Scott Davis Anderson

Day Sixteen

This morning I was looking forward to an easy day. My plan was to ride casual and allow the guys from the Old Bones Crew to catch up with me just east of El Paso. I started the day by heading down to the New Mexico State University campus to visit a Kinko’s and have some business cards made up with my website address and the names of the charities I am riding for. I figured it would be a whole lot easier than writing down my website for people who inquire. I also stopped in a local bike shop to address my issues with flat tires, and to re-supply. I woke up to another front flat. I had been aware of the flat, and was able to make it to Las Cruces last night by pumping the tire back up every 15 miles or so. It was a slow leak and I had a spare in reserves if I couldn’t tolerate the nuisance any longer. The people at the bike shop recommended a Tuffy liner for my tires and a thorn resistant tube. I went ahead and had my flat changed to a thorn resistant tube and had both tires lined with the Tuffy material. I also purchased additional spares.

I began my ride towards El Paso around noon. I figured my day would be short and the miles few. I was feeling good. The bike was running smoothly, and I was satisfied that I had gotten the cards made. The ride was mostly flat, so the miles seemed to fly by rather quickly. I had gone about 30 miles when I realized I had left the map for section 3 back at the cycle shop. With the Old Bones Crew heading my way, I figured I could get to the end of my section 2 map (just east of El Paso) and hang tight till reinforcements arrived.

I grabbed a late lunch at a gas station east of Las Cruces. I went for the green meat and breakfast burritos. About 5 hours later it caught up with me. I have had emergency situations while driving a car, where I needed to pull over as soon as I hit the next exit. This time was different. The exits were not coming as quickly as when I am driving. This time of day, traffic was heavy on the 375 Loop on the north side of El Paso, but I seriously considered pulling over to the side of the road to embarrass myself in front of the many passers by. I considered it a plus to the alternative of uncomfortable drawers and a sticky situation when checking into the RV Park. I tried to calm myself, and was lucky to make it to an exit where I found a Dollar Store. I used the facilities and was on my way. Once again, I was feeling good.

I made it to the RV Park east of El Paso after 7:00pm. It was dark, and not easy to find. Luckily I had picked up a rear light for my bike at the cycle shop and put it to use. The RV park has a pool and a Jacuzzi, both of which I used tonight. I spoke with Allan from the Old Bones Crew, and they are 90 miles west of me in Columbus, NM, but are going to try to push it to my location by tomorrow evening. I plan on spending tomorrow napping and sitting in the pool in hopes that my friends arrive safely by evening. Good night from west Texas!

Starting point: Hotel in Las Cruces, NM
Ending point: RV Park east of El Paso
Total miles on this day: 78.22
Total miles to date: 948.61
Average MPH: 11.7
Max MPH: 29.4
Saddle time on this day: 6:38:23
Saddle time to date: 96:50:42

Day Fifteen

Last night when I rolled into Hillsboro, I was greeted by two Canadian riders also traveling to Florida along the Southern Tier.  It was nice to have people to talk with at the tail end of such a wonderful day.  Nathan and Joel are riding for an organization called Athletes for Africa.  After fixing another flat tire on my trailer this morning, I joined the two at a nearby café for breakfast.  We were soon joined by 3 more riders who are traveling by RV on their journey.  One of the guys is riding the entire thing, but the other two are alternating one day on, one day off.  This seems like it would be a really great way to enjoy the scenery as you travel across the country.

I took my riding today slow and steady.  I was only sped up twice, when I was chased by two different dogs along the route.  I have to admit, it is a little scary when a dog comes “Turner and Hooch style” around a driveway straight at you.  Luckily, I have had enough energy to kick it into a higher gear and get away.   I don’t feel like getting into a fight with a dog along my journey, but I can’t rule out the possibility.

