We headed a bit further East today (from Great Bend to McPherson, KS), and on today's route, the wheat is looking a little more golden. With the way the wind rustles through the fields, I now understand the "amber waves of grain" phrase. Very pretty.
Just 64 miles today, and only ~ 1000 ft total vertical gain for the day. Kansas is flat. But we will get some climbing when we head into Missouri.
The "4 Amigos" were joined by Bob and Tom R. for a while. And toward the end of the day we chased down Champ.
Talked with some locals as we rolled into town today, as we always like to do. Apparently the local newspaper needs some stories, so the town's Veterinarian took a picture of us and will submit it along with a few facts about the ride to the local reporter!Life in a small town, eh?
All in all, just another great day on the bike.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Getting out of Dodge
The day started perfectly when Harry delivered the phrase with flawless timing and inflection as we were about to head out from Dodge City: "Let's get the flock out of Dodge". (His version of the phrase that we have been hearing for the past few weeks).
The ride was 86 miles on a flat road lined by lots of green wheat fields. According to one of the locals we met today, harvest should be in about 3 weeks. It is a little unusual that it is not all brown at this time of year, but they had some recent rains.
We had a favorable wind, so our group (the usual 4) posted an average speed for the whole ride of 20 mph. (Any of you out there who have ridden with me know that that means it was a VERY favorable wind and a VERY flat route). Big gear all the way.
Interestingly, we hit the spot that is half-way between San Francisco and New York.
(1561 miles either way). No going back now, I guess!
Saw 2 armadillos on the route!! (No pictures, because unfortunately they were roadkill). :(
On a brighter note, we stopped for a while at Pawnee Rock State Park.
Pawnee Rock is a 50ft-high rock outcropping in the middle of the plains.(See photo below). It was an aboslutely tranquil setting with fabulous views and no noise other than the chirping birds and the gentle breeze in the trees. Because of it's location on the Santa Fe trail, there have been many notes recorded from the 1800s as folks traveled the trail for commerce. Comments on how the views in all directions showed Buffalo as far as the eye could see, and how very remarkable the rock was.
History fact: apparently it took 3 weeks to get from Missouri to here in those days (vs. a 6 hr drive now). The wagons averaged 1.5 mph.
The ride was 86 miles on a flat road lined by lots of green wheat fields. According to one of the locals we met today, harvest should be in about 3 weeks. It is a little unusual that it is not all brown at this time of year, but they had some recent rains.
We had a favorable wind, so our group (the usual 4) posted an average speed for the whole ride of 20 mph. (Any of you out there who have ridden with me know that that means it was a VERY favorable wind and a VERY flat route). Big gear all the way.
Interestingly, we hit the spot that is half-way between San Francisco and New York.
(1561 miles either way). No going back now, I guess!
Saw 2 armadillos on the route!! (No pictures, because unfortunately they were roadkill). :(
On a brighter note, we stopped for a while at Pawnee Rock State Park.
Pawnee Rock is a 50ft-high rock outcropping in the middle of the plains.(See photo below). It was an aboslutely tranquil setting with fabulous views and no noise other than the chirping birds and the gentle breeze in the trees. Because of it's location on the Santa Fe trail, there have been many notes recorded from the 1800s as folks traveled the trail for commerce. Comments on how the views in all directions showed Buffalo as far as the eye could see, and how very remarkable the rock was.
History fact: apparently it took 3 weeks to get from Missouri to here in those days (vs. a 6 hr drive now). The wagons averaged 1.5 mph.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Dodge City, KS
Very pretty ride of 84 miles from Liberal to Dodge City today. Everything is nice and green. Gently rolling terrain. The towns that we passed through display homes and lawns that are meticulously maintained. Front porches, the whole deal.
We had a SAG stop in front of the Dalton Gang's Hideout in Meade. There is a tunnel from the barn to the house that the gang got to use to help them hide after train robberies. (I think I am the only one that found the humor in the huge signs that have been put up pointing the way "to the hideout" "hideout this way" , etc.... ).
We had a SAG stop in front of the Dalton Gang's Hideout in Meade. There is a tunnel from the barn to the house that the gang got to use to help them hide after train robberies. (I think I am the only one that found the humor in the huge signs that have been put up pointing the way "to the hideout" "hideout this way" , etc.... ).
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Kansas! / Yellow Brick Road
Today was basically a rest day; we just rode an easy 42 miles (and that includes the search for lunch) from Guymon, OK to Liberal, KS.
While we were sitting at Sonics having a burger, we hear a "hiss" and Ira's rear tire spontaneously goes flat again. We didn't exactly jump up out of our chairs to fix it. (I considered ordering a milkshake, in fact).
To answer the question about how many flat tires I have had, the current tally is 4. Not bad. I think the most recent one was really just a "re-do" of the hotel flat I mentioned, as I didn't quite find the real culprit the first time. The re-do was a very slow-leak situation, so I was able to roll into the hotel to fix it at leasure.
Besides wind-production turbines, the area of Liberal, Kansas boasts a huge meat packing industry, agriculture (wheat and corn), as well as oil/ gas industry. (When the bike route goes alongside wind-turbine fields, consider that wind will be a factor in the ride). The corn fields I saw were only about mid-shin height at this point, so no impressive photos yet.
The town also has a replica of Dorothy's house, so we got in on a tour of that. The photo shows us on the Yellow Brick Road, and yes, were singing at the time!
On the way back from Dorothy's House, Alec and Harry spotted a place called Tumblin' Stumblin' Joe's. We stopped in for "one beer". We learned that in this town you need to be "a member" to drink at the bar. A first we thought they were joking. But then they said our "Uncle Bob" could sponsor us as a guest. After some active recruitng by Harry, we were able to sponsor more guests: Ira, Willie and Mike J. What happens at Tumblin' Stumblin's STAYS at Tumblin' Stumblin's...
On the way back from Dorothy's House, Alec and Harry spotted a place called Tumblin' Stumblin' Joe's. We stopped in for "one beer". We learned that in this town you need to be "a member" to drink at the bar. A first we thought they were joking. But then they said our "Uncle Bob" could sponsor us as a guest. After some active recruitng by Harry, we were able to sponsor more guests: Ira, Willie and Mike J. What happens at Tumblin' Stumblin's STAYS at Tumblin' Stumblin's...
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Oklahoma!
Well, now we are in the panhandle of Oklahoma! It was a relatively easy 73 miles today.
Straight roads, and the route was flat as a pancake. Less intense winds, but interesting gusts when the big trucks passed by.
We got a bit of a late start, due mostly to me discovering a little too late that I had a "hotel flat".
(That is the strange phenomenon of noticing a flat in the morning, when everything seemed fine the night before). I must have picked up the very small sharp object when off-roading a bit to get to the store with the chocloate milk yesterday for the end-of-ride recovery drink.
