Paul calls again from Lima
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Hello, this is Paul calling in from Lima. For those from the UK, it's "lye"-ma not "lee"-ma so there's no Paddington Bear here.
For Molly, yes I'll be home before your next wobbly tooth falls out so mummy doesn't have to deal with it; for Benjy, yes of course I'll play football but you'd better watch out as I'll be pretty good when I get back; and for Thomas and Freddie, yes those troublesome trucks were mighty troublesome [referring to the occasion on day 3 or 4 where he and his fellow cyclist had to carry their bikes over a train that was blocking the trail], I nearly had to call the Fat Controller (the ones near Corbin that is).
And for everybody else who has left me messages and e-mails, thanks very much. It's a real source of encouragement and motivation and I'm sorry I haven't managed to reply individually as I've only had a chance to check up on things for the first time today but it's really appreciated and it does actually help as I'm riding along, or not riding along in the mud as we have been, to think that people are taking the time to watch and so once again thanks very much.
Just to recap, yesterday was ....well, you know....we covered a good distance but it was such gruelling work coming over the pass into Lima...the mud was really atrocious. You just had to push your bike and then the wheels would lock up and then you couldn't even push it so you had to clean it and then you had to go on again etc...repeat several dozen times over the top...and then a descent that was almost as hard work as going up the other side....oh, and a bit of Scottish weather thrown in - maybe 40 degrees and lashing rain for a good couple of hours on the descent just to sweeten it up.
But we've made it here and we're all feeling reasonably good I think. Physically I think we're quite strong...we're happy to cycle if we get the chance to cycle...it's just the mud. So we're holding out for some decent conditions south of Lima, maybe in about 10 days time when we get to Colorado.
Message to Steve McGuire...thanks very much for the day we rode together..it really helped. I may even have not got out of Butte if you hadn't been there so I'm sorry you've not come on any further since, so thanks again. Do I need to speak to anybody else...probably..Apologies if I have forgotten....Anyway, maybe we'll make it to Mack's Inn if the mud's bad and maybe a bit further if the mud's not too bad tomorrow. Bye for now.
Comments
the mud
Lisa's view on the mud problem (getting stuck, pushing your bike, cleaning your bike, pushing some more) is: don't bother. Find a nice little cafe somewhere, cup of tea, piece of malt loaf, read a book, and soon enough it will be time for dinner. Mmm, yummy pizza, perhaps a piece of cheesecake and then go to bed nice and early. Wake up for a lovely cup of tea, and then some more malt loaf a bit later.
Stuff the mud and biking nonsense.
Tim, on the other hand, views your noble endeavour with the utmost admiration and approval. I'd almost like to be there myself. It's just the mud and cycling bit that puts me off.
We're loving keeping track of your travels, and are rooting for you no end. Glad you've found some other bikers to ride with the past couple of days - we were worried you were getting lonely!
Hope the mud dries and your GPS finds the nice downhill Tarmac road all the way into New Mexico.
Love from Tim & Lisa
Don't mention malt loaf
Please don't put such glorious temptations in my way or I might well succumb...
Talking of temptations, I'm off for forty days in the desert tomorrow - well, two, across the Great Divide Basin. I've just bought $40 of supplies to see me through. Fingers crossed.
Incroyable!
Stick with it, mon ami. I'm hoping the Scottish rain leaves you in favour of some mid-Western sunshine though you seem to be dealing with whatever it thrown your way. Incroyable!
Scottish rain
It was like Rannoch Moor on a bad day (after having cycled 80 miles thorgh mud first).
Merci Bien
He's a Mudder
The entire neighborhood is following you at this point. Half of whom are deluding themselves into thinking that they're going to ride this thing next year. Drugs and fantasies are, of course, prevalent in the canyon.
Regardless, we're thrilled to see you slogging on and hope that the skies clear, the ground dries, and you fly like the wind.
More magic roundabout
The whole race is delusional, and I'm still deluding myself that we might finish... Fingers crossed.
Awesome. Literally.
Mr H
As I lounged in my cosy Danish apartment this morning, pondering why the Danes only want to show Friends and CSI:Miami on their tv networks, I was rudely stirred from this reverie by the ping of my Blackberry. A neesage from Mrs Howard.
Oh, Paul is doing some utterly absurd cycling trip in the Rockies........Oh look, the Danes also like to watch old episodes of Any Dream Will Do.....HE'S DOING WHAT??!
As ever, I am in awe of your adventurous spirit (and slightly dismayed at your inability to grow old gracefully, like the rest of us!). Twas ever thus.
I cannot imagine how hard the going must be, but I am sure it's one hell of a trip. Gruelling, certainly. But I think we both know it ain't as hard as running up a snowy Queens' Gardens in barefoot. Fact.
Good luck fella. Will watch your progress with a mixture of excited interest and utter bafflement.
Greg
Scandinavian contingent
I'm riding with a Swede who dismissed my attempts to encourage him through his knee pain yesterday by shouting names of famous Swedish people at him by saying that I sounded Danish?!?
Hope you're all well.
Ow Ard's Travails
Ow Ard’s Travails
From the shores of homeland England
Left the mighty warrior Ow Ard
Went to enter Tour Divide race
With the Braves of ancient bike tribes
Took with him his trusty two wheels
And his tent and waterproofing.
From the town of Banff he set forth
With just forty hopeful warriors
They were Braves and Squaws together.
And they did see many wonders
Lots of mud and rain and tall trees
Till there hearts were almost breaking.
Up and down the mountain passes
With their legs like wobbly jelly
With their bodies almost frozen
Still with fire in the belly
And the mud in their Deraillers
Causing anguish to the warriors.
Sometimes pushing sometimes riding
Up ahead the Squaw Deanna
With her espadrilles a-flying
Fixed wheel turning, pirouetting,
Dodging bears and hungry Mooses
Go Deanna - you can do it!
To be continued
Stick with it.
From: Ow Ard’s Mother-in-Law (aka. Silver Short Legs)
Poetic justice
It's even better than the original (the Harman original, that is)
Still got our beady eyes on
Still got our beady eyes on you! Keep going!
Keep those legs turning
Ooh la la...
The Tour Divide website is now a fixture on my favourites bar and first thing I do every morning is to check how you're getting on. Hope that the mud disappears soon - looks like you're on the approaches to the edge of Yellowstone soon and I'm jealous.
Great effort thus far and keep it going.
Bon courage
Robin
Yogi and booboo
Merci bien. It's good to know people are watching - there are times it's the only reason I don't just stop.
Paul I now have no problem
Paul
I now have no problem with access to the hotel's guest internet as everybody is wanting to know how you are getting on including Pam whose grandson is a world triathalon champion and really appreciates the level of your achievement. Bravissimo da tutti in Italia!
Dad
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