The roads were relatively flat today, allowing me to travel a little over 80 miles to Las Cruces, NM.  I am feeling tired, but had my evening energized by a call from Carl of the Old Bones Crew.  They are 2 days out of El Paso, which means that I can put in a couple of casual days of riding and they should catch back up with me after their brief detour to Tuscon.  I plan on going North of El Paso tomorrow, and hope to find a campsite a little further east .   Good night from the home of New Mexico State University.

Starting point: Camping at the center of town in Hillsboro, NM
Ending point: Hotel in Las Cruces, NM
Total miles on this day: 80.42
Total miles to date: 870.39
Average MPH: 11.7
Max MPH: 35.6
Saddle time on this day: 6:51:39
Saddle time to date: 90:12:19

Day Fourteen

I cannot remember a day filled with such a wide range of emotions since the 2002 NCAA Football National Championship game, when Ohio State defeated the University of Miami, FL in double overtime.  You all remember that right?  Well today was a lot like that, but better.

This morning when I woke up I quickly got ready to set off for Emory Pass.  I set my goal to reach the 8228’ pass by sundown, and figured I would have a pleasant day of riding with no worries along the way.  I began breezing down route 152 and was approaching Hanover at 30 MPH when I noticed the handling of my bicycle was no longer as I expected.  The bike had a strange noise to it, and I felt as though my alignment was a mess, so I began breaking and headed towards the shoulder.  I was able to get the bike to around 10 MPH when the bike began to lose control and I could hear the sound of the tire rim grinding against the asphalt.  I quickly unclipped my feet and was able to keep myself upright until I came to a stop.  The back tire had blown.  No big deal, just a small delay in getting to the top of Emory Pass.  I pulled out a spare tube and commenced the tire changing procedure.  I pumped and pumped, but was unable to get the tire to inflate to full.  I also noticed that upon spinning the tire, the tire was no longer true.  I kept myself calm and walked the bike across the street, to a local bar that seemed to be open.

I entered the bar and was greeted by smiling faces.  I explained my troubles to the bartender and she went to see if the owner, Dave had an air compressor.  Sure enough he did!  Unfortunately he did not have an adapter that fit the presta valves on my bike.  To say Dave is a nice man would be an understatement.  He offered to drive me 15 miles back to Silver City to the bike shop in town to get the situation fixed up.  He brought me a bottle of water and we loaded up his truck to head back to Silver City.  It never ceases to amaze me how wonderful people can be.  Dave and I talked about his hometown of Hanover, NM and the state of youth in the surrounding areas.  He expressed his concerns about the crystal meth usage that has exploded amongst the citizens of his town.  Dave struck me as the type of man that would do anything to help out another if it was in his power. He was definitely looking over me on this day.

We got to the bike shop and the people there were also extremely helpful.  They trued my tire, changed a tube, and fixed some problems that were happening with my rear derailer.  I also picked up an extra tube and some energy gels for the ride.  Dave ran an errand while I waited for the bike to be finished and came back to pick me up.  We headed back to the bar so I could pick up riding where I left off, but first he wanted to take me to see where the old mining town of Hanover once was.  What he took me to was the Santa Rita Copper mine, an area that had been completely stripped of its resources, carved out and left.  It was a strange feeling to be looking at what used to be a booming mining town that has since been left behind and mostly forgotten.  We headed back to the bar so I could pick up my trailer and head on my way.  I tried to pay Dave for helping me out, but he would not take it.  I had a feeling he wouldn’t.  There was something about him… something.

I got about 200 yards from the bar when the same back tire blew again.  I laughed out loud.  What a strange day, I thought.  I began changing the tire again, and struggled to get enough tire pressure to move on.  I had the bike upside down and was pumping away, hoping that if I excreted enough energy, the tire would inflate to full.  I noticed another biker pull up along side of me, and I hesitated, thinking it was Jim, whom I had met from the continental divide yesterday.  The face was familiar, but I could not place it.  Than I looked back and there was another biker with him.  It was Jim and Jackie, the owners of the KOA I stayed at last night!  They are avid bicyclists and were on a short ride, enjoying the beautiful weather.  By this time, I realized that my pump was broken and that I was not getting the proper seal to inflate the tire.  Jackie offered to give me one of their pumps so that I was not stuck without one as I enter a portion of the trip with very little services.  She suggested that I mail it back to them when I get a chance.  The pump worked beautifully!  I was able to inflate the tire and shortly was pedaling towards Emory Pass.  I began thinking about angels at this point and could not help but feel amazingly grateful to have met such wonderful individuals.  I rode inspired, determined to reach the pass by sundown.