The legendary Jim Lyle also had a hotel flat, so he had to start out with us slackers. Jim is the retired chemistry professor that aboslutely kicks everyone's butt every day. He is so nice and soft-spoken about it, and he just can't help it, but he gets to the hotel hours before our group every day.
Anyhow, today the pressure was on us when he started out with us, so we kept a pace ~ 3mph faster than normal for us just to not let him down too much. Too funny. We joked with him that it was a bit of a relief when he joined another group at mile 19, so we could ease up a bit.
Straight roads, and the route was flat as a pancake. Less intense winds, but interesting gusts when the big trucks passed by.
We got a bit of a late start, due mostly to me discovering a little too late that I had a "hotel flat".
(That is the strange phenomenon of noticing a flat in the morning, when everything seemed fine the night before). I must have picked up the very small sharp object when off-roading a bit to get to the store with the chocloate milk yesterday for the end-of-ride recovery drink.
The legendary Jim Lyle also had a hotel flat, so he had to start out with us slackers. Jim is the retired chemistry professor that aboslutely kicks everyone's butt every day. He is so nice and soft-spoken about it, and he just can't help it, but he gets to the hotel hours before our group every day.
Anyhow, today the pressure was on us when he started out with us, so we kept a pace ~ 3mph faster than normal for us just to not let him down too much. Too funny. We joked with him that it was a bit of a relief when he joined another group at mile 19, so we could ease up a bit.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Texas!
Tough day at the office, but we are in Texas now! Crossing through the tip of the pan-handle.
Continous headwind, coming at us from the 11 O'clock position for 98 miles. Nothing like working hard and seeing the speedometer read 10-11 mph on the flats! And since the road was absolutely straight, the direction of the wind did not change for us. I think we only had about 4 curves in there the whole day. They just don't have roads or winds like this back home.
"Don't mess with Texas"?? - they ain't kidding!!
The route was 96 miles, so Harry, Ira and I had to find 4 miles at the end to make it an even 100. Certifiable, I suppose. But at least we were able to plan the route so our last 2 miles had the wind at our backs!
Continous headwind, coming at us from the 11 O'clock position for 98 miles. Nothing like working hard and seeing the speedometer read 10-11 mph on the flats! And since the road was absolutely straight, the direction of the wind did not change for us. I think we only had about 4 curves in there the whole day. They just don't have roads or winds like this back home.
"Don't mess with Texas"?? - they ain't kidding!!
The route was 96 miles, so Harry, Ira and I had to find 4 miles at the end to make it an even 100. Certifiable, I suppose. But at least we were able to plan the route so our last 2 miles had the wind at our backs!
The photo shows the 4 musketeers. From left to right: me, Ira, Harry (with the bike), and Alec.
Ended the day with a nice game of pool in a joint that has a jukebox. Once we were able to hear "Take it Easy", all was good again.
Ended the day with a nice game of pool in a joint that has a jukebox. Once we were able to hear "Take it Easy", all was good again.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Tucumcari, NM
Spectacular day! We rode from Las Vegas, NM to Tucumcari, NM.
This will no-doubt go down as one of my favorite rides. We enjoyed 109 miles of rolling terrain in the high desert. First thing in the morning we had a big group riding quietly together, and a group of 6 horses came from the distance and ran like the wind toward and alongside us. Pure grace. (And no hole in this fence, so there truly were no worries)! The rest of the day I settled in with the usual suspects for the 4-musketeer ride.
The terrain was perfect for pushing a big gear and standing up for the little climbs. Fun stuff. Route 104 proved to be a nice quiet 2-lane road through the countryside, so we were able to ride 2x2 for most of the time. As we enjoyed a fun descent off the escarpment, it seemed like the world just opened up for our viewing; suddenly we could see "forever". (See photo below).
The colors of nature were in full glory on this ride. The foreground had straw-colored weeds as well as wildflowers in orange, yellow and purple. Just beyond that was bright green foliage of tall shrubs. Beyond that was red dirt and red rocks with mesas and hogback mountains. We could look back to see the white of the snow-capped mountains. I had too peek out from my cycling glasses a few times to make sure my lenses were not making these colors appear more vibrant; actually it only looked more fantastic without the lens!
The one technical glitch occurred at mile 100, and if you were not there to see it you may not believe it. Ira's tire emitted a load "pop" so we all figure it was a blow-out of the tire. Turns out the front tire was holding air but had 3 large blisters like none we had ever seen.
Well, he didn't have a spare tire on him, and his are a different size than we all have. As luck would have it, the SAG wagon drove by, and were were able to pull the wheel from another rider's bike. Sweet. So right as that front wheel gets clicked into place, everyone hears a "hiss" sound; Ira's rear tire goes flat right then! I tell you, the look on everyone's face as the focus shifted from the front to the rear wheel was priceless!!!
Bit of history: Tucumcari was known as "6-shots City" in the days of the Wild West.
This will no-doubt go down as one of my favorite rides. We enjoyed 109 miles of rolling terrain in the high desert. First thing in the morning we had a big group riding quietly together, and a group of 6 horses came from the distance and ran like the wind toward and alongside us. Pure grace. (And no hole in this fence, so there truly were no worries)! The rest of the day I settled in with the usual suspects for the 4-musketeer ride.
The terrain was perfect for pushing a big gear and standing up for the little climbs. Fun stuff. Route 104 proved to be a nice quiet 2-lane road through the countryside, so we were able to ride 2x2 for most of the time. As we enjoyed a fun descent off the escarpment, it seemed like the world just opened up for our viewing; suddenly we could see "forever". (See photo below).
The colors of nature were in full glory on this ride. The foreground had straw-colored weeds as well as wildflowers in orange, yellow and purple. Just beyond that was bright green foliage of tall shrubs. Beyond that was red dirt and red rocks with mesas and hogback mountains. We could look back to see the white of the snow-capped mountains. I had too peek out from my cycling glasses a few times to make sure my lenses were not making these colors appear more vibrant; actually it only looked more fantastic without the lens!
The one technical glitch occurred at mile 100, and if you were not there to see it you may not believe it. Ira's tire emitted a load "pop" so we all figure it was a blow-out of the tire. Turns out the front tire was holding air but had 3 large blisters like none we had ever seen.
Well, he didn't have a spare tire on him, and his are a different size than we all have. As luck would have it, the SAG wagon drove by, and were were able to pull the wheel from another rider's bike. Sweet. So right as that front wheel gets clicked into place, everyone hears a "hiss" sound; Ira's rear tire goes flat right then! I tell you, the look on everyone's face as the focus shifted from the front to the rear wheel was priceless!!!
