They were not lying this year

Second year riding the Heat Stroke 100 put on by the Great Plains Bicycling Club, last year was almost perfect, temps were in the upper 70's to low 80's, overcast and just a gentle breeze. This year was the polar opposite, temps at the start already had heat indices in the upper 80s to low 90s with a stiff 16 mph wind both the temps and the winds just continued to increase over the day.


Started out a little after 7am, the official start is 7:30 am but remembering from last year I decided to just take off after registering as there really isn't any sort of lineup and start so nothing to wait for. Ashland was still asleep by the time I rolled through, the plan going into the ride was to try to do all 108 miles this year but as they say everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. The wind, the heat and the fact that I couldn't get the bike to down shift out of the big ring was a quick one, two, three combo that would change that plan as the day went on.


Sunrise over the Platte River.


Not sure if they are just re-siding the lighthouse at Linoma or taking it down, never really made it out here so I don't have a clue. It'd be kind of sad to see it go as it is a bit unique.


Saw this lady from a ways away just running down the middle of the lane going against the direction of traffic, I suppose this far out from a large population with no shoulders it might not be a bad idea, just had never seen it before.

Dude was rocking a Surly Big Dummy and he was killing it, seemed physically impossible to get that thing moving fast but he was doing it.


Missed the signs pointing toward the limestone trail for the Lied bridge last year at the end of loop one so this was the first time I've ever gone over it, the limestone around the bridge was super thick, lots of the pure road bike riders walking this section.

A wake of vultures was just off the bridge on a sandbar, maybe they were waiting for one of the riders to drop, a little creepy of you ask me.


Corn... fuel, food and bike rack all rolled into one.

Managed to get in solid 59 miles, which was not the intended 108 but after being battered by the wind and heat along with the inability to shift out of the big ring, which made climbing the steeper hills against the wind a real treat, it just wasn't going to happen today but since it was a ride and not a race bowing out a bit early is totally acceptable and much preferred to being found on the side of the road face down, drooling on yourself.

One word for the shirts this year... BRIGHT! This thing can be seen from an orbiting satellite, at night.


Post ride recovery beverage...

...which is probably what I was thinking about when this pic was snapped because it certainly wasn't a smile for the heat or the wind.