Thursday, October 29, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
What I Learned from Cycling from Denver to Phoenix
Trying to summarize this adventure is not easy. In time much will sink in but here are some final thoughts & observations.
I feel fortunate to have remained healthy before & during the trip. Before I left there was a lot of Swine flu around & I dreaded the thought of getting sick & having to cancel the ride after so much preparation.
I was lucky to have dodged most of the bad weather. There was snow before & after I left Denver. Getting through Colorado & over the mountain passes without snow was lucky. I must admit that I was always somewhat anxious before each days ride knowing I would be riding from after breakfast till close to dinner time almost every day.Most days presented special challenges including some or all of wind, rain,hard climbing,long distances & unfavorable road conditions & I admit that I never felt over confident.
Most of Colorado is well know to me & is of course lovely but northern Arizona was a surprise. The tribal territories were desolate but we got a better appreciation for the Native American people, their culture & their history. What an opportunity to develop solar & wind energy in those territories.
After the Grand Canyon, which defies description, we enjoyed the forests & the high altitude climate. Most of the area of northern Arizona is between 6,000-8,000 feet. It presents lots of climbing but much beauty. Arizona for us is no longer just Phoenix.
Flagstaff is a great little town & well worth the visit. Sedona is well known & enjoyed & we now know why. Jerome is an amazing town on the slopes of the Mingus mountains on the road from Sedona to Prescott & the scenery is spectacular even for Coloradans. Prescott claims to be the capital of Dude ranches & there some great golf courses in the area.
These long rides are, as with almost any challenge, a metaphor for life. Only difference is that it is concentrated & over quickly. Everyone has their list of 10 so here are mine. Things I learned & relearned;
1) Never try & visualize the whole days ride. It can appear overwhelming. Mentally one breaks the ride down into manageable segments. As each is accomplished one moves onto the next until the days ride is accomplished.
2) Long distance riding is an adventure. Bad weather & road conditions may force a change in plans. Enjoy the challenge & be flexible.
3) All hills look steeper from a distance.
4) Fear of the unknown should not dictate our actions.
5) Danger does not increase the further one is from our comfort zone.
6) Long distance riding is as much a mental as a physical challenge.
7) We can do more than we think we can.
8) Health as one gets older is a blessing. One should not waste it by physical inactivity & eating badly. Invest time in ones health every day.
9) Ageing is a process of diminishing physical ability. Exercise can slow this down but it takes more effort to be motivated.
The rewards are however obvious.
10) Don't give up anything you don't have to. Encourage both young & old to do what ever they can & resist the temptation to help unless absolutly necessary.
Let me end with a quotation attributed to an anonymous Indian source;
"I seek strength not to be greater than my brother but to fight my greatest enemy-myself"
So there it is. Only remains to add the last of the photos which I will do when I can get to an Apple store & they can show me how!
Thanks for reading!
I feel fortunate to have remained healthy before & during the trip. Before I left there was a lot of Swine flu around & I dreaded the thought of getting sick & having to cancel the ride after so much preparation.
I was lucky to have dodged most of the bad weather. There was snow before & after I left Denver. Getting through Colorado & over the mountain passes without snow was lucky. I must admit that I was always somewhat anxious before each days ride knowing I would be riding from after breakfast till close to dinner time almost every day.Most days presented special challenges including some or all of wind, rain,hard climbing,long distances & unfavorable road conditions & I admit that I never felt over confident.
Most of Colorado is well know to me & is of course lovely but northern Arizona was a surprise. The tribal territories were desolate but we got a better appreciation for the Native American people, their culture & their history. What an opportunity to develop solar & wind energy in those territories.
After the Grand Canyon, which defies description, we enjoyed the forests & the high altitude climate. Most of the area of northern Arizona is between 6,000-8,000 feet. It presents lots of climbing but much beauty. Arizona for us is no longer just Phoenix.
Flagstaff is a great little town & well worth the visit. Sedona is well known & enjoyed & we now know why. Jerome is an amazing town on the slopes of the Mingus mountains on the road from Sedona to Prescott & the scenery is spectacular even for Coloradans. Prescott claims to be the capital of Dude ranches & there some great golf courses in the area.
These long rides are, as with almost any challenge, a metaphor for life. Only difference is that it is concentrated & over quickly. Everyone has their list of 10 so here are mine. Things I learned & relearned;
1) Never try & visualize the whole days ride. It can appear overwhelming. Mentally one breaks the ride down into manageable segments. As each is accomplished one moves onto the next until the days ride is accomplished.
2) Long distance riding is an adventure. Bad weather & road conditions may force a change in plans. Enjoy the challenge & be flexible.
3) All hills look steeper from a distance.
4) Fear of the unknown should not dictate our actions.
5) Danger does not increase the further one is from our comfort zone.
6) Long distance riding is as much a mental as a physical challenge.
7) We can do more than we think we can.
8) Health as one gets older is a blessing. One should not waste it by physical inactivity & eating badly. Invest time in ones health every day.
9) Ageing is a process of diminishing physical ability. Exercise can slow this down but it takes more effort to be motivated.
The rewards are however obvious.
10) Don't give up anything you don't have to. Encourage both young & old to do what ever they can & resist the temptation to help unless absolutly necessary.
Let me end with a quotation attributed to an anonymous Indian source;
"I seek strength not to be greater than my brother but to fight my greatest enemy-myself"
So there it is. Only remains to add the last of the photos which I will do when I can get to an Apple store & they can show me how!
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Mission Accomplished!!
Day 16 of riding (Day 19 of the trip) & made the last nearly 60 miles to Phoenix in great shape! Averaged 15 miles per hour.
Left Wickenburg after breakfast in a really lovely old dining saloon with the old woodwok & stained glass windows with a floral design etc. It's a perk from spending time in these old little towns that one would normally just zip through if traveling by car.
Hazel took her time so that she could visit the museum later in the morning which she did & also stopped to look at Lake Pleasant which was 6 miles off the road so not for me. I took hwy 60 for the forst 10 miles. It is double carriage way, very busy & in bad shape. The shoulder I had to ride on was even worse. So it was a relief to turn off onto hwy 74 which had much less traffic & had a better surface. Also the scenery changed with the landscape dominated by the saguaro cactus. Looked like strange alein stick people from another planet. This road ws essentally straight for 30 miles & flat. First time I had a straight flat road all this trip. I made great speed. The road passed over Interstate hwy 17 & became Carefree Rd. This went on for another 12 miles before I was able to turn into Scottsdale Rd & ride the final miles into the lovely neighbourhood where cousin Phillip lives. His garden is a little oasis surrounded by desert. With bird feeders there are an amazing number of birds. All in all a great place to rest after a long ride. Amazing to think that after all the months of planning this adventure will now be something I will always remember as one of the special achievements of my life.
I feel great & fit. Lost only 2-3 pounds but look thinner so some of the weight is extra muscle. Had no injuries,took advil only twice after tough days in the early riding. So it shows that we can do a lot even as we get older. Our bodies with give us what we ask it to do after reasonable exercise & preparation (obviously within limits). Age really is relative. Health is the greatest blessing & I don't take it for granted. If I can do physical things I try & do them even if it requires more effort as one gets older. It is a positive cycle-energy in-energy out.
I like to also think of this ride as my contribution to the health care debate. Older folk exercising, eating age appropriate food & keeping out of the Dr's office as long as possible.
My thanks to many people who have encouraged & supported me. Hazel for sagging & her constant encouragement & love-I couldn't have done it without her help. All those who sponsored the ride with their generous financial support which will help buy bicycles for the kids living under constant threat along the border with Gaza. Please come to our event on Nov 8th at Bicycle Village in Aurora at 1pm & buy all your cycling needs at special discounts. Special thanks to Scott Primack whose very generous support ensures the success of our efforts.