Bit of history: Tucumcari was known as "6-shots City" in the days of the Wild West.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The "other" Las Vegas
Yesterday was the R & R day in Santa Fe. After the bike got a good bath, I joined Chris, Peter, Harry and Nancy to take the city bus into the downtown plaza to take in some art and culture. We immediately noticed the friendly atmosphere since nobody was at all inpatient as we tried to learn about the bus fares, round-trip rates, senior discounts, etc. (Peter from NYC says in New York we would have been kicked off, but here, everyone just laughed with us). While Peter was a bit distraught that the driver guessed he qualified for the senior discount, he did take advantage of it to save $1 even though he is not the required 60 years old.
The day included some window shopping and a stroll through the Museum of New Mexico Art, along with a visit to Starbucks - my first fix of the trip, if you can believe that). (The few other times we've gone for coffee, we hit the local independent shops, but Santa Fe seemed appropriate for the Starbucks routine). After all the culture, we picked up the pace and walked ~1.5 miles to the local bike shop, where we all felt much more at home.
Today we rode from Santa Fe to Las Vegas, NM. A very pleasant 73 miles along the Santa Fe Trail with no traffic, rolling terrain and more beautiful, unique scenery. We could see mountains beyond mountains in the distance along with a high desert valley in the foreground. Even a little snow cap on a few peaks in the distance. I think I may have been feeling the altitude a bit this morning, since we were at ~ 7,200 feet.
Part-way through the ride, I noticed Ira's chain had a lot of slack in it when he wasn't pedaling. Turns out that was a symptom of a broken spoke- who knew???
We were not bothered by any loose dogs chasing us today, so we think the little stuffed "guardian" dog added to Harry's handlebars after the "incident" is helping. (Any guesses as to what we named the dog???)
The "dog incident" occurred when we were riding in to Santa Fe the other day. A high-energy dog was running along and barking, but we all looked and saw that he was behind a fence - no worries. Well, the dog knew where the hole in the fence was, and suddenly he was chasing Harry, who was of course leading our pack. Harry was in a big gear so he put the hammer down and left all of us to deal with the dog. The funny thing is, the dog didn't care about any of us at all - he just went back into his yard. So Harry's solution was to add the mascot onto his handlebars.
For some reason, he also added a small plastic aquarium with a plastic Nimo and a pal onto the back of his bike, near the seat wedge pack. Makes for some entertainment when in his slipstream.
Tomorrow is another day of desert riding now that we have cleared the mountains. So it will be 109 miles, but shouldn't be too hot -- maybe only 89 degrees? Will probably be sporting some of the desert garb.
The day included some window shopping and a stroll through the Museum of New Mexico Art, along with a visit to Starbucks - my first fix of the trip, if you can believe that). (The few other times we've gone for coffee, we hit the local independent shops, but Santa Fe seemed appropriate for the Starbucks routine). After all the culture, we picked up the pace and walked ~1.5 miles to the local bike shop, where we all felt much more at home.
Today we rode from Santa Fe to Las Vegas, NM. A very pleasant 73 miles along the Santa Fe Trail with no traffic, rolling terrain and more beautiful, unique scenery. We could see mountains beyond mountains in the distance along with a high desert valley in the foreground. Even a little snow cap on a few peaks in the distance. I think I may have been feeling the altitude a bit this morning, since we were at ~ 7,200 feet.
Part-way through the ride, I noticed Ira's chain had a lot of slack in it when he wasn't pedaling. Turns out that was a symptom of a broken spoke- who knew???
We were not bothered by any loose dogs chasing us today, so we think the little stuffed "guardian" dog added to Harry's handlebars after the "incident" is helping. (Any guesses as to what we named the dog???)
The "dog incident" occurred when we were riding in to Santa Fe the other day. A high-energy dog was running along and barking, but we all looked and saw that he was behind a fence - no worries. Well, the dog knew where the hole in the fence was, and suddenly he was chasing Harry, who was of course leading our pack. Harry was in a big gear so he put the hammer down and left all of us to deal with the dog. The funny thing is, the dog didn't care about any of us at all - he just went back into his yard. So Harry's solution was to add the mascot onto his handlebars.
For some reason, he also added a small plastic aquarium with a plastic Nimo and a pal onto the back of his bike, near the seat wedge pack. Makes for some entertainment when in his slipstream.
Tomorrow is another day of desert riding now that we have cleared the mountains. So it will be 109 miles, but shouldn't be too hot -- maybe only 89 degrees? Will probably be sporting some of the desert garb.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Photos added to previous posts
I added some photos for the past few entries, going all the way back to "standin' on the corner..."
Against the wind....
two-day update:On Thursday we rode from Grants to Albuquerque (ABQ), NM (75 miles). Then on Friday we rode from ABQ to Santa Fe, NM (66 miles).
The New Mexicans are happy to be getting some rain. We are getting to use some of the rain gear we packed. The shower caps from the hotel really do make great helmet covers! (Many thanks to Paula for the advice about the lighter rain jacket, the clip-on rear fender, and the visor of a retro-style cycling cap under the helmet to keep some of the rain off the glasses)!!
Part of the interstate was closed to cyclists due to construction, so we had to take a 14-mile shuttle ride in the SAG wagon. This photo shows that Harry resisted getting into the van.
Since the musketeers have a motto of riding "every single inch" - we took some time when we got into ABQ to make-up the missed miles. This gave us a great chance to explore ABQ, including the university area, a nice bike trail, and even a street labeled "Bicycle Blvd"; ABQ is a bike-friendly town. Coming into ABQ we crossed over the Rio Grande.
The ride from ABQ to Santa Fe was described to us in detail by Rich, who just finished his portion of the tour. Since he lives in ABQ, he stopped by to give us a description of the ride, complete with a google-earth map! It was pretty neat to be going on to one of his normal training routes. And we saw him along the route ringing a cow-bell for us!!!
Luckily, it was only 66 miles. We started out against a significant head wind. Then we added in some climbing. And then rain was added in as well. Fantastic scenery as we climbed in the canyon. Went through a historic mining town of Madrid - now a small hippie-town. Al joined us for today's ride, and his wife Roddie was visiting (following in a car), so we saw her along the way and at our lunch stop for some warm soup at mile 54 in a little restaurant in the middle of nowhere.
I think we are now officially done with any Interstate riding for the rest of the trip!!!
Since Santa Fe is a rest day for us, a group of us went out to dinner "on our own". We went to the "Cowgirl Hall of Fame", since Peter from NYC is friends with the owner, Barry. Barry had started a restaurant of this same name in NYC a while back, along with Tortilla Flats. He came out here to "retire" but got back in the game. Fun time, and as the "sensible" group was heading back to the hotel, a few of us noticed a band was starting to set-up, so Nancy, Harry, and I figured we would stay. Great blues band called the HooDoos.