I knew that I was committed to making it to Emory Pass as soon as I left Hanover, because there would be no services until the other side of Emory.  I had stocked up on food and water and was comfortable that I would make it without running out.  I tried to ration my water accordingly.  The climb was challenging and I was drinking and sweating a lot.  I began to worry about my water situation after I had finished my first bottle of water and had already started in on my second.  An RV began to pass by slowly and I held up my empty bottle in hopes that the driver would understand.  She did!  They stopped and filled up one of my bottles and even offered to drive me up to the top.  I thanked them for the water, but explained that I was determined to make it to the top without a ride.  I continued pedaling more confident in my supply of water.  I was drinking the water as fast as I could get it filled up!  About a half hour later, a couple in a SUV pulled over and asked me how I was doing.  I told them I was doing well, but was once again low on water.  They parked their car and filled both of my bottles to full and offered me an apple.  They were both cyclists, traveling to Santa Fe, NM from San Diego for a short getaway.  I chatted with them for a while and it turned out they had run into 2 of the ladies from the Woman’s Tour Group and had heard about me from the ladies.  I gave them my website information and my parents phone number.  We thought it would be funny/nice if they called my dad and told him about my progress.  I have not had telephone reception for days and we wouldn’t want my parents thinking I was dead in a ditch!  Before heading on their way, the couple offered me a banana, which I gladly accepted.  I thanked them for putting me in such great spirits and assured them that they had elevated me to the top of Emory Pass.

I pedaled with a huge smile on my face, knowing that with all the challenges that had been presented on this day, a solution had just as quickly revealed itself.  I felt like angels were looking after me.  I imagined that the breeze blowing on my back was my brother taking me on an epic journey.  I thought about my grandfather and a trip I took by myself to the New River in West Virginia to go white water kayaking for the first time.  My grandfather had passed away, but I had been planning on taking this trip and felt like I really needed to go through with my plans.  Each time I attempted to ride down the rapids, I capsized and inhaled a belly full of water.  I refused to let the river get the best of me.  I closed my eyes and thought about my grandfather.  I imagined him on the water with me, guiding me through the rapids.  I stayed upright and held onto my paddle, and felt as though my grandpa was smiling down upon me.  I looked to the heavens and thanked him for him… for everything.  When I got the boat to the shore, I quickly got my things together and loaded up my car.  I met the rest of my family at his funeral the following morning.  At the burial, I took one of the flowers that rested at his grave.  It had been on the dash of my car ever since, as a reminder of him.  Now that I have sold my car, I have been keeping it in the front compartment of my bicycle bag.  I think I am going to leave it somewhere special during this trip, but have not yet figure out where.  I wept for the last few miles as I approached Emory Pass.  It seemed like I was feeling all the good in the world simultaneously and could not help but feel overjoyed.  When I reached Emory Pass, I was so grateful for the help I received from so many wonderful people.  I was encouraged and inspired by the actions of others to continue on and despite my urges to concede, I made it.

The day was not yet over, because I was rewarded with the most amazing downhill as the fruits of this wonderful day.  I could not dream of a better ending as I cruised between 20-35 MPH down a winding stretch of hills that seemed endless.  The breeze blew through me and I felt like doing it all over again from the beginning.  I thought about how great it would be to get all my friends here to take a ride from Silver City to where I finally set up camp for the night in Hillsboro, NM.  Today has been the perfect recipe for challenge and reward, and surely will be a day I will not soon forget.

