off my skin. I could barely steer my bike and walked it for a mile or two. The winds were so strong that I had to brace myself against it to keep from falling over. Right now now I am checking route maps and wind forecasts to see if I should go on tonight for a bit longer it was a very cold morning again but now I have a warm tailwind. Which I really need to ease up on the Achilles.
I almost reached the 10,000 foot mark. See signs below. The first sign was the climb to get to the summit i saw moose bison and I just pulled up a few minutes before old faithful blew. I am still heading east. Got to see the Tetons also
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Don Forth
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