Day 8: Congress, AZ

Day 8

May 24, 2015

Miles: 54

Salome to Congress

Let me start by saying that this may be a short post given how tired I am, but let's see how easy today's storyline develops.  We made it into Congress at about 4:30 today.  We rode 54 miles.  54 miles of a steady climb. We never stopped pedaling today unless we got off the bikes, which was rare because there was only one place to stop with services between Salome and Congress. And let me tell you it wasn't that nice. 

Four highlights of the day. 

First, we had the most amazing cup of coffee to start our day. Actually two very large  cups each. Second, today signifies the end of the AZ desert riding (the segment with hot temperatures), leaving behind the heat and high winds.  Tomorrow we plan to ride to Yarnell, then Prescott.  Yarnell is the place where 19 firefighters lost their lives to a ravenous forest fire last year.  Third, we have completed our first map San Diego to Wickenburg, now onto map 2 Grand Canyon Connector. I just love finishing things. Fourth, we are dead tired.  My knees hurt and Steve's calf is sore.  We need a rest day desperately. 

First - Amazing Coffee:

We had a great stay at the Westward Motel.  It was just perfect.  Randy, the owner, has done amazing things with this place.  This morning he wouldn't let us leave without making us coffee.  Real coffee.  He ground the beans before letting it drip.  We got to know Randy a bit as we drank our coffee.  He toured for 30 years with different rock bands during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Bands like Pink Floyd, Rolling Stone and Jefferson Airplane.  He builds mud houses for a living and custom builds neon signs for different businesses. All that and runs his motel that he alone renovated.  Randy, such a very talented guy. 

Randy and the mud house he built behind us

Randy's Pink Floyd Honor

Rolling Stones

Our amazing room

Second - Arizona Desert:

Another day of saguaros and cactus.  We have officially ended this section of the desert (with temperatures that can reach 120 degrees); of course, we didn't experience these temps due to the week long cold front.  Whew!  We climbed to elevation 3000 today (we started at 1500ft) and tomorrow we plan to hit elevation 6000. Lots of climbing, up and down hills, which adds to the overall feet to climb. We estimate 5000ft of climbing tomorrow. It will be our most ambitious climb.  We are seriously considering taking it in two days.  We haven't decided yet. The good news is that the weather will be cooler due to the elevations from this point on until after we finish riding through Colorado.

Some day pics of Steve and me.

Being creative with Steve 

Just Me

Mini Me (far right)

                                                                Steve with his big glasses

Food for thought ...

We had an amazing breakfast

Not so amazing lunch

Di in cage

 What grows in the desert ...

Tall Cactus

Saguaro Peace

Three plus One

Ping Pong Paddle Cactus

Pineapple Buds

Third - Grand Canyon Connector:

What can I say. This is a big deal for me. One map down, 10 maps to go including the Grand Canyon Connector. Let me tell you why these maps are so important and part of the today's highlights.  They are amazing.  These maps are our greatest resource besides water, of course.  They have elevations, miles, roads, area write-ups, warnings and risks, listing of the services, for example if there is lodging, campgrounds, grocery store, restaurants, etc.  So we basically know what is ahead at all times and in how many miles.  Without these amazing maps we would be lost.  

Map 2

What tomorrow looks like
(between horizontal lines represent 1000ft)
Congress to Prescott (44 miles)

Fourth - Dead Tired:

Usually we take every third, then every fourth day off as a rest day, but because there is a bike shop in Prescott, we are trying to push through to make it to Prescott, but this means five days straight riding.  My bike is in desperate need of a tuning with my low gears.  Lots of noise and friction. We plan to get a good night sleep tonight and gauge how we feel tomorrow morning.  Perhaps we will stay another day in Congress, or stop at Yarnell tomorrow, then go on to Prescott the following day. Not sure. We'll decide tomorrow morning.

Steve took this picture this morning.  I liked it so wanted to share.

Hummingbird sitting on red dish

I guess today's word is amazing. I'm not going to count how many times I used it in this post, but my instinct tells me lots!