I'm not much of a bike mechanic. After my tire bulged off of my rim and finally blew out during the HHH, I noticed my brakes were loose. I rode today and just felt like crap! The wind was blowing like crazy out here in Abilene, but there was something else. After about 45 miles I stopped using only my front brakes and sure enough one side of my brakes was rubbing on my rim. I stopped by the bike shop and they fixed it in a flash with an Allen wrench. Wow! My speed immediately went up three miles an hour. But I was so tired from the effort that I couldn't maintain squat.

You've got me pegged diannalightning......that road is east-west and the wind is usually from the south. I'm a wimp at heart! It is uphill to Clyde and really downhill to Baird. The folks on FM 18 are generally a nice bunch--your folks included!