Thanks to all for the prayers & positive vibs that helped speed me along & kept me safe. Thanks to Alan, Ira, Bill & Ted for riding some of the way with me & Judi for sagging the first 2 days.
Thanks to Ari for the power drinks & clothing that helped so much & all of you who followed the ride, for the phone calls, e.mails & comments on the blog.
Hope to see you all on Nov 8th at Bicycle Village.
I will write about my thoughts & what I have learned on this ride & include photos later.
Left Wickenburg after breakfast in a really lovely old dining saloon with the old woodwok & stained glass windows with a floral design etc. It's a perk from spending time in these old little towns that one would normally just zip through if traveling by car.
Hazel took her time so that she could visit the museum later in the morning which she did & also stopped to look at Lake Pleasant which was 6 miles off the road so not for me. I took hwy 60 for the forst 10 miles. It is double carriage way, very busy & in bad shape. The shoulder I had to ride on was even worse. So it was a relief to turn off onto hwy 74 which had much less traffic & had a better surface. Also the scenery changed with the landscape dominated by the saguaro cactus. Looked like strange alein stick people from another planet. This road ws essentally straight for 30 miles & flat. First time I had a straight flat road all this trip. I made great speed. The road passed over Interstate hwy 17 & became Carefree Rd. This went on for another 12 miles before I was able to turn into Scottsdale Rd & ride the final miles into the lovely neighbourhood where cousin Phillip lives. His garden is a little oasis surrounded by desert. With bird feeders there are an amazing number of birds. All in all a great place to rest after a long ride. Amazing to think that after all the months of planning this adventure will now be something I will always remember as one of the special achievements of my life.
I feel great & fit. Lost only 2-3 pounds but look thinner so some of the weight is extra muscle. Had no injuries,took advil only twice after tough days in the early riding. So it shows that we can do a lot even as we get older. Our bodies with give us what we ask it to do after reasonable exercise & preparation (obviously within limits). Age really is relative. Health is the greatest blessing & I don't take it for granted. If I can do physical things I try & do them even if it requires more effort as one gets older. It is a positive cycle-energy in-energy out.
I like to also think of this ride as my contribution to the health care debate. Older folk exercising, eating age appropriate food & keeping out of the Dr's office as long as possible.
My thanks to many people who have encouraged & supported me. Hazel for sagging & her constant encouragement & love-I couldn't have done it without her help. All those who sponsored the ride with their generous financial support which will help buy bicycles for the kids living under constant threat along the border with Gaza. Please come to our event on Nov 8th at Bicycle Village in Aurora at 1pm & buy all your cycling needs at special discounts. Special thanks to Scott Primack whose very generous support ensures the success of our efforts.
Thanks to all for the prayers & positive vibs that helped speed me along & kept me safe. Thanks to Alan, Ira, Bill & Ted for riding some of the way with me & Judi for sagging the first 2 days.
Thanks to Ari for the power drinks & clothing that helped so much & all of you who followed the ride, for the phone calls, e.mails & comments on the blog.
Hope to see you all on Nov 8th at Bicycle Village.
I will write about my thoughts & what I have learned on this ride & include photos later.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
A beautiful scenic ride & 18 holes of golf.
Day 15 of riding-just one more day to go! At last a fairly easy ride through wonderful scenic country. A little over 60 miles & 5 hours on the road with just over 4 hours of riding. So I really was able to move at a good speed. About a 7 mile climb out of Prescott through the lodge pole forests that are so common in the high country of Arizona. I was happy to do the climbing as I knew I had 2,300 feet of climbing to do so rather get it over with early in the ride. The climbing was never much of a problem & the downhills were a blast with nearly 4,00 feet of descent. After the last climb it was great to know that it was the last of the trip. Tomorrow to Phoenix & it is a slow drop into the valley from Wickenburg where we are tonight at 2,200 feet to Phoenix at about 1,000 feet.
There were some lovely ranches & the way they were watering the pastures for the horses & cattle it is clear that there is no shortage of water. Apparently there is a large aquafer in these parts so water is plentyful. We stopped often to take pictures (which hopefully we will figure out how to get them onto this blog).
As we were in by 1:30pm we found a beautiful golf course at a resort called Los Caballeros near Wickenburg & managed to play 18 holes before dark. Hazel played well & broke 100 & thought this was one of the most beautiful courses she has ever played on. It was very lush & they said that they have plenty of water from the aquifer.
Then to Country Kitchen for dinner. They have a senior menu but i had to order 2 courses of meatballs & spagetti before I was satisfied!
So 950 miles done with about 50 more to go. I have directions to my cousin Phillip Melmed's home in Scottdale where we will stay for 3 nights & spend time with him & my cousins Dvora & Steve. Perhaps one more round of golf & then we drive back to Denver by the shortest route. Can't believe it is just about over. Will summarize my thoughts & feelings after tomorrows ride.
There were some lovely ranches & the way they were watering the pastures for the horses & cattle it is clear that there is no shortage of water. Apparently there is a large aquafer in these parts so water is plentyful. We stopped often to take pictures (which hopefully we will figure out how to get them onto this blog).
As we were in by 1:30pm we found a beautiful golf course at a resort called Los Caballeros near Wickenburg & managed to play 18 holes before dark. Hazel played well & broke 100 & thought this was one of the most beautiful courses she has ever played on. It was very lush & they said that they have plenty of water from the aquifer.
Then to Country Kitchen for dinner. They have a senior menu but i had to order 2 courses of meatballs & spagetti before I was satisfied!
So 950 miles done with about 50 more to go. I have directions to my cousin Phillip Melmed's home in Scottdale where we will stay for 3 nights & spend time with him & my cousins Dvora & Steve. Perhaps one more round of golf & then we drive back to Denver by the shortest route. Can't believe it is just about over. Will summarize my thoughts & feelings after tomorrows ride.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Biggest Climb of All
Day 17 was another hard day after a 2 day break in Sedona.
Sedona is a special place as many of you know with remarkable red rock formations & scenic drives in all directions. We played golf on a beautiful course, rode our bikes & took a drive through surrounding canyons. Yesterday we came upon a resort called "Enchantment" where we had tea. That was about all we could afford there! Rooms run from $350/night to about $2,000. It's setting in a canyon surrounded by magnificent hills is breathtaking. So we had a good rest & a great time.
I was thankful for my rested legs as today presented a few challenges. The distance was just over 60 miles but I was on the road for 7 hours with over 4,300 feet of climbing. 30 miles were easy but the other 30 kept me honest. This included the toughest climb of the trip up past the little town of Jerome & beyond for a total of about 15 miles. Then of course a wild ride down before I had the last 15 miles to Prescott. Once off the mountain & into the Prescott valley the wind hit. So although it was only about a 3-4% grade, with the wind I often was slowed to 4-5mph I have been concerned about this leg of the ride from the beginning & didn't expect the last few miles to be so hard. So at last all the major obstacles have been handled & I am grateful to be feeling strong & ready to complete this ride. So excluding the short ride from Flagstaff to Sedona there has not been an easy day
Tomorrow to Wickenberg about 70 miles & unless the wind is really bad it should be a reasonable day with a net elevation drop of 3,000 feet. The news here is full of the story of the wind & a few fires which are hard to control because of it The temperatures are comng down though, so by the time we finish in Phoenix it should be no warmer than the 80's- a big improvement from the 100's recently..
Sedona is a special place as many of you know with remarkable red rock formations & scenic drives in all directions. We played golf on a beautiful course, rode our bikes & took a drive through surrounding canyons. Yesterday we came upon a resort called "Enchantment" where we had tea. That was about all we could afford there! Rooms run from $350/night to about $2,000. It's setting in a canyon surrounded by magnificent hills is breathtaking. So we had a good rest & a great time.