Good thing we have a rest day now!!
The New Mexicans are happy to be getting some rain. We are getting to use some of the rain gear we packed. The shower caps from the hotel really do make great helmet covers! (Many thanks to Paula for the advice about the lighter rain jacket, the clip-on rear fender, and the visor of a retro-style cycling cap under the helmet to keep some of the rain off the glasses)!!
Part of the interstate was closed to cyclists due to construction, so we had to take a 14-mile shuttle ride in the SAG wagon. This photo shows that Harry resisted getting into the van.
Since the musketeers have a motto of riding "every single inch" - we took some time when we got into ABQ to make-up the missed miles. This gave us a great chance to explore ABQ, including the university area, a nice bike trail, and even a street labeled "Bicycle Blvd"; ABQ is a bike-friendly town. Coming into ABQ we crossed over the Rio Grande.
The ride from ABQ to Santa Fe was described to us in detail by Rich, who just finished his portion of the tour. Since he lives in ABQ, he stopped by to give us a description of the ride, complete with a google-earth map! It was pretty neat to be going on to one of his normal training routes. And we saw him along the route ringing a cow-bell for us!!!
Luckily, it was only 66 miles. We started out against a significant head wind. Then we added in some climbing. And then rain was added in as well. Fantastic scenery as we climbed in the canyon. Went through a historic mining town of Madrid - now a small hippie-town. Al joined us for today's ride, and his wife Roddie was visiting (following in a car), so we saw her along the way and at our lunch stop for some warm soup at mile 54 in a little restaurant in the middle of nowhere.
I think we are now officially done with any Interstate riding for the rest of the trip!!!
Since Santa Fe is a rest day for us, a group of us went out to dinner "on our own". We went to the "Cowgirl Hall of Fame", since Peter from NYC is friends with the owner, Barry. Barry had started a restaurant of this same name in NYC a while back, along with Tortilla Flats. He came out here to "retire" but got back in the game. Fun time, and as the "sensible" group was heading back to the hotel, a few of us noticed a band was starting to set-up, so Nancy, Harry, and I figured we would stay. Great blues band called the HooDoos.
Good thing we have a rest day now!!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
New Mexico / tumbleweed
We are into New Mexico! I tell you, the scenery could be straight from a hollywood set for a classic western! The red rocks/ mesas, painted desert, tumbleweed, horses, everything!! Here is a photo of the mountain that all of us kept saying looked just like a mural or a hollywood set. It's been great to see all the trains cruising along the countryside as well!
Had a little tumbleweed get scooped up into my crank arms, but no harm done - it just tumbled on out again.
Shorter rides yesterday and today (86 miles to Gallup, NM yesterday and 70 miles to Grants, NM today); mellow terrain. It really IS a vacation!!! We are carrying Rich's bike-flag on Ira's bike; Rich stopped riding yesterday as he could only get that much time off work. And a few folks finish tomorrow, so we will be carrying their flags to Boston as well.
The usual group got joined yesterday by Barbie, Nancy, and Champ. (I think word is getting out about how much fun we are having). :) And today we had Barbie, Nancy, Jack, Charlie, and even Willie, Chris, and Mark for a while.
Today we crossed the Continental Divide. (Didn't actually test the concept of water flowing to the Pacific on one side and the Atlantic on the other - taking their word for it).
Had a little tumbleweed get scooped up into my crank arms, but no harm done - it just tumbled on out again.
Shorter rides yesterday and today (86 miles to Gallup, NM yesterday and 70 miles to Grants, NM today); mellow terrain. It really IS a vacation!!! We are carrying Rich's bike-flag on Ira's bike; Rich stopped riding yesterday as he could only get that much time off work. And a few folks finish tomorrow, so we will be carrying their flags to Boston as well.
The usual group got joined yesterday by Barbie, Nancy, and Champ. (I think word is getting out about how much fun we are having). :) And today we had Barbie, Nancy, Jack, Charlie, and even Willie, Chris, and Mark for a while.
Today we crossed the Continental Divide. (Didn't actually test the concept of water flowing to the Pacific on one side and the Atlantic on the other - taking their word for it).
We were only on I-40 for ~ 10 miles today, but it was by far the worst shoulder of an interstate we have encountered - debris everywhere and it was thick!! Thick gravel with an asphalt-type sludge. Then bits of glass, shreds of steel-belted tires and wood blocks thrown in as well. We all made it through without incident though - felt kind of like mountain biking!
Then fun times on Route 66. We stopped at the first Dairy Queen for our small group - really only because Harry from Liverpool has never seen a DQ. I think he is a little confused as to what all the fuss was about.
Qoute of the day for yesterday: "We're not going to waste any time today!" (We knew we should get some miles under us quickly to beat the afternoon winds). Well, 0.3 miles into the ride we saw a photo-op that we couldn't resist, and with all the posing for each of us, I think we easily spent 15 minutes!!! But I say, it still was not a WASTE of time.... :)
Monday, May 18, 2009
FAQs: the group and fueling
Thanks for a the nice comments, folks. I've gotten a few questions asked that I thought I could reply to here:
1. Yes, I am riding mostly with men. (Seems to be kind of common on any of the longer rides / training rides I go on). Why do you think I like cycling so much? No - that is only one of the many reasons, I swear!! But really, there are only 2 other women on the trip. Nancy likes to ride alone mostly. And Barbie will be finishing at Albuquerque. We will pick up another gal in Illinois.
Seriously though, I feel very fortunate to have found a great group to ride with - it is often hard to find people that have the same riding style, goals/intentions for the ride, pace, etc. And with their mechanical abilities and senses of humor thrown in, I am one lucky girl. The guys are stronger than me, so I am usually riding in the slipstream. But I think they keep me along for my navigating skills. (We laughed today when we realized the 2 guys in the front of our group don't even have cue sheets with them)!
2. Food/fueling: basically, I just eat whatever sounds good. (Not too different from my normal M.O., eh)?? Just real food - haven't needed to use any energy gels or even many bars. I got some great advice from Sheila, the sports nutritionist with Team Revolutions - she figured I should eat ~ 200-250 cals/hour while riding. (Of course, breakfast covers the first hour or so). And since protein is a little harder to get while on the bike, I make sure to get most of that in the mornings. So a nice hearty breakfast emphasizing protein. I pack with me a banana and some trail mix on the bike. And at the SAG stops I head straight for the orange slices, strawberries, more banana, and then something with salt/protein (trail mix, PB crackers, etc). And our group usually stops for a lunch along the way so I grab a small sandwich. Dinner is just the basic stuff.
The first few days I would awaken at 4am absolutely starving, so I must not have been taking in enough during the day. I am getting better now, I think. (And I make sure to have an emergency stash of food in the hotel room)! I haven't been getting any of the Dairy Queen cravings that everyone talks about on X-C rides; I think this is due to the fact that I am eating sufficiently thru the day.
