Day 10: Flagstaff, AZ to Holbrook, AZ

Distance: 95.59 miles

Elevation gain: 1,220 feet

Avg speed: 18.1 mph

Max speed: 34.1 mph

Moving time: 5:16:06

Today definitely had its ups and downs, no pun intended. 

On the upside: the ride was fun, fast, and interesting. 

On the downside: FLATS!!!

I’d like to say first that I consider myself quite fortunate in the flat department. Prior to today, I had only had one flat on this trip so far. Many of my fellow riders have had MULTIPLE flats, and today it seemed like nearly all of us ended up with at LEAST one flat.

By the way, apparently you don’t even have to say something out loud to jinx yourself. Sometimes the mere THOUGHT of something can bring on the bad outcome. Such was the case for me today. I had less than a mile to go before reaching the hotel and I found myself reflecting on how LUCKY I’ve been on this trip when it comes to flats. And then, it happened. My front tire started getting noticeably soft. No worries, I had everything I needed with me to take care of it, which of course I did. 

At dinner, I mentioned to another rider that I had gotten one flat today, bringing my total to two. Later on, while uploading my YouTube video, I decided to check my tires. Lo and behold, my back tire was noticeably soft. Upon closer inspection, I found THIS little gem in the tire:

This is the tiny piece of wire that was in my back tire

But enough about the downside for today - let’s discuss the upside!

The first 40 or so miles of today’s ride was almost entirely downhill, resulting in a VERY fast pace at the start. The first SAG stop was about 40 miles into the ride, yet I made it there in less than two hours! I was absolutely FLYING!

Once we were past the first SAG, the ride was largely flat, but that downhill portion was not the only thing this ride had in store for us. Shortly after the SAG, we reached the town of Winslow. Yes, THAT Winslow. And yes, they have a corner dedicated to that song. 

A group of us standing on the corner. That’s me in the Mets jersey, third person in on the right. 

We also encountered a man in Winslow who is in the process of riding a penny farthing across the country from California to Maryland:

In addition to visiting that famous corner, we also all enjoyed a wonderful ice cream break. The fun didn’t end in Winslow, however: the second SAG stop was at the Jack Rabbit Trading Post:

And, of course, a ride day just wouldn’t be complete without a video:

And that is all for now. Tomorrow is another big day - approximately 92 miles and our second state line crossing - we go into New Mexico. See you all tomorrow!

Day 9: Rest day in Flagstaff, AZ

The road so far:

Miles traveled: 519.88 miles

Elevation gained: 22,604 feet

The road yet to come:

Miles to go: 2,902.3 miles

Elevation to gain: 81,608 feet

It just wouldn’t be a blog post without any pictures. Here is a view of the mountains. I took this while walking back to the hotel after lunch.

Today has been a day of rest and reflection. It’s late afternoon, so I thought it would be a good time to update my blog. I slept amazingly well last night, and basically slept in until it was getting close to the end of breakfast. Got dressed, and ate SO well. Eggs, biscuits with sausage gravy, oatmeal, coffee, juice. Large quantities of all of the above. After breakfast I took everything off of my bike and brought it over to the bike wash station to get it all pretty and clean for the week ahead. You know what they say - a clean bike is a happy bike:

Next was a nap, followed by a walk over to Walmart for a couple of things I needed, then a walk over to Jersey Mike’s for lunch. Put everything back on the bike, plugged in all my electronics so everything is fully charged for tomorrow, and here I am.

Of course, I have some unfinished business to take care of. Three of my blog posts left a lot to be desired due to my being short on time. So here are some more details for those days. 

