It's what's for dinner

Day 8: Roswell, NM to Hereford, TX
162.4 miles / 7:06 hours moving, 1:15 stopped / 2691' climbing
22.9 mph avg, 39.4 mph max / 4554 calories spent

Breakfast: Yogurst with bananas, Cheerios with yogurt, milk and bananas, donut, OJ.
Snack 1: Banana, coke.
Snack 2: Crackers.
Snack 3: Banana.
Lunch: Hotdog with guacamole and mayo, egg salad, coleslaw salad, baby carrots, peaches, Rice Krispies Treats™, chocolate milk, coke.
Snack 4: Just water refill.
Snack 5: Large strawberry banana malt with whipped cream at Dairy Queen courtesy of PACTour.
Dinner: Caesar salad, pasta with Alfredo sauce and chicken, small strawberry shake.

Today was a very fast day thanks to good roads and a mostly incredible wind. Very early on, I joined Tony from NJ and we helped each other for the rest of the ride. We'd switch who's in front doing the work every mile using the mile markers, except in TX where they seem not to need them so we had to use our odometers. After the Dairy Queen extravaganza, we averaged 26 mph for the last 22 miles. The faces of the locals at the DQ as the riders poured in sweaty and wearing full spandex gear, funny shoes and weird suntans was very funny.

Not many interesting pictures today as I was busy either pulling (that is when you are riding in front) which requires lots of concentration as you have to ride steady, at a constant effort while avoiding debris, or being pulled, which also requires lots of concentration because you want to be as close as possible in the sweet spot where the other guy block the wind for you and at the same time you have to avoid road debris and be careful not to bump his back wheel. That would not be fun.

The feed lots are always interesting though, as I said, we had a strong tail wind so we did not get the smell, but the sight is frightening: Dark brown hills that are covered with cows, hence the color. Then there is the many huge silos and dust, a lot of dust, mostly brownish red, but we also saw a scary cloud of black dust rising not too far. We speculated, and the consensus was that it is probably pulverized cow manure. So if you are studying medicine, specialize in respiratory illnesses and move to Texas and you'll be assured an endless stream of patients. But wait, probably most of them will be undocumented farm workers, so let me rephrase that: If you have a social conscience, then come to Hereford, TX.

Well, although we are in Texas and I was looking forward to a big chunk of meat for dinner, the steak house next door was closed and the next nearest one was more than half a mile away and I wasn't going to walk a mile for beef, however good.

PS. Click here for the official tour photos.

Morning face before a ride.

The luggage trailer at a SAG stop.

And into Texas.

This means one less hour of sleep tonight, it also means that I have biked two time zones. I'm feeling pretty good about myself.

It always surprises me that the TX flag is almost like the Chilean flag.

Feeding lots, lots of them cows here.

Zooming in on the previous photo.

Many silos too, all over the place. Those cows eat a lot so you can eat them later.

Happy camper at DQ in Friona, TX.

At the hotel in Hereford, TX. I wanted to jump in the pool, but someone threw stones and management said that was it.

Your typical announcements board at the arrival hotel. Did you see that? Laundry and massages! That'a luxury.