1. Yes, I am riding mostly with men. (Seems to be kind of common on any of the longer rides / training rides I go on). Why do you think I like cycling so much? No - that is only one of the many reasons, I swear!! But really, there are only 2 other women on the trip. Nancy likes to ride alone mostly. And Barbie will be finishing at Albuquerque. We will pick up another gal in Illinois.
Seriously though, I feel very fortunate to have found a great group to ride with - it is often hard to find people that have the same riding style, goals/intentions for the ride, pace, etc. And with their mechanical abilities and senses of humor thrown in, I am one lucky girl. The guys are stronger than me, so I am usually riding in the slipstream. But I think they keep me along for my navigating skills. (We laughed today when we realized the 2 guys in the front of our group don't even have cue sheets with them)!
2. Food/fueling: basically, I just eat whatever sounds good. (Not too different from my normal M.O., eh)?? Just real food - haven't needed to use any energy gels or even many bars. I got some great advice from Sheila, the sports nutritionist with Team Revolutions - she figured I should eat ~ 200-250 cals/hour while riding. (Of course, breakfast covers the first hour or so). And since protein is a little harder to get while on the bike, I make sure to get most of that in the mornings. So a nice hearty breakfast emphasizing protein. I pack with me a banana and some trail mix on the bike. And at the SAG stops I head straight for the orange slices, strawberries, more banana, and then something with salt/protein (trail mix, PB crackers, etc). And our group usually stops for a lunch along the way so I grab a small sandwich. Dinner is just the basic stuff.
The first few days I would awaken at 4am absolutely starving, so I must not have been taking in enough during the day. I am getting better now, I think. (And I make sure to have an emergency stash of food in the hotel room)! I haven't been getting any of the Dairy Queen cravings that everyone talks about on X-C rides; I think this is due to the fact that I am eating sufficiently thru the day.
Standin' on the corner.....
Today the musketeers stopped for lunch in Winslow, AZ .Got a photo of me "Standin' on the corner....".
Fun intersection; they've got Eagles' songs playing on outdoor speakers, a great mural, and a statue. (Yep, he wore several of our bike helmets).
Of course, we couldn't leave it at just that; Alec took it up a notch and "GOT A FLAT"on a corner in Winslow, AZ. Too funny.
The ride to get to Holbrook was 96 miles, and several of us decided it was kind of annoying to not just get a true 100 in, so we went cruising around town to get the extra miles. OK, maybe we ARE a little twisted.
The route: quite flat, fair amount of Interstate 40, but we joined Route 66 a bit. We were just ahead of thunderstorms coming in. Saw some nice lightning, but only felt a few rain drops. Interesting- out here they get these dry thunderstorms, since it is so warm the precip. evaporates before getting to the ground. Favorable wind in the morning, but gnarly crosswinds kicked up in the afternoon. The folks who got in earlier had to deal with pretty bad dust storms from the wind. For some reason, our group just had winds.
Fun intersection; they've got Eagles' songs playing on outdoor speakers, a great mural, and a statue. (Yep, he wore several of our bike helmets).
Of course, we couldn't leave it at just that; Alec took it up a notch and "GOT A FLAT"on a corner in Winslow, AZ. Too funny.
The ride to get to Holbrook was 96 miles, and several of us decided it was kind of annoying to not just get a true 100 in, so we went cruising around town to get the extra miles. OK, maybe we ARE a little twisted.
The route: quite flat, fair amount of Interstate 40, but we joined Route 66 a bit. We were just ahead of thunderstorms coming in. Saw some nice lightning, but only felt a few rain drops. Interesting- out here they get these dry thunderstorms, since it is so warm the precip. evaporates before getting to the ground. Favorable wind in the morning, but gnarly crosswinds kicked up in the afternoon. The folks who got in earlier had to deal with pretty bad dust storms from the wind. For some reason, our group just had winds.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Rest Day: Grand Canyon
Peter (from NYC) and I left the bikes in the hotel and joined a small guided tour to the Grand Canyon. Since it was our rest day, we opted out of the choices that included a 1.5 mile hike or taking 80 stairs up into the replica of the Indian outlook post. :)
Still got the awe-inspiring view of the Canyon, the Painted Desert, and the gorge of the Colorado River. Nice warm day with clear skies.
The guide shared a ton of info with us and had a really nifty telescope type thing so we could actually see down to the people rafting on the river, an ancient cave dwelling on the canyon wall, and the small camp at the bottom of the canyon. Saw archaeological remains of the Hopi pueblos. On our way out the park we went through a part of the Navajo Indian reservation. Interesting to see the lifestyle there; many homes without electicity or running water.
A few factoids: The canyon is at least 10 miles wide - up to 18 in parts! And it is 277 river miles long.
Again, the distances we could see were mind-boggling.
Driving back to Flagstaff, it was noted how much the desert seems almost like a lunar landscape. And yet always in site were the mountains that still have a little bit of snow on them. I can see why the Indians held the snow-capped mountains sacred - a place worthy of pilgrimage.
Then we got back up into the Ponderosa pines as we again gained elevation into the 7k range.
Got back to the hotel and gave the bike a bath. Ready for 96 miles tomorrow.
Still got the awe-inspiring view of the Canyon, the Painted Desert, and the gorge of the Colorado River. Nice warm day with clear skies.
The guide shared a ton of info with us and had a really nifty telescope type thing so we could actually see down to the people rafting on the river, an ancient cave dwelling on the canyon wall, and the small camp at the bottom of the canyon. Saw archaeological remains of the Hopi pueblos. On our way out the park we went through a part of the Navajo Indian reservation. Interesting to see the lifestyle there; many homes without electicity or running water.
A few factoids: The canyon is at least 10 miles wide - up to 18 in parts! And it is 277 river miles long.
Again, the distances we could see were mind-boggling.
Driving back to Flagstaff, it was noted how much the desert seems almost like a lunar landscape. And yet always in site were the mountains that still have a little bit of snow on them. I can see why the Indians held the snow-capped mountains sacred - a place worthy of pilgrimage.
Then we got back up into the Ponderosa pines as we again gained elevation into the 7k range.
Got back to the hotel and gave the bike a bath. Ready for 96 miles tomorrow.
Photos added
I borrowed Nancy's computer tonight, so I was able to upload a few photos. If you want to see the high-fashion desert garb, scroll down to the "Mojave Desert" post.
Also, my thanks to everyone for the comments along the way. I haven't been responding to them, but am reading them and appreciating them.
Also, my thanks to everyone for the comments along the way. I haven't been responding to them, but am reading them and appreciating them.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
More of Arizona
Friday: This morning Chris (from the East Coast) was talking about the extreme weather in Missouri and expressing his concerns as to the impact on road conditions. A few of us looked at each other then gently reminded him we won't be in Missouri for a few weeks yet.
