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Day 34. Prescott, AZ to Cave Creek, AZ (Phoenix metro)Yesterday: Day 33. Williams, AZ to Prescott, AZTomorrow: Day 35. Cave Creek, AZ
12 September, 2003 -- Day 34.
Today can be summed up as transitional day. I would be going from the chilly morning forests to the bone-dry deserts of the Valley of the Sun. I rolled out the door at around 6:15am to 45-degree temperature. Donning my arm warmers, a sleeveless wind breaker, and my leg warmers, I was still freezing cold... for once I was looking forward to doinbg some early climbs to get the blood flowing and to get my core temperature up. But first I stopped at the local convenience store, ate a roll of chocolate covered hostess donuts and a cup of coffee (hey sometimes you gotta eat whatever is available...). From there the climb up and out of Prescott began through the Prescott National Forest. Over the course of the next 20 miles or so, several groups of recreational cyclists passed me going the other way. Prescott is a town of around 30,000 people and there really seemed to be a great appreciation for cycling around here. It was still before 7am and I had seem numerous cyclists on what seemed to be their way back into town... it is good to see cyclists again... it is good to be getting close to civilization again.... A series of awesome ascents and descents out of Prescott dropped me into Peeples Valley, where I encountered my first tarantula (i think?) crossing the road in front of me. The climb up to Yarnell found me 35 miles into the day and in front of a diner where I was happy to stop for a more hearty breakfast... there was still a long road in front of me and I needed to make sure to be full of fuel. From Yarnell, this route was spectacular. Over the course of 8-10 miles, I lost over 2000 feet altitude where the transition from lush mountains to dry cactus-filled desert happened in an instant. Needless to say, the arm and leg warmers came off, the jacket came off and the sunscreen was applied. It wasn't in the 40s any more... we were in the 90s. The wind-gods were behind me for most of today, too. Literally at my back, so to speak. I had a gentle nudeg from them for most of the day and even after the steep descent had a net altitude loss over the next 20 miles into Wickenburg, where I stopped for lunch. I wanted to continue making good time, but as soon as I stopped pedaling, the cooling action of the bicycling motion went away and this was when I first really felt the extreme temperatures... and really felt just how dehydrated I was becoming... Seeing as I did not have to be anywhere by any specific time, I decided I would take a nice long lunch to make sure to replenish the fluids and the salt I had lost in my sweat... I still had 50-60 miles to go on the day, it was noon, and the temperature was nowhere close to where it would be by day's end. What better way is there to replenish lost salt than with McDONALDs FRENCH FRIES?!?!?!?!?!? So I walk into the McDonalds and lo and behold, a truck driver walks up to me and says "Hey Man, I passed you in Congress and again up the road, and now you are here... wow you are making great time"... (just like yesterday's experience with the policeman)... Anyway, an order of fries later, I stock up on some of those salt packets (and down one right there), fill up my water bottles from the neighboring convenience store then hit the road. From Wickenburg into the Phoenix metro area, I rode mostly on Highway 74... the wind-gods were still gently on my side and from mile 70-90, I literally was hammering, riding around 20mph for most of this distance... I am definitely back in shape. "Paul it looks like he has ridden himself back into shape in this year's tour!", says Phil. At mile 100, I crossed over I-17 just north of Phoenix as I made my way toward my friend's house in Cave Creek. I called him to get the final directions into his house, I drank a RedBull and I set out for the last 10-15 miles on the day.... but not 6 miles later, my rear tire's sidewall blew out. I had been playing with fire for the last week or so, and finally here, under 5 miles away from the end of this leg of the trip, I finally lose it.... Although I had a spare tire in my bag, I deicided to give-in, calling my friend to come pick me up and drive me in to his house. Needless to say, having ridden 230-some miles over the last three days, I feel great. My fitness is quickly returning to the level of a couple years ago. Hell, today was the longest ride I have done on a bike since July 2001... which was done on a sub-15-pound roadbike. (...just ask KJ and SS about the final, quintuple-sprint point on that 140-mile bike-ride.... in fact, i think i still have the king of the dumbarton mountain jersey somewhere in my closet boys...) I will rest-up in Cave Creek and enjoy some time with an old college friend and his family until mid-to-late next week, before heading west toward San Diego.
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