Today continued our trek into the desert. The day started out with wispy snow flurry like bugs drifting, sticking in the oily lather of sunscreen on us. We jumped onto the highway I-10 for the next 36 miles. It was mostly a slow grind up some gradual grades. We were surrounded by rocky dark brown hills as we climbed. Nigel and I climb about the same pace so we hung together up to the first stop. There was a good picture stop when we crossed into Arizona. We hit a nice downhill and cranked for a while at around 28mph. Rumble strips made the shoulder a bit hazardous, as did the huge semis with drivers curious to see just how close they could come to a bicyclist without hitting them. Two feet seems to be the going distance.
After the first rest stop, which was right off the highway, we picked up a few more riders, which included a group from Texas - Mike, John, Clifford, Billy, Daphne, and Charles. We rode a pace line but it got a little sloppy with a few of the riders going off the front. Also rode a bit with Spencer, the youngest rider at 23. The road was a straight line off into the horizon. There was a row of endless brown-tarred telephone poles stretching off into the horizon on our left. A silvery shimmer floated above the white asphalt road stretched before us. There were some cacti scattered in the scrub bushes off the sides of the road. Most of them had their characteristic "arms" waving at us, but some were single stalks jutting out into the sky. There were signs to "watch for animals", but the only one spotted was a white lizard darting under someone's wheels (unharmed).
Lunch was more of the same as yesterday; I added some pickles as a topping to my sandwich. Some people were pouring themselves glasses of green pickle juice to get their salt fix. The ice sock was filled up and we went out as a big group. More pace line riding into a crosswind. Daphne had a nice solid pace for a while. Eventually Nigel and I crept ahead. We stopped for the last stop. Crewmember Terri had some cool desert music playing in the tape deck. Wild stuff you hear around snake charmers, it melds well with the deep blue sky, blazing white-hot sun, and barren scrub landscape
As Nigel, Clifford, and I crested a few small rollers, we started a ten-mile thundering descent into Wickenburg. Clifford was creeping up on my right and hit a gravel patch. Clifford then peeled off with a flat tire.
We pulled in around 4pm. Not the fastest day by any means. Tomorrow is going to be over 130 miles and 9000 ft of climbing (four major climbs). It is supposedly going to get cooler as we gain altitude. We will be in Arizona for three more days as we creep North to Colorado.
We had Mexican for dinner. No grand eating scenes of mention. I think after tomorrow's rough schedule I may have some scenes to report. I feel better today than the last two. Probably because it was a bit cooler today (106), and I did not get a beet red sunburn as previous days (sunscreen does work).
Tuesday, September 12, 2000
Monday, September 11, 2000
El Centro, CA to Blythe, CA - 104 miles
Our daily morning schedule has us feeding between 6 and 6:30 am, then a staggered start up to 7am. The first part of today's ride we rode through the fields surrounding El Centro. The fields are irrigated by some sort of nearby canal. This ditch water made the air humid. There is a sharp contrast between the fields with green vegetation and the brown unused fields. Along the side of the road and in the fields are stacked huge forty foot tall and five hundred foot long bales of yellow crusty hay. We saw a few pens of dairy cattle and they stunk.
After crossing over the canal, we made our first sag stop. It was starting to get hot - time to break out the ice sock. I downed some V-8, beef jerky, a granola bar, banana, and Gatorade to stoke the fire. I filled up the Camelbak for the upcoming inferno.
The group up to stop was Brian, Keith, Nigel, Wes, and Terri. Wes had ridden Quadzilla in July - a ride I had also done. We chatted about the miserable conditions (hills, headwind, etc.) on that ride. We pulled out of the stop minus Wes and Terri, they left before us.
Brian was being frisky and darted ahead. We were entering a park of sand dunes. This is the stuff of deserts - sand blowing across the road, rippled dunes rising at odd angles, weird shadows, no vegetation or rocks. We climbed a small rise for a fantastic view. There were some far-off mountain ranges in the distance at every corner. We will see what range we'll end up ascending or hopefully skirt around (not likely).
After the sand dune park, we noticed there was a long row of chain link fence with barbed wire. A sign indicated this was a protected turtle area. Not sure what the razor wire did for them, though. We stopped again for another water break and ice sock refill. Beef jerky, salt pills, Coke, salted peanuts are eaten. The temperature says 110 on the "Have a Coke and a smile" red bulbed thermometer on the trailer door.