I was thankful for my rested legs as today presented a few challenges. The distance was just over 60 miles but I was on the road for 7 hours with over 4,300 feet of climbing. 30 miles were easy but the other 30 kept me honest. This included the toughest climb of the trip up past the little town of Jerome & beyond for a total of about 15 miles. Then of course a wild ride down before I had the last 15 miles to Prescott. Once off the mountain & into the Prescott valley the wind hit. So although it was only about a 3-4% grade, with the wind I often was slowed to 4-5mph I have been concerned about this leg of the ride from the beginning & didn't expect the last few miles to be so hard. So at last all the major obstacles have been handled & I am grateful to be feeling strong & ready to complete this ride. So excluding the short ride from Flagstaff to Sedona there has not been an easy day
Tomorrow to Wickenberg about 70 miles & unless the wind is really bad it should be a reasonable day with a net elevation drop of 3,000 feet. The news here is full of the story of the wind & a few fires which are hard to control because of it The temperatures are comng down though, so by the time we finish in Phoenix it should be no warmer than the 80's- a big improvement from the 100's recently..
Friday, October 16, 2009
The easiest & most scenic day.
Day 14. We had breakfast at the charming Macys Cafe. The sort of place that would fit in to the Tattered Cover (a wonderful book store in Denver that is a must see for any visitor to town).
So only got on the road at about 10am. There are 13 miles of rolling hills until one gets to the descent into Oak Creek Canyon. I was a little anxious because the day before I had taken my bike to a bike shop to clean the chain & make sure the tires were adequately pumped up. The owner (who wouldn't charge for the service because thats what cyclists do for poor sods who are riding all the way from Denver) said that he didn't think it was a safe ride. The road was narrow, no shoulder & lots of traffic but going down the switchbacks I was going faster than the cars so had no trouble just as Daniel had suggested the night before. Also the cars were very careful & I had the most spectacular ride of the trip. Also stopped along the way to drink the water from an artesian well that the forest service brings to the side of the road & it comes out through 2 pipes & flows into the stream. Locals come & fill the biggest canisters they have to take home this water. It is the purest water anyone can drink & has been flowing through the earth for hundreds of years. It was wonderful to drink. Again thanks to Daniel who told us about it. There is no sign so you have to know about it. I suspect it suits the locals perfectly that way as this place is jammed with tourists.
The total ride was only 1 & a half hours & 30 miles & the scenery through the canyon was magnificent.
Sedona is a special place & we will spend 3 nights here before we leave on Monday for the last leg of the ride. Northern Arizona was beautiful. Now that we are at lower altitude it has warmed up a lot. Today the temp was 90F. The average in October is 78F. So a bit of an unseasonal heat wave. Hope that this passes as we get closer to Phoenix. So it looks like it will be summer style riding from now on.
Now to enjoy what Sedona has to offer. May be no blogs till Monday unless I can figure out how to get the photos from the camera onto the blog.
So only got on the road at about 10am. There are 13 miles of rolling hills until one gets to the descent into Oak Creek Canyon. I was a little anxious because the day before I had taken my bike to a bike shop to clean the chain & make sure the tires were adequately pumped up. The owner (who wouldn't charge for the service because thats what cyclists do for poor sods who are riding all the way from Denver) said that he didn't think it was a safe ride. The road was narrow, no shoulder & lots of traffic but going down the switchbacks I was going faster than the cars so had no trouble just as Daniel had suggested the night before. Also the cars were very careful & I had the most spectacular ride of the trip. Also stopped along the way to drink the water from an artesian well that the forest service brings to the side of the road & it comes out through 2 pipes & flows into the stream. Locals come & fill the biggest canisters they have to take home this water. It is the purest water anyone can drink & has been flowing through the earth for hundreds of years. It was wonderful to drink. Again thanks to Daniel who told us about it. There is no sign so you have to know about it. I suspect it suits the locals perfectly that way as this place is jammed with tourists.
The total ride was only 1 & a half hours & 30 miles & the scenery through the canyon was magnificent.
Sedona is a special place & we will spend 3 nights here before we leave on Monday for the last leg of the ride. Northern Arizona was beautiful. Now that we are at lower altitude it has warmed up a lot. Today the temp was 90F. The average in October is 78F. So a bit of an unseasonal heat wave. Hope that this passes as we get closer to Phoenix. So it looks like it will be summer style riding from now on.
Now to enjoy what Sedona has to offer. May be no blogs till Monday unless I can figure out how to get the photos from the camera onto the blog.
When the Cyclist sags for the Car!
Day 12 was a rest day & the oppurtunity to tour the south rim. We took a 4 hour tour which gave a great idea of what there is to see. We also saw the 1,300 year old Utah Juniper that was used to solve the mystery of why the early peoples left the area (drought). They were Hopi & moved about 80 miles east where they live today carrying on much of the early life style. It is from them that researchers can recreate the ancient life stlye. Also got the answer to the curious sight of dozens of cars parked alond the road leading to the center of thr hotels etc. They were just parked off the road & when I had cycled in I wondered why so many people were ?picnicing or ?hiking along the way. Do you know the answer/ I'll give it later!
That night we left the park to go to Tusayan about 6 miles down the road for dinner & to see the IMAX of the Canyon. Well worth it with spectacular recreation of how the early explorers navigated the river. They rebuilt the boats they had used & ran the rapids in them-more courage than brains I would say!
Day 13 left for Flagstaff about 80 miles away. Hazel took a helicopter tour which I didn't have time to do & in fact had covered 30 miles before she was done. She enjoyed it but wasn't estatic.
We met on the quiet scenic road leading off from Valle about 37 miles from Flagstaff. When Hazel stops to wait for me she tries to find a place were she could pull off the road to be out of the way of traffic. Luckily she stopped at a spot where a country dirt road led off to farms etc. I rode off & she waited as she often did listening to books on tape & knitting. After a while she would move on & again find a place an hours ride up the road to wait for me. This time I got a text after riding about a mile "car wont start, battery flat". I texted back "call AAA in Flagstaff". She replied "there is no cell phone connection".
So that was that & I cycled back to help. Tried to flag down cars & no one would stop. I guess I looked pretty scary in my riding clothes!
The next bit of luck was that 2 trucks came down the dirt road right next to us & stopped to help. They had jumper cables & a minute later problem solved. Hazel headed of to Flagstaff to get the battery checked out & I continued to ride. Turns out the battry was o.k., just not able to run the tapes for hours during the day if the engine wasn't running.
The route was lovely & scenic. Passed through the San Fransisco mountains & even saw the Flagstaff Nordic center & a ski resort just outside Flagstaff. All a complete surprise. Our mistake was to think of Arizona as Phoenix.
Hazel explored Flagstaff while waiting for me to arrive.. She thought it reminded her of Boulder but with the added atraction of the Native American influence. Thought the stores, boutiques, coffee shops were very hip. She got a call from our beloved nephew Gidon Melmed in Jerusalem. His close friend & business partner Daniel Rosen was in Flagstaff where he is working with the Native American people. They are trying to bring Israeli technology in solar power & water to help them develop these resources. We met for a great Sushi dinner & afterwards Daniel suggested that we go to the famous Lowell Observatory to see the art exhibition there of Shonto Begay, one of the best Native American artists. Daniel has been "adopted" as a son by Shonto & today in fact he is driving 300 miles to be with him & his family in the reservation.
Bad news-turns out that the observatory is closed on Thursday night. Good news- there was a school class that was having a special visit & were going to see & use the famous telescope So we got in with them, heard a great lecture about the night sky, saw & looked through the telescope at Jupiter & saw the art exhibition as well. The telescope is 180 yeras old. It was used to discover Pluto. Now it is used only for research. There are about 25 astronomers working at the observatory these days.We learned about a new concept for us-that of a Dark Sky City. Flagstaff is the first. It means that light polution is minimized so that the stars can be easliy seen at night & also less wastage of electricity. Saw photos from space which really shows where the wasted light is coming from. I was embarrased to see how bright Denver was!
Our hotel (Days Inn) is on the historic Route 66 which was the original route from Chicago to Los Angeles.