Rode from Prescott to Cottonwood, AZ. Stopped for lunch in Jerome. Included a climb up Mingus mountain. Nice descents, with views of the Red Rocks and Mesas at a distance. That has been one of the most impressive parts of the rides so far - the expansiveness of the views out here.
The descent was a bit technical due to rough pavement, but pretty fun overall. As we were pushing ~ 35 mph, a kamikaze squirrel came out of nowhere and missed Harry's front wheel by less than an inch. I saw the whole thing unfold in front of me - quite amazing!
Rode from Prescott to Cottonwood, AZ. Stopped for lunch in Jerome. Included a climb up Mingus mountain. Nice descents, with views of the Red Rocks and Mesas at a distance. That has been one of the most impressive parts of the rides so far - the expansiveness of the views out here.
The descent was a bit technical due to rough pavement, but pretty fun overall. As we were pushing ~ 35 mph, a kamikaze squirrel came out of nowhere and missed Harry's front wheel by less than an inch. I saw the whole thing unfold in front of me - quite amazing!
Tom R. (from N.J.) had a blowout of his rear tire on the descent - something he had been worried about. Apparently the tires overheat if the rims get too hot from too much braking???
This was a short ride, so gave us some more free time. I could get used to this!!
This was a short ride, so gave us some more free time. I could get used to this!!
Saturday (today): (And yes, this is taking effort to keep track of what day of the week it is. Another reason to not get behind on the blog). Made it to Flagstaff, AZ!! Went through Sedona, so lots of great views of Red Rocks. Stopped for our "Second breakfast" in Sedona as an excuse to spend some time there. Then we climbed up through Oak Creek Canyon which was absolutely beautiful. It was a 2-mile climb with some switchbacks; it was really only ~ 8% grade and it was nice and steady.The second photo above is from the top of this climb.
Quote of the day: while riding through the Canyon - Harry out in front of our "paceline" sings out at the top of his lungs: "I LOVE CALIFORNIA"!!! A few seconds later a voice ~ 3 or 4 back in the group says, "Uh, Harry -- we are in Arizona now".
Tomorrow is our first rest day. I'll be joining Peter (from NYC) on a tour of the Grand Canyon. Tourist-y guided thing, but I've never been to the Grand Canyon, so I figure, "Why not....".
Thursday, May 14, 2009
False Flats
Had a fantastic ride in to Prescott today. It helps that it was only 59 miles. Yes, there was climbing, but the views were amazing! Fun to see the scenery change from desert/cactus to pine trees all in one ride. The 4 musketeers were joined by Al (from Mich.), and Jack (from Israel).
Nice smooth roads, and - also- no flat tires. (Hmmm- anyone notice that is the first time I have said this)?? Loved the long climbs and the nice descents. Not so thrilled with the "false flats" -- those stretches of road that really look flat but are actually a slight incline. Find yourself wondering why the legs are sluggish, why the speedometer is dropping down to 12 mph. A new one for me today was to actually have it where it looks like it is a downhill, but you are still working to go up. Weird stuff.
Had false summits too, but those we are used to of course; anyone who climbs knows it is not over 'til it is over.
We had time for more photo stops today and a nice long break on the porch of a country store. Got into town early. We are refining our system to efficiently obtain chocolate milk after the ride. (It is the ultimate recovery drink, but needs to get into the system quickly after the workout). After getting off the bike, running around to find the elixer is not exactly fun, so we are going to take turns running to the store for the chocolate milk.
Prescott is a cute little town!
The group is doing well, though Fred did have to go back into the hospital today (he was one of the first two that went in a few days ago)- he did some riding today after taking yesterday off, but not feeling great, so he is going to get checked out again. Al also went in yesterday for a brief visit with the ER Doc due to not feeling well - the verdict is that it was probably not good strategy to go from cold Michigan to riding the desert heat in a matter of two days.
The little hospital ID bracelets are staying on and becoming a bit of a badge of honor. Kind of our version of the yellow Livestrong bracelets.
Nice smooth roads, and - also- no flat tires. (Hmmm- anyone notice that is the first time I have said this)?? Loved the long climbs and the nice descents. Not so thrilled with the "false flats" -- those stretches of road that really look flat but are actually a slight incline. Find yourself wondering why the legs are sluggish, why the speedometer is dropping down to 12 mph. A new one for me today was to actually have it where it looks like it is a downhill, but you are still working to go up. Weird stuff.
Had false summits too, but those we are used to of course; anyone who climbs knows it is not over 'til it is over.
We had time for more photo stops today and a nice long break on the porch of a country store. Got into town early. We are refining our system to efficiently obtain chocolate milk after the ride. (It is the ultimate recovery drink, but needs to get into the system quickly after the workout). After getting off the bike, running around to find the elixer is not exactly fun, so we are going to take turns running to the store for the chocolate milk.
Prescott is a cute little town!
The group is doing well, though Fred did have to go back into the hospital today (he was one of the first two that went in a few days ago)- he did some riding today after taking yesterday off, but not feeling great, so he is going to get checked out again. Al also went in yesterday for a brief visit with the ER Doc due to not feeling well - the verdict is that it was probably not good strategy to go from cold Michigan to riding the desert heat in a matter of two days.
The little hospital ID bracelets are staying on and becoming a bit of a badge of honor. Kind of our version of the yellow Livestrong bracelets.
Lessons Learned
Title of this post could be "Things you thought I would've already learned by now", but I realize that could be a topic for a whole separate website!! Anyhow, as expected, the past few days have presented some learning opportunities.
1. Don't rush when re-assembling after stopping to fix a flat. Yes, the group is waiting for you, but really another 5 seconds to actually remember to zip up the seat wedge pack would be well worth it. Reasoning goes something like this: that spare plastic bag in there might suddenly fly out. And while that maybe doesn't sound too bad, here's how it played out: Ira and I suddenly hear from our buddies behind us: "IRA, STOP PEDALING NOW!!!" Yep, my bag had gone right into his cassette (rear cogs). What are the chances of that, really??? We were able to extricate the bag and no damage was done. And the amazing thing - Ira was willing to ride with me again the next day! These are good people, I tell you!
2. It really is a good idea to have a pair of tweezers in the tool kit - I put them in there as recommended and we found them very helpful to pull the staples out of the tire. (see Lesson 3).
3. Staples on the side of the interstate seem to be the thing that can puncture the tube through my Armadillo All Condition tires.
4. Sure, it is a good idea to have that packet of energy gel always there for emergency fuel needs, but I now know that it should be in a plastic bag. Apparently the packet can explode in extreme heat conditions. And that, my friends, was a sticky situation.
