I left at 6:30 to threatening skies and a little wind. By the time I got to the 11 mile interstate section, the wind had picked up, and it was uphill all the way to my exit. I had to use turbo assist, and after 20 miles, I was down a bar. (I have 5 bars). Not good news. I turned off the interstate and directly into a very strong headwind and more uphill. I lost another bar in 15 miles. This was definitely not good. I still had the 6 mile hill to do before Saratoga when I lost another. Down to two bars, and there was another hilly 20 miles after Saratoga I was planning to do. Well, that wasn’t going to happen. So I limped into Saratoga with less than two full bars and had to stop. I had had to use my turbo assist almost the whole time. I had one little downhill, and I still had to pedal, or the wind would have blown me backward. I have not ridden in wind like that in a long time. I really wanted to go those extra 20 miles cause now I can only do that tomorrow. Otherwise, it would be over 80, and if there’s any wind, I’d never make it.

My legs feel like noodles as a friend of mine would say. I found a place to stay and went to lunch. Came back, showered, laid on the bed, and fell asleep. I was whipped beyond belief. It threatened rain all the way but was just cloudy and cool. That part was great. Gosh. I hope I don’t have wind like that tomorrow. I have some serious climbing to do the next few days. And the terrain is high foothills and very exposed with nothing for miles.

I’m staying in a house connected to the St. Barnabas Church here in Saratoga. This place is unbelievable. It has four bedrooms upstairs, a full bathroom. two big dining rooms, a kitchen to die for, and a shop with all the bike tools you could possibly need. They cater to cyclists, and the pastor said they had over 200 stay with them last year. I met two other cyclists when I came into town, and they told me about it. I’m so glad they did. And right now, I have the whole house to myself. AND, right now, we are having a thunderstorm with wind and hail right when the forecast said it would. So glad I didn’t charge Eby and ride on. That was my first choice when I got to town. After getting off the bike and feeling my noodle legs, second choice was to stay put. Wise choice.