Starting point: KOA Campsite in Silver City, NM
Ending point: Camping at the center of town in Hillsboro, NM
Total miles on this day: 52.38
Total miles to date: 789.97
Average MPH: 8.5
Max MPH: 37.4
Saddle time on this day: 6:05:52
Saddle time to date: 83:20:40

Day Thirteen

These time zones and daylight savings time have been confusing me, so I decided to get moving as soon as I saw first daylight.  Camping in the middle of the forest blocked the sun a bit, but the birds alerted me to the start of the day.  I estimate my start time at around 7:30am, having pedaled my first 30 miles by 11:00am.  Yesterday towards the end of the day, I ran into a couple of guys who were also biking from west to east.  They started in Los Angeles and are planning to bike to Venus, FL.  This morning, I saw their bikes at a café, so I stopped in to grab a late breakfast and say hello.  They were planning out their next few days, and look to be taking a short cut to bypass some of the next couple days of heavy climbs.  You would think I would be on board with any shortcuts, but no.  I am excited to head to Emory Pass, a climb up to 8228’.  After a quick bite to eat I gave the now customary “see you down the road,” and headed east towards Silver City.

The route was challenging, but not as bad as my climb from Superior to Globe, or the climb yesterday from Safford to the Apache National Forest.  The highlight of today’s ride was short but sweet.  I was walking the bike up a steep portion of 180 headed towards the continental divide, just west of Silver City, when a guy who was biking down the hill stopped to see if I was doing alright.  I smiled at him and told him I was planning on hoofing the remaining miles into Silver City.  He nodded and told me there was only about 5 miles more of uphill before I hit the continental divide.  He mentioned his driveway was located right next to it and that he was training for a tour from San Francisco to Los Angeles to help support AIDS research in June.  I wished him luck and joked that I would see him on his way back up the hill, suspecting that my pace was a bit slower than his.  Sure enough I had almost made it the five miles when he caught back up with me.  He offered to take a photo of me at the continental divide and told me he would meet me there.  I was on the bike again at this point and pumping hard to get to the top.  I got to the divide a bit earlier than he expected, because he was nowhere to be seen.  I snapped a couple photos of my bike next to the sign and continued on.  A half-mile down the road the gentleman pulled up in his truck and grinned, “I should have told you I was grabbing my truck.”  We talked for a while and I mentioned that I was riding for The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Katrina Disaster Recovery (Project Homecoming), and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  I told him about my blog and he mentioned that he would take a look.  Before departing, he asked if I needed any water.  I had finished off my water bottles and had nothing in reserves.  I had been fighting to make it to Silver City, so I was so grateful that he was able to fill up one of my water bottles.  I made it into the Silver City KOA around 6:30, set up my tent and put my dirty clothes in the laundry.  When I jumped on the computer to write, I noticed he had already made a donation!  He left the instructions to “May the wind be at your back and the trucks be patient.”   Thank you Jim, it is always nice to make a friend along the road.  I have not forgotten about the other 8 people that have made donations, and plan on thanking each one of you individually for your support.  I don’t plan on getting around to it until after I arrive in St. Augustine, but am so happy that you are following along.  Good night from Silver City.

Starting point: Campsite in the Apache National Forest, AZ
Ending point: KOA Campsite in Silver City, NM
Total miles on this day: 72.78
Total miles to date: 737.59
Average MPH: 9.6
Max MPH: 39.2
Saddle time on this day: 7:30:32
Saddle time to date: 77:14:48

Day Twelve

This morning I didn’t get riding until 10:00am. I waited outside a bicycle shop for it to open, but nothing moves fast in a small town. Having blown 2 tires, and heading into a long stretch with no services, I was in the market for some new inner tubes. The store didn’t have exactly what I wanted, but I ended up getting 2 oversize tubes for the bike and a heavy thorn resistant tube for my trailer. They will get me by if I need them, but I would have preferred a smaller tube for my bike and a regular tube for my trailer, but I am learning to make due.

