California Dreaming

Time to report the first milestone:  one state down.  Today we are in Phoenix, Arizona and California is now nothing but a sweet memory.

THAT'S SOME HILL.  Well the first two days treated us to a climb of 5,124 feet in 39 miles.  That's a climb that my poor legs were not prepared for and it didn't take long for me to find myself in my lowest gear huffing and puffing.  At the top of that hill is the pretty little town of Julian, a busy tourist town famous for, among other things, its pies.  Sorry no pictures.  I was so tired by the time I got there that I didn't have the energy to get my camera out.  Really.  On the way up we biked through lush mountain valleys.  The moment we began our decent we were in the desert.  The ride back down through the mountain switch-backs was one of the most spectacular that I have ever had.  Again, sorry no pictures, the road was too narrow and twisty to stop.

view on the ride up to Julian

          What's the last thing you want to see when making a climb?  A down hill, that's what.
          How's that?  Well, every foot down, is another foot to be re-climbed.  Give me
          straight up please. 

"Now on to the desert we did glide, flying low and flying wide."

THE LOW DESERT.    On the other side of Julian we were below sea level.  As far as the eye could see is brown, sand and scrub.  Brown that is except for the miracle of irrigation.  Then it's green, green, green to the horizon.  In Westmorland it was green to the horizon.  The day we rode through they were harvesting carrots, lots and lots of carrots, truckloads of carrots, iceberg lettuce and broccoli.  I'll have a new appreciation when I reach for a bunch in the grocery store after seeing the workers out in the field in the hot sun bent over harvesting for what was no doubt the day.  And yet they had the extra energy and spirit to wave and shout us a hello as we rode by.  I couldn't help but recognize how privileged I am. 

Beauty in its starkness

Sandy, Baby

 

 



Pickin' in the fields

What do you do in the desert for fun?  How about ride around in dune buggies (Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area), film movies (ever hear of a little flick called "Star Wars"?  Does the name Tatooine ring a bell?), and drop some bombs (U.S. Naval Reservation Aerial Gunnery Range).

Boom!

THE HIGH DESERT.  After climbing to about 2,000 feet the completion of the landscape changes dramatically.  Barren sand and scrub gives way to greener plants and cactus.  This is Ponderosa country and I expect to see Hoss and Little Joe appear around the corner at any moment.

Little Joe, where are you?

seems as if the folks out here have a sense of humor

so don't the folks in Hope, Arizona

What's the first week of riding been like?  Well, after the initial climb I'm thinking that perhaps a little conditioning before the ride might have been a good idea after all. I think I was a little too cavalier after my last ride.  My legs hurt, I mean hurt.  I have a little saddle soreness, but really not as much as I expected.  I'm dealing with a few minor issues, a bee sting and sunburn.  Dehydration is a major concern.  On one day's ride of 50 miles there was no place to replenish water.  I foolishly only filled two of my three bottles and ran dry in the almost 80 degree temperature.  Near the end of the ride the effects of dehydration were setting in, weakness and headache.  I haven't made that mistake again.  Still, it's amazing to see the body at work.  My hunger is full on.  All local horses have been warned to stay clear.  Already I can feel my mussels growing stronger (through the pain).  We have several 50 + mile days behind us and I suspect it won't be long before I am posting a milestone of my first century ride (100 miles that is).

With, perhaps, a tenth of the ride under my belt there is sure to be much more adventure to come.  Stay tuned.