Day 3: Moreno Valley, CA to Indio, CA

This was the second riding day, and the first day that featured a “big” climb. I put big in quotes because, well, it’s all relative. At the TIME, this was a huge climb for me. After having tackled Mingus Mountain, the Yarnell pass, and that switchback climb between Sedona and Flagstaff though, it doesn’t quite seem so major anymore. This ride featured our first “RAG” stop of the tour. That’s a stop that isn’t quite a full SAG stop, but it gives you an opportunity to regroup, refill your water, and prepare for the challenge ahead. About ten miles later was the big climb of the day, followed by a short ride to our first full SAG stop. This one doubled as a consolidation stop though, because on this day we rode through the Morongo Indian Reservation. We were required to ride through the reservation all together as one group with a police escort, so this stop was on the long side. This introduced a new challenge for me - during the stop, the only way I can think to put it is my leg muscles switched themselves off. When we started riding again, my legs felt horrible! Fortunately for me, much of the rest of the ride was downhill, and that certainly made it easier. After the reservation at some point, we had another SAG stop. At this one I found that my back tire was starting to feel a little soft. I debated for a short while as to whether or not I should change the tube, but while I was waffling, the tire made the decision for me. Oh well, better to have that happen at a stop than on the side of the road. The helpful staff assisted me with it, giving me some excellent pointers on removing and reinstalling the tire, and I have to say that was the easiest time I’ve ever had getting a tire back on the rim! I won’t go so far as to say I look forward to the NEXT time, but I WILL say that I’m not dreading it nearly as much. 

Day 4: Indio, CA to Brawley, CA

This was the first, and hopefully ONLY discontinuity in this year’s route. The original plan was for us to ride along Route 10 pretty much all the way to Blythe, but due to road construction along the route the bike lane was closed, and they were not allowing bicycles along that stretch of road. Our hotel was in Blythe though, and to detour around the construction would have resulted in the route being WAY too long, so the Farmers came up with an alternate plan that had us riding to Brawley where they had two 15-passenger vans waiting to bring us north to Blythe. Because they substituted an equuivalent ride, I’m still going to consider this trip as one where I rode my bike from coast to coast, but it just takes some additional explanation. 

One thing about this trip - each day has its unique challenge(s), and each day has its unique rewards. This ride wasn’t particularly long, and it didn’t have much in the way of climbing, but it was our first full day in the desert. I think this was both the challenge AND the reward! Oh, also, we got to ride along the Salton Sea, which was ALSO pretty fun. One thing about riding on a hot day in the desert - hydration is absolutely key! On this particular day, I felt like I drank a LOT of water, and yet I managed to go the full 79.44 miles of it without having to stop to use the bathroom even once! Also, I discovered that the sun will manage to find any exposed, unprotected skin. As a result of this ride, I have a tiny sliver of skin on my left wrist between my watch and my glove that got sunburned. Also, I managed to get sunburn on my lower lip. Lip balm with SPF protection works SO much better when you remember to put it on! On this particular day we had three full SAG stops, with “ice socks” at the second and third. Basically, an ice sock is just what it sounds like - a sock (or stocking) filled with ice, which you put in the back of your jersey resting on your neck and upper back. It helps to keep you from getting overheated. I was unsure if I wanted to try this, but I was also really hot, so I gave it a go - and I’m glad I did! On a really hot day, they are an absolute game changer!

Day 5: Blythe, CA to Wickenburg, AZ

The big treat for me on this day came early in our ride - we had our first state line crossing! Getting to another state really makes you feel like you’re starting to make some progress! This one was our longest ride of the tour, and another day of riding through the desert. I remember a few points early in the ride where I thought about stopping to take pictures because of some interesting cactus, but by the end I was starting to get tired of all the cacti! It was nowhere near as hot as the previous day, but today’s challenge was the wind - a strong gusty crosswind, gusting over 20 mph! Anyway, between the length of the ride and battling the wind, by the end I was ready for some rest - it’s no WONDER the video and blog post that day left so much to be desired! Although this route did have several thousand feet of climbing, it was a steady climb for the most part, ending with a steady descent at the end that lasted pretty much the entire last 8 miles. Made for a fun ending to an otherwise challenging day. 

Well, I hope today’s post makes up for the three days of photo dumps, and that I will be able to continue to produce interesting and substantial posts for the upcoming week leading up to our next rest day in Santa Fe, NM. See you tomorrow!

Day 8: Cottonwood, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ

Distance: 47.20 miles

Elevation gain: 4,941 feet

Avg speed: 10.9 mph

Max speed: 37.0 mph

Moving time: 4:20:55

We DID it - we made it successfully to the first rest day!

This morning somehow went a lot smoother for me than yesterday morning. Perhaps it was the extra sleep I got, I’m really not sure. All I know is I didn’t end up scrambling to get to the front of the hotel for the start of today’s ride. I had a nice, relaxing breakfast, went back to my room to change, finish packing, and preparing for the ride. I got to the front with all my stuff with time to spare. 