When I get done with this trip, I am going to post diagrams of the elevations from the routes I have traveled. Today was another uphill battle, but the challenges have started to become a little game to me. I am in no particular hurry, so I break down climbs into the slowest scenario possible… if I walk the entire thing. For instance, today there was a twelve-mile uphill that increased by 2300’ in elevation. I have learned a couple things over the course of my twelve days, and one of them is that I am not a climber. The slowest scenario for this hill is it would take me 4 hours if I walked the entire thing. I am willing to do such a thing if necessary. And on this day… it was necessary. I don’t know what it was, but I was not feeling like riding the bike. I enjoyed the scenery and the salt stains on my clothing, but preferred to do it from the comfort of solid ground. I imagine tomorrow will be quite different, as there is another long downhill that awaits me.

I made my way into the Apache National Forest, where I set up a campsite off the side of the roadway. My campsite is surrounded by pine-trees and the ground is filled with fallen pinecones. I am starting to get high enough that I am seeing trees intermingled with the cactus, and since it was getting dark when I set up camp, didn’t get a chance to really explore my surroundings.

Water was scarce today, so I packed extra fluids in my dry bag in case I ran into a problem. Luckily there was a small store in the middle of nowhere that I was able to re-supply before heading in even deeper. Tomorrow I will only have to climb a couple more miles before I get to a major downhill that will bring me into New Mexico, and a small town for some more re-supply. Good night from the border!

Starting point: Hotel in Safford, AZ
Ending point: Campsite in the Apache National Forest, AZ
Total miles on this day: 50.4
Total miles to date: 664.81
Average MPH: 7.0
Max MPH: 38.0
Saddle time on this day: 7:08:50
Saddle time to date: 69:44:16

Day Eleven

This morning, I started the day by dropping off a package at the post office.  It was nice to be rid of some unwanted weight.  An electric razor, topped off the package of items that were a bit extreme for a lightweight trip across the country.  After my trip to the post office, I began a pleasant 80+ mile ride to Saffored, AZ.  The trip was long, but was relatively flat compared to yesterdays 2000′ climb.  I stopped along the way for a chocolate malt, and munched on Clif Bars I had picked up in Globe.  Somewhere along the route, I popped my front tire.  I noticed the leak during one of my stops, so I pumped the tire up to see how fast the leak was.  I ended up making it to Safford without having to change the tube, but had to pump the tire back up every 10 miles or so.  There is a bike shop here in town, so I plan on replenishing my supplies before I head east.  I have not yet looked at a map to see where I am going to head tomorrow, but I seem to recall two MAJOR climbs before I get to Buckhorny, NM.  It looks like I will be climbing 2300′ tomorrow.  I am hoping there are shoulders along the route, and NO TRAFFIC!  Sleep time from Safford, with dreams of New Mexico dancing in my head.

Starting point: RV Park in Globe, AZ
Ending point: Hotel in Safford, AZ
Total miles on this day: 82.19
Total miles to date: 614.41
Average MPH: 12.3
Max MPH: 31.5
Saddle time on this day: 6:41:00
Saddle time to date: 62:35:26

Day Ten

I woke up this morning eager to get started, knowing that the uphill was going to take everything out of me.  I also wanted to get a good jump, so I could push all the way to Safford, AZ by sundown.

After packing up all my belongings and getting ready to start my ride, I noticed my trailer was dragging irregularly.  I inspected a little more closely and noticed that I had a flat tire.  I recall telling Ann in San Clemente that I prefer changing car tires to changing bicycle tires any day.  What I failed to admit was that I hadn’t ever changed one by myself, which explains my comfort with changing car tires.  Its not that it is all that difficult, but under pressure… I am not the most mechanically inclined.  After poking, pulling, and praying, I managed to insert the inner tube and replace the tire on the spoke thingy.  I grabbed my bike pump and went to inflate the tire, when I noticed the head of the bike pump was too small for the tire.  The trailer tire has a different nozzle than my bike!  I walked in circles for a minute or two as the pains in my knees began to reemerge.  I found the owner of the campgrounds I was staying in and asked him if he had any air, and he did!  I inflated the tire and thanked the gentleman for helping me get on my way, and was off.

