Zombies

It looks like paradise; rolling hills, beautiful scenery and lots of smooth black top; A cyclists dream.

But don’t go. Just like in the movies, there’s always that line you should never cross.  Go outside the zone and you’ll be eaten by zombies.  That line for cyclists is Longview.  Go outside the zone and you will be eaten by the wind.  I’m not talking “oh it was soooo windy going out to Bragg today” hard, I’m talking 50 – 60kph of sustained mind crushing, body destroying, you can end up in Manitoba wind.

When Reinier and I turned to head back, we looked at an alternative route.  It was paved, and looked like an excellent road (it looked paved on Google Maps! those lying bastards). The wind picked up and Reiner says, “well at least it’s not a gravel road heading into the wind”.  10 minutes later… it was gravel.  Further on he says “while we’re still friends, I sincerely hope this road gets us back to the highway”.  Thank God it did.  At one point I was full power, going 6kph up hill on gravel into the wind.  Any slower and I would fall over.

The final 25 km back to the car should have been easy (paved and all).  However, the cross wind was so strong that I was blown off the road twice (minor injuries only).  I had a hard time getting my bike on the ground as the wind would hold the bike up horizontally.  The ride was only 117 kilometers but with over 5500 feet of elevation, 25 km of gravel and the wind it felt like a 300 km ride…. If it had only snowed.

So stay away. Don't cross that line.  The zombies are waiting to eat your brains.

Zombie wind lurking to the west

Note how far back Cat 5 guy is to Cat 3 guy

Full Zombie frontal assault.