So it was quite a day!
Answer to the cars along the road at Grand Canyon-they belong to Hopi Indians who have exclusive rights to harvest pine nuts which are harvested this time of year.
Today we head for Sedona. Making a leasurly start as it is only 30 miles away. We are off to have breakfast at the highly recommended Macys coffee shop. Then onto the bike for a plunge down into Sedona.
That night we left the park to go to Tusayan about 6 miles down the road for dinner & to see the IMAX of the Canyon. Well worth it with spectacular recreation of how the early explorers navigated the river. They rebuilt the boats they had used & ran the rapids in them-more courage than brains I would say!
Day 13 left for Flagstaff about 80 miles away. Hazel took a helicopter tour which I didn't have time to do & in fact had covered 30 miles before she was done. She enjoyed it but wasn't estatic.
We met on the quiet scenic road leading off from Valle about 37 miles from Flagstaff. When Hazel stops to wait for me she tries to find a place were she could pull off the road to be out of the way of traffic. Luckily she stopped at a spot where a country dirt road led off to farms etc. I rode off & she waited as she often did listening to books on tape & knitting. After a while she would move on & again find a place an hours ride up the road to wait for me. This time I got a text after riding about a mile "car wont start, battery flat". I texted back "call AAA in Flagstaff". She replied "there is no cell phone connection".
So that was that & I cycled back to help. Tried to flag down cars & no one would stop. I guess I looked pretty scary in my riding clothes!
The next bit of luck was that 2 trucks came down the dirt road right next to us & stopped to help. They had jumper cables & a minute later problem solved. Hazel headed of to Flagstaff to get the battery checked out & I continued to ride. Turns out the battry was o.k., just not able to run the tapes for hours during the day if the engine wasn't running.
The route was lovely & scenic. Passed through the San Fransisco mountains & even saw the Flagstaff Nordic center & a ski resort just outside Flagstaff. All a complete surprise. Our mistake was to think of Arizona as Phoenix.
Hazel explored Flagstaff while waiting for me to arrive.. She thought it reminded her of Boulder but with the added atraction of the Native American influence. Thought the stores, boutiques, coffee shops were very hip. She got a call from our beloved nephew Gidon Melmed in Jerusalem. His close friend & business partner Daniel Rosen was in Flagstaff where he is working with the Native American people. They are trying to bring Israeli technology in solar power & water to help them develop these resources. We met for a great Sushi dinner & afterwards Daniel suggested that we go to the famous Lowell Observatory to see the art exhibition there of Shonto Begay, one of the best Native American artists. Daniel has been "adopted" as a son by Shonto & today in fact he is driving 300 miles to be with him & his family in the reservation.
Bad news-turns out that the observatory is closed on Thursday night. Good news- there was a school class that was having a special visit & were going to see & use the famous telescope So we got in with them, heard a great lecture about the night sky, saw & looked through the telescope at Jupiter & saw the art exhibition as well. The telescope is 180 yeras old. It was used to discover Pluto. Now it is used only for research. There are about 25 astronomers working at the observatory these days.We learned about a new concept for us-that of a Dark Sky City. Flagstaff is the first. It means that light polution is minimized so that the stars can be easliy seen at night & also less wastage of electricity. Saw photos from space which really shows where the wasted light is coming from. I was embarrased to see how bright Denver was!
Our hotel (Days Inn) is on the historic Route 66 which was the original route from Chicago to Los Angeles.
So it was quite a day!
Answer to the cars along the road at Grand Canyon-they belong to Hopi Indians who have exclusive rights to harvest pine nuts which are harvested this time of year.
Today we head for Sedona. Making a leasurly start as it is only 30 miles away. We are off to have breakfast at the highly recommended Macys coffee shop. Then onto the bike for a plunge down into Sedona.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
A Long Hard Good Day
Day 11 from Tuba City to the Grand Canyon. 82 miles & over 4,300 feet of climbing. 9 1/2 hours on the road & it was a good day! Somehow it was gratifiying for me as I was not sure with the distance, wind & climbing if I could get it done before dark. I left at about 7:30am & arrived at 5pm. Eyes were red again as evidence that the wind was still a factor. Clothing was a challenge as it warmed up but as I climbed higher the wind chill was a problem so a jacket went on & came off often. A hard day. I was very tired but relieved & happy to have done it. About 700 miles done with about 300 to go.
The day devided itself into 3 segments of about 27 miles each. The first segment was to the turn off on hwy 64 to the Grand Canyon. Nice road & shoulder but the usual open desert scenery & no significant wind (meaning it was there but not slowing me down much).
Then approx 27 miles to the entrance to the Grand Canyon park. This was the hardest climbing but good to have it done. Then into the park for the last 27 miles. Within one mile the first viewing spot of the Canyon. Wow took our breath away! Spectacular doesn't quite do it!
Then on into a beautiful forest & a welcome change from the last few days of slogging through the desert. Actually saw some live deer. The only wildlife I had seen up till then was road kill of a nice variety of the anilmals living in these parts (including wild horses).
Then it was just keeping my head down & pushing through the last few miles to the Yavapai Lodge where we are staying.
One of the major challenges of the last few days was that there was no cell phone contact. I encouraged Hazel to spend time in the different places to visit the little museums & others places of interest which I didn't have time to do. She actually has had the chance to learn alot about the very sad story of the Native Americans & the devious way they were dealt with by the early settlers to these lands. One is impressed with the poverty & the endless little stalls with them selling the things they make.I do appreciate their sense of humor. On one of the set of stalls yesterday was a big sign saying "nice Indians". I suppose that means that the only scalping is financial! After passing some stalls I also saw a sign saying "nice Indians behind you". I found that reassuring.
I digress. Often 3-4 hours would pass before she caught up with me & by then I often was running low on fluids. The alternative was for her to never be more than 30-60 minutes away which was boring for her. I think we will have better cell phone contact from now on which will give her more freedom to do things that interest her.
I had heard of the bad roads through the Indian reservations & the drunk drivers. The roads were really good although the shoulders were not always great. Luckily never saw a drunk driver but the thousands of beer bottles on the side of the road probably meant they were somewhere. The only problem they presented to me was that I was continually dodging broken glass.
A liitle about some of the logistics of the riding. I always eat a big breakfast which consists of oatmeal & an egg & toast & orange juice. I have not drunk tea or coffee except on the day of no riding at Mesa Verde & today as we take a day off to explore the canyon rim. (Don't want the diuretic effect because having to pee has been a problem the last few days with narry a tree to pee behind!) I try & keep up with the needs of fluid intake. I needed much less coming through Colorado when it was so cold but recently need to drink more. Usually start with Gatorade & then after a few hours of riding start on the Perpetuam that Ari gave me, but also drink Gatotade. I get resupplied as needed from the cooler in the car. Strangely I don't feel like food until usually about 4 hours into the ride. My main food is a peanut butter & jelly (jam) sandwich. Recently am also eating one or 2 power bars by the end of the day. Maybe a few nuts as well. Not much food but we usually have a nice dinner with pretty good food considering where we are. At Tuba City we had the simplest meal so far. We both ordered lamb stew. I think they were offering a prize for anyone who found a piece of lamb in their stew! So we had a vegetable soup! With a huge peice of fried bread neither of us were hungry. Besides we have fruit & nuts with us so can always fill any gaps. Mostly at dinner I have fish which usually means salmon.
We are in bed early & have 8-9 hours in bed. I don't sleep all that well & half way through the night will take a half of a 10mg Ambien (Zolpidem). That sees me through. I recommend the person who discovered this sleeper for a Nobel Prize for helping so many who need help sleeping. I keep an eye on my pulse to be sure it doesn't start running too fast. Usually seems to be about 100/min when riding & about 50/min at rest (so I ignore the pain in my chest-just kidding). I am aware of my age & how my body responds to day after day of 6-9 hours of hard exercise. So far I feel good & assume my legs are getting stronger. Hard to tell as there has not been an easy day. Who was the guy who planned this ride anyway! Actually there is no choice. One has to get to the next town & they are not that close together. Denver to Phoenix is a hard route & not one that I would recommend for biking (great for visting by car).
