Friday March 28, 2008, 90 miles (145 km) - Total so far: 144 miles (232 km)
Where to begin?? On days around 100 miles long there's bound to be stories. Luckily today was full of good ones. Here's the highlights and lowpoints again:
Highlights:
-cold crisp air to start the morning.
-having it warm up so I could take off the hand and leg warmers.
-talking to Dan on the hands free while riding. Then Brook, then Bryan, and later Nick. It's fun to be able to talk while riding.
-listening to a podcast of "This American Life" about Niagra falls while riding.
-stopping to get fresh strawberries and sugar plums and then talking to the old man selling them on the side of the road from his truck.
-the biggest highlight of the day was the amazing 10 mile 6% grade downhill, which was made extra cool when I passed a semi going 55mph.
-drinking cold water at a gas station when it was 95F.
-finding a single tree with shade after being on open rode with nothing but sand for 15 miles.
-having 2 people make sure I was ok as I fixed a flat tire.
-making it to the bike shop in El Centro to replace my water bottle cage and crappy hand-pump.
-hearing from the bike shop workers that there were a few people behind me and more ahead of me. Always nice to know other cyclists are out on the same roads.
-great last 14 miles into Brawley.. Went 25mph the whole way on flat, smooth pavement without stopping.
-being offered a dvd player (see below for detail)
-shower.
Lowpoints:
-more uphill than I anticipated for this day.
-headwind for 3 hours.
-flat tire #1.
-bumpy roads for 15 miles
-listening to the maddening rattle of my broken water bottle cage on above mentioned bumpy roads.
-hot. Really hot. But not as hot as tomorrow will be.
-cramping in my legs. And toes??
So some thoughts for the day...
One of my favorite random things to happen to me is to be propositioned to buy obviously stolen goods in random places at inoppurtune moments. Today was the greatest example ever. It might seem mean but messing with these guys is a prerequisite to engaging in conversation. So envision this: me, sweaty, slimy, tired looking, standing on a sidewalk half sitting on my bike, trying to figure out where to stay. Dude walks up, looks like he's high on meth and has been for years; "hey man, check this out. You need a vcr?" Me: "how much?" ... "25 man. It plays both dvds and tapes!" Me: "hmm, I don't know. Do you think it'll fit in my bag?" (Its a vcr. My bag is like a small shoebox). Him: "I don't know. It might. You could carry it." Me: "damn man, I'm riding to florida. I can't just carry it. Do you have some rope to tie it around my back?" Him: "No, sorry bro." Me: "ok, forget it. Thanks anyway."
What!?!?
The other thought for the day was something I've.been working on but haven't had luck solving. I need a unique name for the following substance:
This is a mixture of all these things in one, plastered mainly on my arms and legs while riding. Its easily washable but is unavoidable, especially on hot dry days...
-salt from sweat
-pasty caked on sunscreen
-dead bugs (the get caught in your hairs!)
-dust/dirt
-super fine rubber particles from tires
-break dust from big trucks
-grease from the bike
See, some of you reading this might envision a cyclist gracefully rolling through the southern california mountains, with their interesting desert environments with beautiful rock formations...and the occasional flower patch if it rained recently, and a cyclist can and will do that, but just remember that they're hot, stinky, covered in the substance described above, may be slightly dehydrated, and all the water in their water bottles is 105 degrees so they're not in the greatest mood to drink it! Cycling IS great though, you just have to roll with it!
Highlights:
-cold crisp air to start the morning.
-having it warm up so I could take off the hand and leg warmers.
-talking to Dan on the hands free while riding. Then Brook, then Bryan, and later Nick. It's fun to be able to talk while riding.
-listening to a podcast of "This American Life" about Niagra falls while riding.
-stopping to get fresh strawberries and sugar plums and then talking to the old man selling them on the side of the road from his truck.
-the biggest highlight of the day was the amazing 10 mile 6% grade downhill, which was made extra cool when I passed a semi going 55mph.
-drinking cold water at a gas station when it was 95F.
-finding a single tree with shade after being on open rode with nothing but sand for 15 miles.
-having 2 people make sure I was ok as I fixed a flat tire.
-making it to the bike shop in El Centro to replace my water bottle cage and crappy hand-pump.
-hearing from the bike shop workers that there were a few people behind me and more ahead of me. Always nice to know other cyclists are out on the same roads.
-great last 14 miles into Brawley.. Went 25mph the whole way on flat, smooth pavement without stopping.
-being offered a dvd player (see below for detail)
-shower.
Lowpoints:
-more uphill than I anticipated for this day.
-headwind for 3 hours.
-flat tire #1.
-bumpy roads for 15 miles
-listening to the maddening rattle of my broken water bottle cage on above mentioned bumpy roads.
-hot. Really hot. But not as hot as tomorrow will be.
-cramping in my legs. And toes??
So some thoughts for the day...
One of my favorite random things to happen to me is to be propositioned to buy obviously stolen goods in random places at inoppurtune moments. Today was the greatest example ever. It might seem mean but messing with these guys is a prerequisite to engaging in conversation. So envision this: me, sweaty, slimy, tired looking, standing on a sidewalk half sitting on my bike, trying to figure out where to stay. Dude walks up, looks like he's high on meth and has been for years; "hey man, check this out. You need a vcr?" Me: "how much?" ... "25 man. It plays both dvds and tapes!" Me: "hmm, I don't know. Do you think it'll fit in my bag?" (Its a vcr. My bag is like a small shoebox). Him: "I don't know. It might. You could carry it." Me: "damn man, I'm riding to florida. I can't just carry it. Do you have some rope to tie it around my back?" Him: "No, sorry bro." Me: "ok, forget it. Thanks anyway."
What!?!?
The other thought for the day was something I've.been working on but haven't had luck solving. I need a unique name for the following substance:
This is a mixture of all these things in one, plastered mainly on my arms and legs while riding. Its easily washable but is unavoidable, especially on hot dry days...
-salt from sweat
-pasty caked on sunscreen
-dead bugs (the get caught in your hairs!)
-dust/dirt
-super fine rubber particles from tires
-break dust from big trucks
-grease from the bike
See, some of you reading this might envision a cyclist gracefully rolling through the southern california mountains, with their interesting desert environments with beautiful rock formations...and the occasional flower patch if it rained recently, and a cyclist can and will do that, but just remember that they're hot, stinky, covered in the substance described above, may be slightly dehydrated, and all the water in their water bottles is 105 degrees so they're not in the greatest mood to drink it! Cycling IS great though, you just have to roll with it!
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