1. Don't rush when re-assembling after stopping to fix a flat. Yes, the group is waiting for you, but really another 5 seconds to actually remember to zip up the seat wedge pack would be well worth it. Reasoning goes something like this: that spare plastic bag in there might suddenly fly out. And while that maybe doesn't sound too bad, here's how it played out: Ira and I suddenly hear from our buddies behind us: "IRA, STOP PEDALING NOW!!!" Yep, my bag had gone right into his cassette (rear cogs). What are the chances of that, really??? We were able to extricate the bag and no damage was done. And the amazing thing - Ira was willing to ride with me again the next day! These are good people, I tell you!
2. It really is a good idea to have a pair of tweezers in the tool kit - I put them in there as recommended and we found them very helpful to pull the staples out of the tire. (see Lesson 3).
3. Staples on the side of the interstate seem to be the thing that can puncture the tube through my Armadillo All Condition tires.
4. Sure, it is a good idea to have that packet of energy gel always there for emergency fuel needs, but I now know that it should be in a plastic bag. Apparently the packet can explode in extreme heat conditions. And that, my friends, was a sticky situation.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Cacti!
Another day of desert riding; today we got to see lots of great cacti along the way, with a back- drop of beautiful mountains.
Rode all 115 miles as part of the self-proclaimed 4 Musketeers (Harry, Ira, Alec, and me). Made it to Wickenburg, AZ with just enough time to get to dinner. Fabulous teamwork with nice pace-setting by Harry.
Just as we were cruising in toward the hotel and were pleasantly surpised by some descending over the past few miles, Harry gets a flat tire ONE BLOCK from the hotel!! Debated riding in on it, but we decided to do the right thing and change it.
Quote of the day: to get us to leave from a quick photo stop, the Englishman says: "Let's get the heck out of Dodge". And then one of the Westerners says, "well, technically, we are heading TOWARD Dodge". Wish I could take credit for that one, but I can't. (Because , yes we really are going to go through Dodge, eventually). Can't wait for Harry to say it again when we really are leaving Dodge.
These guys are cracking me up.
We rode through the town of Hope, AZ.
As we left town, we saw a sign meant for us so we stopped for a photo.
Tomorrow we get to climb to Prescott, so getting rid of the desert garb and Camelbak. Keeping it light.
Rode all 115 miles as part of the self-proclaimed 4 Musketeers (Harry, Ira, Alec, and me). Made it to Wickenburg, AZ with just enough time to get to dinner. Fabulous teamwork with nice pace-setting by Harry.
Just as we were cruising in toward the hotel and were pleasantly surpised by some descending over the past few miles, Harry gets a flat tire ONE BLOCK from the hotel!! Debated riding in on it, but we decided to do the right thing and change it.
Quote of the day: to get us to leave from a quick photo stop, the Englishman says: "Let's get the heck out of Dodge". And then one of the Westerners says, "well, technically, we are heading TOWARD Dodge". Wish I could take credit for that one, but I can't. (Because , yes we really are going to go through Dodge, eventually). Can't wait for Harry to say it again when we really are leaving Dodge.
These guys are cracking me up.
We rode through the town of Hope, AZ.
As we left town, we saw a sign meant for us so we stopped for a photo.
Tomorrow we get to climb to Prescott, so getting rid of the desert garb and Camelbak. Keeping it light.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The Mojave Desert
Wow! What an awesome day!
Limited sleep last night, but then it was great to get on the road.
Started out with a gradual 11-mile climb, so it was great that we could do it in the morning before things got cooking.
I don't think anyone in our group slept well last night, since we had our meeting last night about all the safety issues for the desert heat and all the worst-case scenario stuff. We all made it through fine, though 2 of the guys did go to the hospital for I.V.-hydration elixer since they weren't feeling too great when they got done with the ride. Interestingly, they both had the same symptoms of heat exhaustion, but for different reasons; one was from too little fluid-intake, and the other was from too much electrolyte intake (got a little over-zealous with electrolytes from multiple sources over the past few days - they said he was on the verge of kidney failure). Both are back at the hotel now, hoping to ride tomorrow.
The photo below shows us getting ready to take off from the hotel in the morning. Nice shot of the two duffel bags we were each allowed to load on the truck - our luggage for the 7 weeks.
Gosh, so much I could write about. But in summary, I learned that it was a truly awesome thing to experience the desert by bike rather than from inside an air-conditioned car. Beautiful mountains on either side of us. Spent a lot of time on Interstate 10 - which wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Just a lot of debris. The truckers were very considerate and usually moved into the lane away from us when they could. (I was grateful for the geeky orange flag on the back of the bike. I would not ride cross-country without it)! It was great to hear lots of friendly honks.
Rode with Harry, (I think I am starting to pick up an English accent!), Alec, and Ira from SoCal. Also got joined for a little while by Barbie from Texas and Hank from Sacramento.
I did well with the 104 degree heat due to being well covered in light clothing. Even had the ears, neck, and sides of the face covered with UPF helmet drape - my dermatologist would be so proud! Wore long-fingered bike gloves too. Hard to rely on the SPF lotions with the continual sweating....You should have seen the guy in the convenience store staring at me when I walked in at one of our SAG stops. He looked at me like I was an Alien, and I totally uderstand why.
Hydration strategy: 80 oz. Camelback with Gatorade-type drink which is the only thing I drank. Don't want to drink just water in the desert. Took a few Endurolyte capsules during the day for a few more electrolytes. Two bottles of water carried on the bike were water-only and used only for dumping onto the head/body. Works wonders!!!
Getting ready for 115 miles of simlar riding tomorrow, but less time on Interstate. We will be heading in to Arizona!!
Then the next day we get to start climbing!!
Limited sleep last night, but then it was great to get on the road.
Started out with a gradual 11-mile climb, so it was great that we could do it in the morning before things got cooking.
I don't think anyone in our group slept well last night, since we had our meeting last night about all the safety issues for the desert heat and all the worst-case scenario stuff. We all made it through fine, though 2 of the guys did go to the hospital for I.V.-hydration elixer since they weren't feeling too great when they got done with the ride. Interestingly, they both had the same symptoms of heat exhaustion, but for different reasons; one was from too little fluid-intake, and the other was from too much electrolyte intake (got a little over-zealous with electrolytes from multiple sources over the past few days - they said he was on the verge of kidney failure). Both are back at the hotel now, hoping to ride tomorrow.
The photo below shows us getting ready to take off from the hotel in the morning. Nice shot of the two duffel bags we were each allowed to load on the truck - our luggage for the 7 weeks.