Now that we have a camera I have to figure out how to get the photos onto the blog!
Tomorrow about 80 miles to Flagstaff with 30 miles of climbing, most of which doesn't look too bad.
The day devided itself into 3 segments of about 27 miles each. The first segment was to the turn off on hwy 64 to the Grand Canyon. Nice road & shoulder but the usual open desert scenery & no significant wind (meaning it was there but not slowing me down much).
Then approx 27 miles to the entrance to the Grand Canyon park. This was the hardest climbing but good to have it done. Then into the park for the last 27 miles. Within one mile the first viewing spot of the Canyon. Wow took our breath away! Spectacular doesn't quite do it!
Then on into a beautiful forest & a welcome change from the last few days of slogging through the desert. Actually saw some live deer. The only wildlife I had seen up till then was road kill of a nice variety of the anilmals living in these parts (including wild horses).
Then it was just keeping my head down & pushing through the last few miles to the Yavapai Lodge where we are staying.
One of the major challenges of the last few days was that there was no cell phone contact. I encouraged Hazel to spend time in the different places to visit the little museums & others places of interest which I didn't have time to do. She actually has had the chance to learn alot about the very sad story of the Native Americans & the devious way they were dealt with by the early settlers to these lands. One is impressed with the poverty & the endless little stalls with them selling the things they make.I do appreciate their sense of humor. On one of the set of stalls yesterday was a big sign saying "nice Indians". I suppose that means that the only scalping is financial! After passing some stalls I also saw a sign saying "nice Indians behind you". I found that reassuring.
I digress. Often 3-4 hours would pass before she caught up with me & by then I often was running low on fluids. The alternative was for her to never be more than 30-60 minutes away which was boring for her. I think we will have better cell phone contact from now on which will give her more freedom to do things that interest her.
I had heard of the bad roads through the Indian reservations & the drunk drivers. The roads were really good although the shoulders were not always great. Luckily never saw a drunk driver but the thousands of beer bottles on the side of the road probably meant they were somewhere. The only problem they presented to me was that I was continually dodging broken glass.
A liitle about some of the logistics of the riding. I always eat a big breakfast which consists of oatmeal & an egg & toast & orange juice. I have not drunk tea or coffee except on the day of no riding at Mesa Verde & today as we take a day off to explore the canyon rim. (Don't want the diuretic effect because having to pee has been a problem the last few days with narry a tree to pee behind!) I try & keep up with the needs of fluid intake. I needed much less coming through Colorado when it was so cold but recently need to drink more. Usually start with Gatorade & then after a few hours of riding start on the Perpetuam that Ari gave me, but also drink Gatotade. I get resupplied as needed from the cooler in the car. Strangely I don't feel like food until usually about 4 hours into the ride. My main food is a peanut butter & jelly (jam) sandwich. Recently am also eating one or 2 power bars by the end of the day. Maybe a few nuts as well. Not much food but we usually have a nice dinner with pretty good food considering where we are. At Tuba City we had the simplest meal so far. We both ordered lamb stew. I think they were offering a prize for anyone who found a piece of lamb in their stew! So we had a vegetable soup! With a huge peice of fried bread neither of us were hungry. Besides we have fruit & nuts with us so can always fill any gaps. Mostly at dinner I have fish which usually means salmon.
We are in bed early & have 8-9 hours in bed. I don't sleep all that well & half way through the night will take a half of a 10mg Ambien (Zolpidem). That sees me through. I recommend the person who discovered this sleeper for a Nobel Prize for helping so many who need help sleeping. I keep an eye on my pulse to be sure it doesn't start running too fast. Usually seems to be about 100/min when riding & about 50/min at rest (so I ignore the pain in my chest-just kidding). I am aware of my age & how my body responds to day after day of 6-9 hours of hard exercise. So far I feel good & assume my legs are getting stronger. Hard to tell as there has not been an easy day. Who was the guy who planned this ride anyway! Actually there is no choice. One has to get to the next town & they are not that close together. Denver to Phoenix is a hard route & not one that I would recommend for biking (great for visting by car).
Now that we have a camera I have to figure out how to get the photos onto the blog!
Tomorrow about 80 miles to Flagstaff with 30 miles of climbing, most of which doesn't look too bad.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Day 10 from Kayenta to Tuba City was a lot better than yesterday. The first 20 miles out of Kayenta was through interesting hills & canyons & interesting rock formations. There were trees & something to look at besides wide open semi-desert as in the previous 2 days. After climbing from 5,800 feet to 6,800 the next 54 miles was mostly a gentle drop to 4,800 at Tuba City. There was the wide open desert landscape & the ever present wind but maybe not quite as strong as yesterday & mostly coming across the road rather than into my face. So I was able to complete the 74 miles in 7 hours (6 hours & 20 minutes of riding) at an average riding speed of nearly 12 miles/hour.
I am grateful for the Armadillo tires I bought as the road surface on the shoulders is often quite stony & one needs tough tires to avoid punctures. So far so good.
A much better day! Tomorrow promises to be tough with 80 mles to the Grand Canyon & about 4,300 feet of elevation gain.
I will try & leave early (i.e. about 8am or earlier).
I am grateful for the Armadillo tires I bought as the road surface on the shoulders is often quite stony & one needs tough tires to avoid punctures. So far so good.
A much better day! Tomorrow promises to be tough with 80 mles to the Grand Canyon & about 4,300 feet of elevation gain.
I will try & leave early (i.e. about 8am or earlier).
About 22 miles out of Kayenta there is the Navajo Monument a few miles off the road. Hazel visited the place & said it was beautiful with evidence of the same cliff dwellings as at Mesa Verde. There are ruins in this cave that are hard to see in this picture. We bought a new camera today so hope that future pictures will be better.
Today on then road from Kayenta to Tuba City. A 20 mile climb out of town but not too difficult. Note the new road surface & the rumble strip in the shoulder. The challenge was to find the best path without riding on the rumble strip. This alignment changed constantly-sometimes great & sometimes a problem. All in all the roads were better than I was led to believe.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The longest 6 miles....& there is such a thing as bad weather!
Day 10. Today was just hanging on to survive. 66 miles in 8 hours with the same vicious wind as I had on day 4. This time no panniers so I managed to survive & get to Kayenta before dark. The last 6 miles, just when you have the end in sight & the wind gets even worse. The mind games one plays in these circumstances. It is fatal to be watching the odometer when moving so slowly so I only allow myself to look no more than every half hour. Then there is always some progress.
The road was fine with a reasonable shoulder although I had to often dodge the broken glass from the beer bottles thrown out of car windows.(we learned at dinner that alcohol is not allowed on the reservation!) With no wind I could have covered 100 miles without difficulty-8 hours at 12-14 miles an hour. So distance is a bit deceptive. If we could measure energy expended that would be a truer indication of the days work. I will have to come up with a plan if this wind persists. I still intend to cycle 1,000 miles but may occasionally have to ride with the wind rather than into it. With Hazel sagging we can make a plan. It was tough for Hazel watching me ride under these conditions. My eyes were bright red at the end of the day & the desert wind dries you out. Can't fight the wind indefinately & win.
Yes Clive I have to admit that there can be bad weather & best avoided when it happens.
My thanks to my son Ari for the magic powders he drinks on his triathalons which he gave me. Also the head cover & jacket have been put to good use. From now on it's getting warmer so will not need all the winter clothing.
No cell phone contact here so photos will come later.
Today I passed the half way mark of the ride. Tomorrow nearly 80 miles to Tuba City.