Today’s route took us along Arizona Highway 89A to Flagstaff by way of Sedona. This was my first time in Sedona, and I was absolutely blown away by how beautiful it is! What a great way to see the country!

Along the way, our first stop was at a coffee shop in downtown Sedona where I had a coffee and a delicious blueberry muffin. Is it just me, or does everything taste that much better when you’ve worked so hard to get where you’re going? Anyway, once I had finished my snack and taken the pictures I wanted to take, it was time to once again hit the road. Getting through downtown Sedona was a little congested, but once we made our way through and entered the canyon, traffic became more manageable. Or maybe the beautiful scenery had me too preoccupied to be stressed about the cars. 

After going through the canyon, it was time to attempt (and complete) my first-ever switchback climb. There’s really something a bit surreal about looking down and to one side to see the road you’ve traveled, and looking up and to the other side to see the road yet to come. Perhaps the best (or at least the most satisfying) part is to reach the top, make your way to the scenic overlook and see the road way below that you just came up. 

At the top of the climb we had our SAG stop for today, followed by a series of rolling hills leading the rest of the way to Flagstaff. 

Once settled into the hotel (and having had a much-needed warm shower), I made my way over to Sizzler for dinner. Steak and lobster - yum! Tomorrow is the first rest day. Time to wash the bike, enjoy a couple more restaurants for lunch and dinner, and catch up on my social media. And, of course, REST!

And, of course, my blog post just wouldn’t be complete without sharing my favorites of the photos of the day!

An action shot, taken I believe on the way to Sedona

Pictures from the coffee stop

Enjoying my coffee with some of my fellow riders

The view from the overlook at the road we had just traveled

Entering Flagstaff

And, of course, today’s video:

And that is all for now! Time to finish up the last of my laundry and get to bed. Tomorrow is another day!

Day 7: Prescott, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ

Distance: 44.35 miles

Elevation gain: 2,728 feet

Avg speed: 13.2 mph

Max speed: 38.8 mph

Moving time: 3:22:01

Wow. That was some nap. I took full advantage of the early day today and was able to get my video posted before dinner. I originally planned to write this post after dinner, but decided to take an after-dinner “nap” first. Two and a half hours later, here I am. Still, I don’t regret it - it felt great!

This morning I found myself having trouble getting up, followed by rushing around to the point where I made it to the front of the hotel in the nick of time! (Yes, I did manage to squeeze in breakfast.) Anyway, I departed Prescott (I say “I” and not “we” because by the time I was ready to roll, many of the riders were already a few minutes up the road) at about 7:40am, bound for Cottonwood by way of Mingus Mountain. The first part of the route was along a pretty nice road with a narrow bike lane on the right, but we soon found ourselves on the shoulder of a highway once again. The weather was brisk at the start, but about ten miles in I found myself getting a bit too warm, so at my first gel stop I decided to shed the arm and leg warmers, put some sunscreen on the newly-exposed skin, and continue on. And by that point I was truly bringing up the rear. Still, I did eventually manage to catch a FEW people at least. It’s not a race. I need to keep telling myself that. 

Soon I found myself beginning to tackle the day’s challenge - the climb up Mingus Mountain. The climb seemed to begin long before we got to the base of the mountains, with a false flat that lasted for miles! Eventually though, I was there and it was time to put on my climbing legs. This climb was bigger than the Yarnell Pass from yesterday, but I thought it was actually easier. Yarnell was a pretty steady but nonstop and unrelenting climb, whereas Mingus was more “stair-steppy,” with a series of steeper parts interspersed with flatt(er) areas to give you a chance to catch your breath. At the top, we had reached an elevation of 7,023 feet (as evidenced by the sign below). Our SAG stop for the day was at the summit, followed by an AMAZING descent. Amazing both for the speeds we COULD have hit (were it not for the rough pavement and my apparent lack of “guts”), and for the absolutely breathtaking views on the way down, especially in the second half of the descent. (There was a first part, followed by a brief climb before being rewarded with a nonstop descent of several thousand feet all the way to the hotel.) Of course, we didn’t go straight to the hotel - it wasn’t even noon yet! On the descent, we passed through the town of Jerome, which is quite literally built into the side of the mountain! Once in Jerome, we all stopped at the Haunted Hamburger for lunch. Along the way to Jerome though, I met up with Steve, one of the riders in our group, who recorded an impromptu “interview” with me, which he was kind enough to let me use in the day’s video!