Gosh, so much I could write about. But in summary, I learned that it was a truly awesome thing to experience the desert by bike rather than from inside an air-conditioned car. Beautiful mountains on either side of us. Spent a lot of time on Interstate 10 - which wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Just a lot of debris. The truckers were very considerate and usually moved into the lane away from us when they could. (I was grateful for the geeky orange flag on the back of the bike. I would not ride cross-country without it)! It was great to hear lots of friendly honks.
Rode with Harry, (I think I am starting to pick up an English accent!), Alec, and Ira from SoCal. Also got joined for a little while by Barbie from Texas and Hank from Sacramento.
I did well with the 104 degree heat due to being well covered in light clothing. Even had the ears, neck, and sides of the face covered with UPF helmet drape - my dermatologist would be so proud! Wore long-fingered bike gloves too. Hard to rely on the SPF lotions with the continual sweating....You should have seen the guy in the convenience store staring at me when I walked in at one of our SAG stops. He looked at me like I was an Alien, and I totally uderstand why.
Hydration strategy: 80 oz. Camelback with Gatorade-type drink which is the only thing I drank. Don't want to drink just water in the desert. Took a few Endurolyte capsules during the day for a few more electrolytes. Two bottles of water carried on the bike were water-only and used only for dumping onto the head/body. Works wonders!!!
Getting ready for 115 miles of simlar riding tomorrow, but less time on Interstate. We will be heading in to Arizona!!
Then the next day we get to start climbing!!
Monday, May 11, 2009
two days down
Day 1: Idyllic conditions. Stellar day. Dipped the rear wheel in the pacific!!! Then rode 78 miles -most of it with a group of 5 others: Harry from the U.K., Chris and Willie from the Washington D.C. area, Mike from "everywhere", and Charlie from Vermont. Nice flat warm-up day. Feels good to get out of L.A. after riding through a zillion stoplights (clip-in, clip-out, repeat....). Went thru Long beach and Anaheim...Made it to Riverside.
The group had the first little crash before we left the pier (we think it is the record for the earliest crash - and no, I was nowhere near the scene). Just a slow speed thing due to one of the riders prioritizing and trying to avoid a small child seeing us off. Ended up with someone's front derailleur needing help, and a wheel out of true for the day.. New wheel on the way for him.
Day 2:Today I was in a group of 4, (Harry, Alec from Nevada, and Champ from Illinois) and we are now known as the group of "one flat tire each - rear wheels of course". So the first 34 miles took forever - just when we would get our rhythm, someone would call for another flat tire party. Great group, though - we all stuck together and had a good day overall. Coming into Palm Springs, we had "wind in a favorable direction", so we could coast on the flats without pedaling and see 30 mph!!! Of course, things got interesting with that wind when our path took a 90 degree turn .Very "interesting" crosswinds with random gusts. I got better at reading the geography to predict the gusts. (Yep, lots of time to think on the bike....) Anyhow, it is clear why they have all the wind turbines there!
Temp of 102 degrees in Palm Springs, and Indio doesn't seem any cooler. Made it to Indio - we are below sea level!
All for now - getting ready for 100 miles to cross the Mojave desert tomorrow.
The group had the first little crash before we left the pier (we think it is the record for the earliest crash - and no, I was nowhere near the scene). Just a slow speed thing due to one of the riders prioritizing and trying to avoid a small child seeing us off. Ended up with someone's front derailleur needing help, and a wheel out of true for the day.. New wheel on the way for him.
Day 2:Today I was in a group of 4, (Harry, Alec from Nevada, and Champ from Illinois) and we are now known as the group of "one flat tire each - rear wheels of course". So the first 34 miles took forever - just when we would get our rhythm, someone would call for another flat tire party. Great group, though - we all stuck together and had a good day overall. Coming into Palm Springs, we had "wind in a favorable direction", so we could coast on the flats without pedaling and see 30 mph!!! Of course, things got interesting with that wind when our path took a 90 degree turn .Very "interesting" crosswinds with random gusts. I got better at reading the geography to predict the gusts. (Yep, lots of time to think on the bike....) Anyhow, it is clear why they have all the wind turbines there!
Temp of 102 degrees in Palm Springs, and Indio doesn't seem any cooler. Made it to Indio - we are below sea level!
All for now - getting ready for 100 miles to cross the Mojave desert tomorrow.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Here we go!
Well, tomorrow at ~730am, the rear wheel will be getting ceremoniously dipped in the Pacific Ocean! Then I start riding. Woohoo!!!
Going to be lots of nerves, adrenaline, emotion, and excitement. I will try to remind myself of something I read a few years ago in someone else's online journal of the cross-country ride:
What to think about as you start to ride those first few miles -- absolutely anything except the fact that you are starting to ride across the country!! :)
Yep, just another day on the bike. Yeah, right.....
It turns out that our group is 17 people (instead of 20 as previously reported) that are going to Boston, and a few others going part-way. (Maybe a few folks dropped out after they read the blogs from last year's ride and came to their senses)???
I got to do a nice easy spin along the beach today. Rode up to Marina DelRey, Venice Beach, and SantaMonica. Classic So. Cal stuff - beach volleyball, rollerbladers, yachts, UCLA Crew team practicing near the Marina, surfers, lifeguards - it really is just like in the TV shows!!!
Fun group of people that I'll be riding with!! Somehow though, word got out that I work in Physical Therapy, so I have already started to hear about the aches and pains, and we haven't even started riding yet!!! (I was wondering how long that would take)....Folks are asking for exercises to do ON the bike. How funny is that!!??
Looking forward to the ride....
Going to be lots of nerves, adrenaline, emotion, and excitement. I will try to remind myself of something I read a few years ago in someone else's online journal of the cross-country ride:
What to think about as you start to ride those first few miles -- absolutely anything except the fact that you are starting to ride across the country!! :)
Yep, just another day on the bike. Yeah, right.....
It turns out that our group is 17 people (instead of 20 as previously reported) that are going to Boston, and a few others going part-way. (Maybe a few folks dropped out after they read the blogs from last year's ride and came to their senses)???
I got to do a nice easy spin along the beach today. Rode up to Marina DelRey, Venice Beach, and SantaMonica. Classic So. Cal stuff - beach volleyball, rollerbladers, yachts, UCLA Crew team practicing near the Marina, surfers, lifeguards - it really is just like in the TV shows!!!
Fun group of people that I'll be riding with!! Somehow though, word got out that I work in Physical Therapy, so I have already started to hear about the aches and pains, and we haven't even started riding yet!!! (I was wondering how long that would take)....Folks are asking for exercises to do ON the bike. How funny is that!!??
Looking forward to the ride....
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Itinerary
The link for the trip's itinerary has expired, but I can always email the file to you if interested at this point.
http://dc145.4shared.com/download/102146520/7b4b2faa/Itinerary.pdf
http://dc145.4shared.com/download/102146520/7b4b2faa/Itinerary.pdf
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