The road was fine with a reasonable shoulder although I had to often dodge the broken glass from the beer bottles thrown out of car windows.(we learned at dinner that alcohol is not allowed on the reservation!) With no wind I could have covered 100 miles without difficulty-8 hours at 12-14 miles an hour. So distance is a bit deceptive. If we could measure energy expended that would be a truer indication of the days work. I will have to come up with a plan if this wind persists. I still intend to cycle 1,000 miles but may occasionally have to ride with the wind rather than into it. With Hazel sagging we can make a plan. It was tough for Hazel watching me ride under these conditions. My eyes were bright red at the end of the day & the desert wind dries you out. Can't fight the wind indefinately & win.
Yes Clive I have to admit that there can be bad weather & best avoided when it happens.
My thanks to my son Ari for the magic powders he drinks on his triathalons which he gave me. Also the head cover & jacket have been put to good use. From now on it's getting warmer so will not need all the winter clothing.
No cell phone contact here so photos will come later.
Today I passed the half way mark of the ride. Tomorrow nearly 80 miles to Tuba City.
Hazel having some fun at Mesa Verde as she emerges from a Kiva where the Anasazi (ancient inhabitants) lived.
I could not do this ride without her help. Most of the sag driving is boring especially now for the next 2-3 days. Once we get to the Grand Canyon & Sedona things improve & we may even be able to play some golf.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Into the Navajo Nation
Day 9. You may have noticed gentle reader that I include an occasional brain teaser. Those of you who who spotted the spelling of "metafor" instead of "metaphor" give yourselves a pat on the back!
We left Mesa Verde for Teec Nos Pos & moved along at a good pace i.e. 12-15 miles/hour which makes all the difference.Nice weather & no major wind. In fact by the end of the day I was riding without a jacket for the first time.
Took 3 & a half hours to get to the 4 corners (about 50 miles). For those of you not in Colorado it's the south western corner of the state where Colorado/New Mexico/Utah & Arizona all meet. You can stand in all 4 states at the same time & there is a nice marker there. The site is controled by the Navajo & we found it to be sad place with the little booths selling nothing of interest. Hazel took the opportunity to take down her bike & ride for about an hour waiting for me.
I rode into Arizona & the Navajo Nation territory & past Teec Nos Pos (there is virtually nothing there) for an extra 6 miles so as to split the distance for my ride tomorrow to Kayenta. Mostly fairly gentle climbing through high altitude desert country. The road varies from good to quite rough & my chain came off once so I realized that my derailour needed ajustment.We were returning to Cortez for the night & as luck would have it we found a great bike shop there called "Kokopelli Bike & Board". Got there just before closing & they were terrific. Spent at least 30 minutes cleaning & adjusting the chain, derailour & brakes. Charge $5! I begged him to take $10 but they wouldn't take more. There is that type of outdoors person & bike lovers who are like that. Just salt of the earth.
Found a great little restaurant called Nero's for dinner. They were swamped as it was homecoming night. The usual sight of teenagers trying to act grow up. Not my favourite American tradition.
Finally I want to mention some special people who are on my mind. My cousin Torsten Press died in Israel after a long illness & our thoughts are with his wife Lolou & their children.
Our friend Jane McDonald who died recently in London also after years of fighting a debilitating illness that robbed this vital energetic woman of her ability to move around. She would have approved of my ride & I imagine would have loved to have participated. This ride is a way to honor her memory.
Finally a tip of my hat to my friend Bernie Kashmer who rode with me 10 years ago from Denver to Seattle but who couldn't come this time. I miss his preparing the population of each town along the way for my arrival! (always way after him). He had this natural ability to connect with all the folk we met along the way. I have always believed that we are all ignorant, only on different subjects. Bernie may well be an exception!
Tomorrow I will have ridden over 500 miles so will pass the half way mark. Man this is a long ride!!
We left Mesa Verde for Teec Nos Pos & moved along at a good pace i.e. 12-15 miles/hour which makes all the difference.Nice weather & no major wind. In fact by the end of the day I was riding without a jacket for the first time.
Took 3 & a half hours to get to the 4 corners (about 50 miles). For those of you not in Colorado it's the south western corner of the state where Colorado/New Mexico/Utah & Arizona all meet. You can stand in all 4 states at the same time & there is a nice marker there. The site is controled by the Navajo & we found it to be sad place with the little booths selling nothing of interest. Hazel took the opportunity to take down her bike & ride for about an hour waiting for me.
I rode into Arizona & the Navajo Nation territory & past Teec Nos Pos (there is virtually nothing there) for an extra 6 miles so as to split the distance for my ride tomorrow to Kayenta. Mostly fairly gentle climbing through high altitude desert country. The road varies from good to quite rough & my chain came off once so I realized that my derailour needed ajustment.We were returning to Cortez for the night & as luck would have it we found a great bike shop there called "Kokopelli Bike & Board". Got there just before closing & they were terrific. Spent at least 30 minutes cleaning & adjusting the chain, derailour & brakes. Charge $5! I begged him to take $10 but they wouldn't take more. There is that type of outdoors person & bike lovers who are like that. Just salt of the earth.
Found a great little restaurant called Nero's for dinner. They were swamped as it was homecoming night. The usual sight of teenagers trying to act grow up. Not my favourite American tradition.
Finally I want to mention some special people who are on my mind. My cousin Torsten Press died in Israel after a long illness & our thoughts are with his wife Lolou & their children.
Our friend Jane McDonald who died recently in London also after years of fighting a debilitating illness that robbed this vital energetic woman of her ability to move around. She would have approved of my ride & I imagine would have loved to have participated. This ride is a way to honor her memory.
Finally a tip of my hat to my friend Bernie Kashmer who rode with me 10 years ago from Denver to Seattle but who couldn't come this time. I miss his preparing the population of each town along the way for my arrival! (always way after him). He had this natural ability to connect with all the folk we met along the way. I have always believed that we are all ignorant, only on different subjects. Bernie may well be an exception!
Tomorrow I will have ridden over 500 miles so will pass the half way mark. Man this is a long ride!!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Touring Mesa Verde & Sukkot
Day 8 was the first day I didn't ride. Took a half day tour of Mesa Verde which gives a great overview. One can then focus on the places that interest you. I don't presume to be an expert on this place after 24 hours here. Anyone can use Google for details. Just a few points.
It was settled in the 6th century & was populated till the 13th century when every one had moved away. No one knows exactly why. In 1906 it was made a National Park, after Yosemite & Yellowstone. In 1978 it was declared a World Heritage Site. I don't have photos as everyone has seen pictures & my camera is not that good. Anyway a picture cannot tell the full story. I had seen them but being here it is so much more impressive. There are about 500,000 visitors year (open from April till mid-October) from all over the world.
Today Hazel took Candy to the Durango airport about 50 miles away for her return flight to Denver. Many thanks to Candy for driving down with Hazel. Candy you are always there for your friends & you & Clive are always the first to have strangers to town in your hospitable home. Thanks for being there for us.
This week has been the festival of Sukkot also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. For my non Jewish friends it's a great week of eating meals in a flimsy hut build next to ones house. It's a time to invite friends & family over for meals & is a lot of fun.There we eat all our meals & some even sleep in them.The huts are open to the elements which can often be cold & rainy to remind us that after the Fall harvest when we feel pleased with our success as farmers (as a metafor) we are reminded of the fact that G-d (or some higher power if you prefer) is really in control & not us. At the end of Sukkot we complete the cycle of reading the Torah which takes a year & we start again. This is also a great celebration.
It's been strange for me to be away from home for these festivals. Alone on the road on my bike I do feel the vunerability & dependence on G-d for my protection so have felt the spirit of the festival in this unusual way. I hope next year to celebrate in the more traditional way.
Tomorrow I enter Arizona in Navajo Nation territory. So far have completed just over 400 miles of the journey-only 600 more to go!