After lunch, we headed to Cottonwood for our overnight stay. Got there too early though, and had to wait for our rooms. Anyway, I still had ample time to shower, wash my cycling clothes from the day’s ride, and edit and post my video before heading over to dinner. 

We all had dinner at a diner that is diagonally across from the hotel, the Black Bear Diner. Dinner was delicious, and the portions were HUGE! And now, here I am. 

Anyway, here are some photos from the day:

The elevation at the top of Mingus Mountain

Some of the views from the descent

Our lunch spot

Sitting down to lunch with Steve

Our dinner spot

And, of course, the video of the day. It’s not as long as some of the other videos, so be sure to watch the special feature toward the end, courtesy of Steve:

That’s all for today. Tomorrow we head to Flagstaff, another climbing day, where we will be rewarded with a well-earned rest day. See you there!

Day 6: Wickenburg, AZ to Prescott, AZ

Distance: 59.94 miles

Elevation gain: 5,786 feet

Avg speed: 10.6 mph

Max speed: 42.1 mph

Moving time: 5:40:34

Today was a shorter ride, so I do have a BIT more time than the last few days, but tomorrow is going to be another big day, so I will still keep this somewhat brief. 

I have to admit, I was feeling a bit intimidated this morning by all the climbing we had in store for us today. You see, I’m not really that strong of a climber, though I’ve been working at it. Still, looking at the climb profile last night had me a bit worried. I also didn’t get as much sleep as I would have liked last night. 

The ride started out as a procession like the first day did, only this time it was due to road construction just north of Wickenburg. This led us into the first climb of the day, albeit a much smaller one than we had ahead. Before the next climb, we ended up getting stopped once again for road construction. Arizona Route 89 going through the Yarnell Pass had a section being resurfaced, so all the traffic was limited to one lane being used for both directions, so there was about a 3 mile segment where you had to wait for your direction’s turn. Once they released us, it wasn’t long before the first really major climb of the day was on!

Once we were over the Yarnell Pass, we had our first SAG stop in Flora May Park in Yarnell. After that, we had some really nice descending into Peeples Valley before starting the long climb into Prescott (which began with a few miles of false flats followed by a stair step of climbs and descents). Before that climb got TOO well established though, we stopped for lunch (at least I did, along with at least SOME of us) at a store in Wilheit called Country Corner. There, I ran into an older gentleman who was bike-touring with his “best friend” - he was towing his dog in a trailer. (He said she’s his navigator.) Anyway, after lunch it was time to ride the last 16 or so miles up and over the climb into Prescott, our stop for the night. On the run-in to the hotel we rode through the downtown area so we could see what was nearby, as tonight was a “dinner on your own” night of the tour. Although, I must admit that the last place I saw before arriving was a Panda Express which was right next to the hotel, so in the interest of maximizing my rest time for tonight I chose to eat there. 

Tomorrow we continue on to Cottonwood, and it looks like we will be going over Mingus Mountain and having lunch at the Haunted Hamburger in Jerome. Should be a good day!

Carrying my bags out to the bag drop in the morning

A view from the climb of Yarnell Pass

The bike-tourer and his dog

On the road to Prescott - elevation 6,100 feet!

And, of course, the day’s video:

Well, that’s all for now - see you tomorrow!

Day 5: Blythe, CA to Wickenburg, AZ

Distance: 114.75 miles

Elevation gain: 3,064 feet

Avg speed: 14.8 mph

Max speed: 33.0 mph

Moving time: 7:46:25

Once again, it is getting late, so today’s post will once again be a photo dump and a link to my video from today’s ride:

That’s all for now - time for bed!

Day 4: Indio, CA to Brawley, CA

Distance: 79.44 miles

Elevation gain: 618 feet

Avg speed: 15.1 mph

Max speed: 21.4 mph

Moving time: 5:16:29

Hats off to the bloggers from last year’s tour who managed to write great blog posts day after day. I don’t know how you found the time! Maybe the difference is my YouTube channel, since putting the day’s video together certainly takes some time. Perhaps on the first rest day I’ll try to put together a recap, or as much of a recap as I’m able to. For now, well, it’s getting close to 10pm, and I have a really long day ahead of me tomorrow. So for now, here are some pics from the day:

And, of course, the day’s video:

Bye for now and I’ll see you tomorrow!