It didn’t take long before I was walking my bike up a long grinding hill.  It was true, there was no shoulder and traffic was much to heavy for a bike route.  To top it off, there was a tunnel that went through a mountainside.  The tunnel was dark and it was in fashion for drivers to honk as they roared through the tunnel.  It was enough to scare me safe.  I slowly walked through the tunnel with my bike on my left side, to act as a blocker in case a 2-ton pickup decided it wanted to test my pass blocking capabilities.  I was relieved when I got to the other side and took a short break by a lookout point on the side of the road.  I hadn’t been there long when I began to see riders from the Woman’s Tour Group charging ahead.  For the next 15 miles, I was greeted by the ladies and inspired to keep forging ahead.  At one point I stopped along side the road and bought some beef jerky from a woman that was vending on the side of the road.  We chatted a while and I got another much needed boost in spirit when she pointed out the sign on the side of the road that said elevation 4600 Feet.  I had made it!  The rest of the trip was pretty much downhill from there.

I called ahead to an RV park in Globe and asked if they could accommodate me for the night.  I was happy when Lois greeted me in the parking lot and offered up her art studio for a hot shower and welcomed me to use their wireless internet.  Lois is an excellent painter, and teaches at the local community college here in Globe.  She showed me some of her paintings and storyboards for books she has illustrated.  I met a couple that used to do some bicycle touring a few years back, and they shared stories of their adventures.  The stars sure are bright tonight and there is a slight chill in the air.  I am going to get some sleep, so I can make it to Safford, AZ tomorrow!

Starting point: RV Park in Superior, AZ
Ending point: RV Park in Globe, AZ
Total miles on this day: 25.6
Total miles to date: 532.22
Average MPH: 7.5
Max MPH: 39.8
Total riding/walking time on this day: 3:24:46
Total riding/walking time to date: 55:54:26

Day Nine

I left Tempe this morning around 9:00am, once again traveling solo.  I enjoy my independence.  I pace myself a little differently than everyone I come in contact with, but enjoy synching up with people from time to time.  The company of Alan, Ron, and Carl was most excellent.  I very much look forward to running into them again.

I slowly made my way through the sprawling metropolis, spanning Tempe, Mesa, and Apache Junction, before being greeted by big horizons and gigantic mountains.  I bet you can’t guess what I did next?  I walked my bike.  I climbed for a good distance before jumping off the bike and walking, but the uphill was too much for me to handle.  In Tempe, I made an adjustment to my bike seat and it seemed to be helping with my knee problems.  I was relatively pain free, but my will to conquer this hill was not greater than my urge to hop off the bike and walk it.  Walking up the hill allowed me to enjoy the scenery and bask in the encouraging toots of the horn by fellow passers by.

I began thinking about what I was going to write in today’s entry, and you guessed it… it was awesome!  Have you ever been sitting in your car, composing ideas/speeches/lectures/letters, whatever and it streamed out of your consciousness so pure and to the point that it took your breath away?  Your thoughts were so clear and concise that you cannot conceive of a way in which your thoughts could be expressed any better?  Maybe it was the most prophetic thing you had ever imagined, or heard in your life.  You may have even performed it out loud just to be sure you weren’t dreaming!  Well, that happens to me a lot.  It happened to me again today, but I than I forgot it.  I don’t even have the slightest idea what it was about.  It might have been about wild flowers, but than again… it could have been about boats.  There is a lot of time for thinking when you are riding solo.