We were now on some nice rolling hills. We scooted down them and then back up. Clifford from Houston joined us briefly. If you pedaled hard enough you were able to get up over the top going a fairly good clip. We also had a brief but brisk tailwind. We leveled off and the wind whipped around in our faces. Lunchtime by a lake. I have some olives, cold cuts, Mountain Dew, Lay's, canned sweetened strawberries, and peaches in heavy syrup. Salt is an important part of the long distance bicyclist's fuel (water and food are the other). Especially in the heat, where everyone has jagged white powdery salt/sweat lines up and down their black shorts and colorful jerseys.
We continue up the road and a black dog runs out. He is lathered up good from chasing other riders before us. He better relax or he'll collapse from the heat. I think he just wants to play. Another stop with a few mangy looking dogs barking at us, but staying their distance. Refill of the ice sock.
We finish around 2:30pm in Blythe, CA. It looks like a farming area combination exit off the interstate. Plenty of time for bike cleaning, shower, relaxing. At dinner Renny, Nigel and I watch Brian eat a whole large pizza at Pizza Hut. Pretty impressive considering he weighs 155!
I feel a bit better today than yesterday, probably because it was an easier day with a lot less climbing, and I'm adjusting somewhat to the heat. Looking forward to tomorrow's ride to Wickenburg, Arizona.
After crossing over the canal, we made our first sag stop. It was starting to get hot - time to break out the ice sock. I downed some V-8, beef jerky, a granola bar, banana, and Gatorade to stoke the fire. I filled up the Camelbak for the upcoming inferno.
The group up to stop was Brian, Keith, Nigel, Wes, and Terri. Wes had ridden Quadzilla in July - a ride I had also done. We chatted about the miserable conditions (hills, headwind, etc.) on that ride. We pulled out of the stop minus Wes and Terri, they left before us.
Brian was being frisky and darted ahead. We were entering a park of sand dunes. This is the stuff of deserts - sand blowing across the road, rippled dunes rising at odd angles, weird shadows, no vegetation or rocks. We climbed a small rise for a fantastic view. There were some far-off mountain ranges in the distance at every corner. We will see what range we'll end up ascending or hopefully skirt around (not likely).
After the sand dune park, we noticed there was a long row of chain link fence with barbed wire. A sign indicated this was a protected turtle area. Not sure what the razor wire did for them, though. We stopped again for another water break and ice sock refill. Beef jerky, salt pills, Coke, salted peanuts are eaten. The temperature says 110 on the "Have a Coke and a smile" red bulbed thermometer on the trailer door.
We were now on some nice rolling hills. We scooted down them and then back up. Clifford from Houston joined us briefly. If you pedaled hard enough you were able to get up over the top going a fairly good clip. We also had a brief but brisk tailwind. We leveled off and the wind whipped around in our faces. Lunchtime by a lake. I have some olives, cold cuts, Mountain Dew, Lay's, canned sweetened strawberries, and peaches in heavy syrup. Salt is an important part of the long distance bicyclist's fuel (water and food are the other). Especially in the heat, where everyone has jagged white powdery salt/sweat lines up and down their black shorts and colorful jerseys.
We continue up the road and a black dog runs out. He is lathered up good from chasing other riders before us. He better relax or he'll collapse from the heat. I think he just wants to play. Another stop with a few mangy looking dogs barking at us, but staying their distance. Refill of the ice sock.
We finish around 2:30pm in Blythe, CA. It looks like a farming area combination exit off the interstate. Plenty of time for bike cleaning, shower, relaxing. At dinner Renny, Nigel and I watch Brian eat a whole large pizza at Pizza Hut. Pretty impressive considering he weighs 155!
I feel a bit better today than yesterday, probably because it was an easier day with a lot less climbing, and I'm adjusting somewhat to the heat. Looking forward to tomorrow's ride to Wickenburg, Arizona.
Sunday, September 10, 2000
San Diego, CA to El Centro, CA - 129 miles
Today in a word - hot. We started the day at 6am with breakfast. After woofing down some Golden Grahams and a piece of cheese danish, we hit the road. It was extremely foggy. Water dripped off my brake levers, helmet, glasses. We went by Qualcomm stadium. After around twenty miles we crested a hill, the fog was behind us. I was riding with a group that included my roommate Brian. At the top of a nice downhill, my cue sheet flew off. Bye everyone. Back up the hill to get the sheet. I continued to climb. We were making our way slowly but surely to the top of the mountains before the desert. Lunch appeared, I ate. Lots of salty stuff - olives, cold cuts, Lay's, anchovies, salt pills. We were encouraged to fill up a tube sock with ice and put over our neck to keep cool for the upcoming desert. We left - Brian (the biologist), Carol (the physical therapist), Nigel (the orthopedic surgeon). A few of us stopped to get a good shot of the ten-mile descent ahead of us framed by the ominous desert. The descent began, and there were signs warning of high winds (there were, and the felt like blasts from an oven door opening), rumble strips, a runaway truck ramp (nice!), and large overhanging rocks everywhere. We were truly descending into hell.
