As promised, today was a late start and a slow roll out of Mesa.
I was really longing for the nothingness of the desert again. The endless traffic lights and heavy traffic kind of took the fun out of actually having a bike lane in which to ride.
We decided to hit the Apache Junction Visitor center where we met a woman who claimed to be a "long-distance" cyclist. She was friendly enough, but her tales of misadventure, gloom, death and destruction on bicycles were amazing. I was surprised we made it to the next traffic light (conveniently placed 10 yards from the previous one) alive!
She did give us directions to The Lost Dutchman State Park that sits at the base of Superstition Mountain. But before she did so, she made sure we knew that THERE WAS NOTHING past Apache Junction that would afford us the resources to continue our journey.
So, we passed store after store and restaurant after restaurant on our way to the Park after we took the time to buy a bunch of stuff at the grocery store. I did say she was friendly, right?
Incredible beauty at this place and better internet signal than the hotel in Mesa.
Some pictures of the park today.
Total miles today around 30 but I'll be back tracking a bit tomorrow to get back on the course.
Kelly is flying in tomorrow (she is on Spring Break!) to see us (okay mostly just me). This will give Marty a chance to have a 100% rest day as he will wait for Kelly at the campsite and then they will join me at Globe, AZ about 60 miles up the road and mostly up hill. Lucky me, my wonderful wife will rent a puck up truck and so I get to hammer this out on my bike -- no trailer, no packs. SWEET.
It is getting chilly, gotta go. Oh by the way, Mark Bertoune took the liberty of doing a rewrite of this blog on his site www.thebikeframe.com - I have to admit, it is very funny.
Jake
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Hey Marty,
ReplyDeleteAny updates you want to share on your knee? Just some concerned folks out here. We're pulling for you.
Lee
I am glad Kelly is going to be with you guys. You both have a long way to get home I just hope Marty makes it. I am going to ask God for some help for the two of you. I hope you don't mind. Love from the Brady Bunch!!! Happy Trails!!
ReplyDeleteJake,
ReplyDeleteRicky Wrubel here. Just spoke to Patrick. You're living a dream of mine and I look forward to following along. I live north in Sedona AZ and mountain bike. I just watched a documentary about a guy who rides from Patagonia to the Canadian Arctic. We're doing a fund raiser for the Sedona Food Bank based around a25 miles MTB race coming up in April. Best wishes. Have a blast.