From a Broken Tour to the Struggle Bus: My Palo Duro Canyon Prep Ride for Hotter’N Hell
Updated March 2026 That's me in the canyon Two weeks before the Hotter’N Hell 100, where I will be doing the half, I decided to test myself with a 50-mile ride in one of Texas’ toughest places to cycle — Palo Duro Canyon . I knew it would be hot. I knew it would be hilly. But I didn’t know that the final six miles would turn into a fight just to stay upright. The Base That Made This Possible I’ve ridden over 6,000 miles in the last 12 months , much of it challenging and in the Texas heat. Living in Lubbock , I’m used to triple-digit summer rides. I would never have attempted this canyon ride without that base. Even so, this day proved that sometimes, even with years of experience, you still get humbled. My goal wasn’t to ride in extreme heat. I got there early enough that I expected to finish when temps were in the mid-90s. The morning was pleasant. But when things started going wrong mid-ride, my stops stretched the day, and by the end, it was 100–101°F. I neve...