We had about fifty miles ahead of us in this heat. Very flat, but hot. We stopped to fix Nigel's second flat, and more riders stopped to join in. Brian noted the temperature was 113 degrees. We got a pace line going for bit, but it degenerated as heat exhaustion set in for a few riders. They stopped to fix flats, I continued. There was one more water stop 11 miles from the end. It was needed. Nigel and I picked it up a bit as we rode through some somewhat cooler area that had irrigation ditches and green fields.
We saw the Border Patrol quite a few times whizzing by in their Broncos. Supposedly this group of bicyclists, which has come through in years past, is one of their favorites. We are about ten miles or so from the Mexican border right now. I am going to try and get my picture taken with them tomorrow.
We go tomorrow to Blythe, CA, which the Denny's staff tonight at dinner assured us there was nothing there. There won't be near as much climbing, which will make things easier (only 1900 ft. vs. 7500 ft. today). But the infernal heat will be with us for the next four days.
We had about fifty miles ahead of us in this heat. Very flat, but hot. We stopped to fix Nigel's second flat, and more riders stopped to join in. Brian noted the temperature was 113 degrees. We got a pace line going for bit, but it degenerated as heat exhaustion set in for a few riders. They stopped to fix flats, I continued. There was one more water stop 11 miles from the end. It was needed. Nigel and I picked it up a bit as we rode through some somewhat cooler area that had irrigation ditches and green fields.
We saw the Border Patrol quite a few times whizzing by in their Broncos. Supposedly this group of bicyclists, which has come through in years past, is one of their favorites. We are about ten miles or so from the Mexican border right now. I am going to try and get my picture taken with them tomorrow.
We go tomorrow to Blythe, CA, which the Denny's staff tonight at dinner assured us there was nothing there. There won't be near as much climbing, which will make things easier (only 1900 ft. vs. 7500 ft. today). But the infernal heat will be with us for the next four days.
Saturday, September 9, 2000
Pre-ride details
OK, I'll be starting my first attempt at a bicycle ride across the country tomorrow. I'll be riding with around 65 other bicyclists. My bicycle, a purple and pearl white Serotta, is assembled and sitting next to me. The supply trucks look well stocked with Pop-Tarts, cereal, Gatorade, peanuts, and countless other goodies favored by ravenous hungry riders. This ride is going to be a great excuse to gorge myself to keep the fire fueled to do the 3100 miles over the next 25 days.
We have been warned numerous times to take it easy for the first few days. I am going to control myself, as much as I want to show everyone who's who. The real show will be who is still standing on October the 4th in Charleston, SC.
San Diego is beautiful like always, the huge blue sky settled over the dry brown hills and deep blue water. California is a very beautiful place. Tomorrow will take us over the hills into the hot stagnant desert air of the valley. We will then have a few more long days in the desert. Keeping water in the system is paramount.
The day begins tomorrow at 6am. After today, I'll be sending out daily status reports, with start and end towns, mileage, conditions, how much was eaten, how I felt, etc.
We have been warned numerous times to take it easy for the first few days. I am going to control myself, as much as I want to show everyone who's who. The real show will be who is still standing on October the 4th in Charleston, SC.
San Diego is beautiful like always, the huge blue sky settled over the dry brown hills and deep blue water. California is a very beautiful place. Tomorrow will take us over the hills into the hot stagnant desert air of the valley. We will then have a few more long days in the desert. Keeping water in the system is paramount.
The day begins tomorrow at 6am. After today, I'll be sending out daily status reports, with start and end towns, mileage, conditions, how much was eaten, how I felt, etc.
Friday, September 8, 2000
Introduction to my e-mail Journal
Welcome to my daily journal logs for my trip across the country with PacTour. The trip was 3117 miles in 25 days, averaging 125 miles a day. There were no rest days, unless you count an 82 mile day as rest.
Each message was written at the end of the day, everyday of the ride, and sent to my family and friends. I used a device from Sharp with the 'PocketMail' service. It was small, lightweight, and removed the hassle of bringing a laptop and getting connected.
Enjoy each entry, I welcome your comments.
Each message was written at the end of the day, everyday of the ride, and sent to my family and friends. I used a device from Sharp with the 'PocketMail' service. It was small, lightweight, and removed the hassle of bringing a laptop and getting connected.
Enjoy each entry, I welcome your comments.
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