It was settled in the 6th century & was populated till the 13th century when every one had moved away. No one knows exactly why. In 1906 it was made a National Park, after Yosemite & Yellowstone. In 1978 it was declared a World Heritage Site. I don't have photos as everyone has seen pictures & my camera is not that good. Anyway a picture cannot tell the full story. I had seen them but being here it is so much more impressive. There are about 500,000 visitors year (open from April till mid-October) from all over the world.
Today Hazel took Candy to the Durango airport about 50 miles away for her return flight to Denver. Many thanks to Candy for driving down with Hazel. Candy you are always there for your friends & you & Clive are always the first to have strangers to town in your hospitable home. Thanks for being there for us.
This week has been the festival of Sukkot also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. For my non Jewish friends it's a great week of eating meals in a flimsy hut build next to ones house. It's a time to invite friends & family over for meals & is a lot of fun.There we eat all our meals & some even sleep in them.The huts are open to the elements which can often be cold & rainy to remind us that after the Fall harvest when we feel pleased with our success as farmers (as a metafor) we are reminded of the fact that G-d (or some higher power if you prefer) is really in control & not us. At the end of Sukkot we complete the cycle of reading the Torah which takes a year & we start again. This is also a great celebration.
It's been strange for me to be away from home for these festivals. Alone on the road on my bike I do feel the vunerability & dependence on G-d for my protection so have felt the spirit of the festival in this unusual way. I hope next year to celebrate in the more traditional way.
Tomorrow I enter Arizona in Navajo Nation territory. So far have completed just over 400 miles of the journey-only 600 more to go!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Day 7 began with a long climb out of Durango. I left my panniers at the Comfort Inn for Hazel & Candy to pick up on their way to join me at Mesa Verde. Good move. The first climb was over 11 miles & at least a 7% grade at times. What a difference without the panniers! Like banging your head against the wall. Feels so great when you stop! Took me about an hour & a half. With the panniers it would have taken me at least 3 hours. Even though there was a head wind all day I could still move at a reasonable speed i.e. 10 miles per hour or better. It was not a long distance to ride today but hills non stop. It became clear that in future I wont attempt long rides without a sag wagon-just too difficult with at least 50% more effort needed especially in hilly country & with wind which just about excludes everywhere! I am reading a book recommended by Carol X "We may as well win" by Bruynell the manager of Lance Armstrongs team with which he won the Tour de France 7 times. It's a great inspiration. One item deals with the effort to build the perfect bike on which they spent over a million dollars. Each ounce of weight & all wind resistance possible had to be illiminated. So important are these issues to the pros so I realize how hard I made things for myself.
Today I saw 2 other riders heading in the opposite direction really loaded. They were much younger than me but looked a lot older! Such is the effect of excessive exercise!
The only town on the road to Mesa Verde is Mancos about 27 miles from Durango. Took me about 3 hours to get there & seeing a store called Zuma that sold health foods I coudn't resist. They make great coffee & cocoa & I met the charming new owners, Robin Armstrong & Cynthia Klumker. They are delightful & please don't pass Mancos without dropping in! Tell them Herzl sent you
I was excited to eventually enter Mesa Verde. My first time here. Almost immediately there was a sign telling of the stimulous dollars being put to work fixing the road & no cyclists were allowed to ride up. Hazel & Candy were still 2-3 hours away so I hitched a ride up in the back of a truck with the nicest couple Susan & Ted Kercher. This was luxury compared to the last truck ride. I had a tire to sit on & half way up Susan brought me their dogs cushion as well. Luxury! What a country!
Actually the 15 mile ride up was about as spectacular & SCARY as hell. I can't believe that they allow bikes at any time even if the road isn't dug up.They shoudn't even allow cars! I must confess that I was relieved not to be riding up this monster of a climb. In fact I will have Hazel take me down when we leave day after tomorrow. This road makes the ride up Independance Pass (for the non Coloradans it's an over 12,000 foot pass coming out of Aspen) look like a picnic.
So the cavalry in the shape of Hazel & Candy have arrived so I will have a sag from now on. Candy flies back to Denver from Durango tomorrow & I will take a tour of this spectacular place. It defies description. We had a gourmet dinner in the dining room with amazing views.
My thanks to Hazel who up till now wrote the blogs which I called in every evening. From now on as I have the laptop I will write them myself. No photo's today because they can't be sent from my phone as there is no connection from here.
Today I saw 2 other riders heading in the opposite direction really loaded. They were much younger than me but looked a lot older! Such is the effect of excessive exercise!
The only town on the road to Mesa Verde is Mancos about 27 miles from Durango. Took me about 3 hours to get there & seeing a store called Zuma that sold health foods I coudn't resist. They make great coffee & cocoa & I met the charming new owners, Robin Armstrong & Cynthia Klumker. They are delightful & please don't pass Mancos without dropping in! Tell them Herzl sent you
I was excited to eventually enter Mesa Verde. My first time here. Almost immediately there was a sign telling of the stimulous dollars being put to work fixing the road & no cyclists were allowed to ride up. Hazel & Candy were still 2-3 hours away so I hitched a ride up in the back of a truck with the nicest couple Susan & Ted Kercher. This was luxury compared to the last truck ride. I had a tire to sit on & half way up Susan brought me their dogs cushion as well. Luxury! What a country!
Actually the 15 mile ride up was about as spectacular & SCARY as hell. I can't believe that they allow bikes at any time even if the road isn't dug up.They shoudn't even allow cars! I must confess that I was relieved not to be riding up this monster of a climb. In fact I will have Hazel take me down when we leave day after tomorrow. This road makes the ride up Independance Pass (for the non Coloradans it's an over 12,000 foot pass coming out of Aspen) look like a picnic.
So the cavalry in the shape of Hazel & Candy have arrived so I will have a sag from now on. Candy flies back to Denver from Durango tomorrow & I will take a tour of this spectacular place. It defies description. We had a gourmet dinner in the dining room with amazing views.
My thanks to Hazel who up till now wrote the blogs which I called in every evening. From now on as I have the laptop I will write them myself. No photo's today because they can't be sent from my phone as there is no connection from here.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Day 6: Today started with the pitter patter of rain on the roof of my hotel. I knew it was going to be a challenging day. By leaving an hour later than usual i.e.9 am. the worst of the rain had passed and I was able to leave with only a steady drizzle. Wrapped up warm and snug against the elements I left Pagosa Springs and immediately had a stiff 3 mile climb out of town.
The problem became obvious. Despite the weather the physical effort required generated heat causing me to sweat profusely and so the problem was to have some protection from the rain and to allow the heat to escape. As one looses 25% of your body heat through your head the arrangement I made was to cover my helmet with a shower cap, from the hotel, ( I did'nt want to mess up my hair) and have nothing else on my head or neck. I also had to remove the shoe covers because they were preventing my riding shoes from engaging with my pedal clips. The person who lent me the shoe covers must remain anonymous for his personal safety! He should however be assured that I placed the shoe covers on the side of the road with a note stating clearly that NO ONE was to touch them until the rightful owner was coming to claim them.
From then on I proceeded to make progress. Even though the rain became very heavy for about an hour or two. I had my flashing light on the back of the bike on, and truck and car drivers were invariably curtious.
After about 30 miles the rain stopped and the weather was pleasant for the rest of the ride.
The first town I came to was Bayfield, 20 miles from Durango I went into the first gas station for a mug of hot chocolate and a well earned short break. On the way out I find myself in conversation with a well spoken gentleman who introduced himself as the mayor of Bayfield. I could get used to the idea of being greeted by the mayor of each town I arrive at but must accept that this is unlikely to repeat itself.
The rest of the ride to Durango was reasonable with the final few miles downhill and much enjoyed. The 60 miles took me 6 hours today, the paniers really make every hill a lot of work.
One final observation. As an admirer of Inspector Clouseau I try and let nothing escape my attention. I find it highly interesting that since leaving Denver other than my companions for the first 3 days of the ride I have not seen another cyclist on the road. This is highly suspicious. What it exactly means I am not sure, bu I know that I will figure it out!