I arrived in Superior, AZ around 5:00pm and took a look at the map to see if I could make it to the next small town.  My eyeballs practically jumped out of my head when I saw what needed to be done to get to Globe, AZ.  Globe is a small town only 25 miles from Superior, but the climb exceeds anything I have done so far.  I decided to rest up at the base of the climb and plan on attacking the hill in the morning.  The uphill is only 15 miles or so long, but will take me from around 2500′ to 4500′ over that span.  That will be brutal.  I also hear that there is not a shoulder on this climb, so I intend on being extra cautious as I proceed.  I will hitch a ride up if it is not something I am comfortable with, but plan on giving it a try in the morning.

Thanks again for all the well wishes and to those of you who have donated to help support The American Foundationfor Suicide Prevention, Katrina Disaster Recovery (Project Homecoming), and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Starting point: Hotel in Tempe, AZ
Ending point: RV Park in Superior, AZ
Total miles on this day: 66.8
Total miles to date: 506.62
Average MPH: 12.3
Max MPH: 24.3
Total riding/walking time on this day: 6:40:19
Total riding/walking time to date: 52:29:40

Day Eight

This morning I slept in… a little. Sharing a hotel room with three other guys makes it difficult to hibernate the way I would if I were by myself. I was the last one up, so I hurried down to breakfast and scarfed down some eggs and sausage. We needed to get our stuff out of the room, but the hotel was nice enough to allow us to store our things in their luggage closet while we went to a spring training baseball game. We all stripped our bikes down of all excessive components, trailers, water bottles, and bags, and headed towards the Arizona State baseball stadium. Riding the bike felt amazing! I felt so quick and agile on the bike.

The Chicago Cubs were playing the California Angels. I am not much of a baseball fan, but it was fun to lazily sit in the sun and rest my by legs. After the game, I said goodbye to the Old Bones Crew, at least for the time being. They will be headed to Tucson in the morning, while I will be headed east via a more northern route. I hope to run into them again before I reach St. Augustine, but plan on adventuring with these guys again regardless.

I am spending one more night in Tempe and plan on shipping some excess weight back to Ohio first thing in the morning. I will give the same advice that was given to me before I started this trip. If you are planning on taking a long bike trip, TRAVEL LIGHT! Good night from Tempe.

Starting point: Hotel in Tempe, AZ
Ending point: Hotel in Tempe, AZ
Total miles on this day: 5.61
Total miles to date: 439.82
Average MPH: 10.3
Max MPH: 19.0
Total riding/walking time on this day: 32:36
Total riding/walking time to date: 45:49:21

Day Seven

This morning, I felt really strong for the first time since I began riding.  My knees were still a slight problem, but I felt strong and was able to ride at a sustained pace for 20+ miles before we stopped and got a hot dog from a a nice man in Surprise, AZ.  I had a polish sausage with sauerkraut, that filled me up until the next stop in Phoenix at Cold Stone Creamery.  I continued to ride with the Old Bones Crew, splitting from them momentarily to visit a computer store I had scouted out that was a little bit off route.  I picked up an AC adapter to replace my broken one and am now able to charge my laptop batteries again.  I caught up with the guys a little way down the road and we headed to REI for some bike tune-ups.  My bike has been running pretty well, so I didn’t have them do anything, but plan on making a couple of small adjustments to tighten up my derailer as it has loosened a little over the course of the first 400+ miles.  We made our way to a hotel and split the cost amongst the four of us, showered, and got something to eat.  We are planning on taking the day off tomorrow and will look for a spring training baseball game to go to in the afternoon.  I have never been to a spring training game, so I look forward to checking one out.  We ran into our first westbound southern tier group today.  They passed along their blog information and looked to be in good spirits.  It was nice seeing someone at the tail end of their journey.  I wonder what they will do next?  Bedtime for now, it feels really good to be in Tempe!

Starting point: RV Park in Wickenberg, AZ
Ending point: Hotel in Tempe, AZ
Total miles on this day: 78.4
Total miles to date: 439.82
Average MPH: 12.3
Max MPH: 24.3
Total riding/walking time on this day: 6:40:19
Total riding/walking time to date: 45:16:45