Team Super Tabby

Lyresa and I met 40+ mph headwinds on the floor of DV heading south. I got on my bike at Furnace Creek after she battled the wind from Stove Pipe Wells (after descending Towne Pass). I managed to settle in at about 6mph into the constant wind with frequent side gusts wrestling with me for control of my bike. After 4+hrs, I had gone ~20 miles. I could feel the wind getting even stronger. After Badwater, a huge (>50mph) gust hit me, took complete control of my bike, spun me around and across the road into the ditch on the other side. I couldn’t even walk my bike into the wind as other larger riders were trying to do. At that point I got in the van and we all rested for about an hour. The wind had not changed in direction or strength. We followed the lead of many other teams who DNF’d at that point. I’m really disappointed. So much preparation went into this. But there is always next year..

Sad Tabby is sad. We had to DNF. Lyresa and Tina were going great, but we learned that Tabbies dislike one thing more than water, and that thing is gale force winds. It was blowing 25-35 mph in Death Valley, with gusts over 40. We’ll post more details later but we are now on the way back home.

Tina riding in the van during the first stage of the 508.

Super Tabby is riding high and keeping an eye on things.

Lyresa holds up the baton that she’ll be passing to Tina during the transitions.