Still unable to overcome the technical difficulties of getting the photos onto the blog but are working on it.
Tomorrow - Mesa Verde where Hazel arrives to join me for the rest of the trip. Candy who will help with the long drive to Mesa Verde will fly back to Denver the next day from Durango.
The problem became obvious. Despite the weather the physical effort required generated heat causing me to sweat profusely and so the problem was to have some protection from the rain and to allow the heat to escape. As one looses 25% of your body heat through your head the arrangement I made was to cover my helmet with a shower cap, from the hotel, ( I did'nt want to mess up my hair) and have nothing else on my head or neck. I also had to remove the shoe covers because they were preventing my riding shoes from engaging with my pedal clips. The person who lent me the shoe covers must remain anonymous for his personal safety! He should however be assured that I placed the shoe covers on the side of the road with a note stating clearly that NO ONE was to touch them until the rightful owner was coming to claim them.
From then on I proceeded to make progress. Even though the rain became very heavy for about an hour or two. I had my flashing light on the back of the bike on, and truck and car drivers were invariably curtious.
After about 30 miles the rain stopped and the weather was pleasant for the rest of the ride.
The first town I came to was Bayfield, 20 miles from Durango I went into the first gas station for a mug of hot chocolate and a well earned short break. On the way out I find myself in conversation with a well spoken gentleman who introduced himself as the mayor of Bayfield. I could get used to the idea of being greeted by the mayor of each town I arrive at but must accept that this is unlikely to repeat itself.
The rest of the ride to Durango was reasonable with the final few miles downhill and much enjoyed. The 60 miles took me 6 hours today, the paniers really make every hill a lot of work.
One final observation. As an admirer of Inspector Clouseau I try and let nothing escape my attention. I find it highly interesting that since leaving Denver other than my companions for the first 3 days of the ride I have not seen another cyclist on the road. This is highly suspicious. What it exactly means I am not sure, bu I know that I will figure it out!
Still unable to overcome the technical difficulties of getting the photos onto the blog but are working on it.
Tomorrow - Mesa Verde where Hazel arrives to join me for the rest of the trip. Candy who will help with the long drive to Mesa Verde will fly back to Denver the next day from Durango.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Day 5. What a relief! The weather was perfect with a cloudless blue sky all day and although the temperatures were very cool there was no wind to speak of. The thought of riding over Wolf Creek Pass had caused me concern because not only is it 10 miles long and a tough ride in its own right the weather at the top of the pass has recently been snowy & rainy. Today it behaved beautifully. It also is spectacularly beautiful scenery.
Riding from Monte Vista to the pass I passed a herd of bison, which are farmed in many places. There were plenty of ads. along the way for USDA approved elk,buffalo & beef. Also dairy farms with home-made cheese.
Occasionally I heard rifle shots as this is hunting season.
The 70 miles took about 8hours to get to my destination with a few brief stops along the way. My longest break was enforced by the road work being done everywhere. Waiting at the top of Wolf Creek Pass because of blasting to widen the road further down, I was invited by the man controling the traffic to keep warm by climbing into the cab of one of the huge DOT trucks, to get in one has handholds to help climb in. That was my "treat" for the day.
It was nice to arrive in a warmer climate in Pagosa Springs where I managed to get a leg massage and soak in the natural hot springs.
Many thanks for the good vibes I get from those of you who send them my way.
We are having difficulty downloading the photos of todays trip, hopefully we will be able to get them in later.
A spelling correction San Louis should be San Luis.
Tomorrow Durango.
Riding from Monte Vista to the pass I passed a herd of bison, which are farmed in many places. There were plenty of ads. along the way for USDA approved elk,buffalo & beef. Also dairy farms with home-made cheese.
Occasionally I heard rifle shots as this is hunting season.
The 70 miles took about 8hours to get to my destination with a few brief stops along the way. My longest break was enforced by the road work being done everywhere. Waiting at the top of Wolf Creek Pass because of blasting to widen the road further down, I was invited by the man controling the traffic to keep warm by climbing into the cab of one of the huge DOT trucks, to get in one has handholds to help climb in. That was my "treat" for the day.
It was nice to arrive in a warmer climate in Pagosa Springs where I managed to get a leg massage and soak in the natural hot springs.
Many thanks for the good vibes I get from those of you who send them my way.
We are having difficulty downloading the photos of todays trip, hopefully we will be able to get them in later.
A spelling correction San Louis should be San Luis.
Tomorrow Durango.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Cycling down the San Louis Valley heading south is often a tremendous challenge because the prevailing wind is usually from south to north. The wind blew all day relentlessly so that the best I could do was approx. a speed of about 6 miles an hour. At times windgusts were so strong it was all I could do was to keep the bike from being blown off the shoulder of the road. An 80 mile ride without panniers would have been doable. With paniers a challenge, and with a huge head wind plus panniers nearly impossible. I rode my heart out but by the time I got to Sagaushe which is 45 miles it had taken me 7 hours. It was now 3pm. There was still 35 miles to go. At 6 miles an hour it would have taken me 6 hours to reach Monte Vista i.e. arriving at about 9pm not only would I have been riding in the dark but am not sure I would have had the strength to get there. If I could I would have slept at Sagaushe but because my schedule is tight & I have bookings everynight along the route I had to get to Monte Vista tonight. I managed to hitch a ride on a pick-up truck, we put my bike on the back & I climbed in with it. My thanks to the Cox family for their kind help. They took me 23 miles before they needed to turn off Highway 285 to their farm. The whole area between Sagauch & Monte Vista is full of farms which stretch as far as the eye can see on both sides of the road. I had little energy to admire the view, I still had 14 miles to ride to my destination. Approximately 2 hours later I reached my hotel completely exhausted. This is one of the toughest days I have ever had on a bicycle.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Arrived in Salida (an hour after Alan) who rode very well even with the strong head wind. Alan's family came to Salida to pick him up, had a nice lunch on the Arkansas River. Alan unfortunately had to leave the ride at this point because of demands of his buisness. Tomorrow I continue along to Monte Vista. I am concerned about possible weather changes & in particular hope the wind is not the problem it was today. Fighting the wind 80 miles is every cyclists nightmare.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
"There is no such thing as bad weather......."
This last week with it's very unpredictable weather presented some opportunities. Monday there was snow in the morning & in the afternoon rain, gusty winds & temperatures around 40F-PERFECT!
Perfect that is if I wanted to check how well my cold weather clothing did the job of keeping me warm enough & protecting me from the elements. In fact all was o.k. except I realized I needed shoe covers as the sock covers didn't keep my feet warm (dry but cold!).
All this reminded me of what an Outward Bound instructor once told me-"There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropiate clothing".
Once I have all the appropriate clothing I believe I can ride in ALMOST any weather. In fact one may apply this to getting out the house to walk, jog or ride. Instead of checking the weather to see if it is nice enough to go out I now check the weather to see what I need to wear so that I can go out & exercise with the protection I need. Up till now this did not apply to biking but this ride I am doing has forced me to ride in bad weather. I am now prepared, so this winter I hope to keep riding so long as there is no snow on the road.
Perfect that is if I wanted to check how well my cold weather clothing did the job of keeping me warm enough & protecting me from the elements. In fact all was o.k. except I realized I needed shoe covers as the sock covers didn't keep my feet warm (dry but cold!).
All this reminded me of what an Outward Bound instructor once told me-"There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropiate clothing".
Once I have all the appropriate clothing I believe I can ride in ALMOST any weather. In fact one may apply this to getting out the house to walk, jog or ride. Instead of checking the weather to see if it is nice enough to go out I now check the weather to see what I need to wear so that I can go out & exercise with the protection I need. Up till now this did not apply to biking but this ride I am doing has forced me to ride in bad weather. I am now prepared, so this winter I hope to keep riding so long as there is no snow on the road.
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