BikerAl Across America 2018

Boy, the bottom fell out last night.  After 188 days on the road, I could finally relax and that I did.

Today is just a prep day for flying home, unfortunately, to snow.  Bike will get boxed by a bike shop for shipping home.  I have to repack for flying, look for a souvenir shop, and rest up a bit.  So glad I didn’t try to do all that yesterday.  There just wasn’t time.

Our leaders had a special congratulatory cake made for us last night.  It had the rte 66 logo on it, choc cake and, oh, so much frosting.  Decadent.  Won’t be eating like that anymore.

It’s gonna be hard to cut way back on food since we have been able to eat as much of whatever we want because we burned so many calories.  That is always the hardest thing to do after a trip like this.  My friends need to help me, please.

I can honestly say I’m glad I did this trip, this way.  And most of us agree we’d never ride this route again.  Too much of nothing to look at.  If it weren’t for the rte 66 stuff along the way, this would have been a very boring ride for at least a third of the way.  And what I think is really sad is that so much of the old rte 66 buildings are reduced to rubble and just heaps of forgotten debris.  We could see what must have been a thriving wide spot in the road at one time and now it is just a deserted, dilapidated ghost town.

Like I mentioned before, some of the roads are in really bad shape, some not so bad, some, very few, in good condition, and some under the interstate.  There are places where they built the interstate on top of rte 66, hence, why we had to ride it so much.  And that was not my idea of touring.  But it is all good and the experience was worthwhile.

So this will probably be my last post.  My blog will be available on the internet until at least Dec 31st.  Once my subscription runs out, I don’t think anyone, including myself, will be able to access it.  I plan to print it off when I get home.

So thanks to all my faithful followers and for all your encouragement.  It meant a lot to know that someone was following me vicariously.

Until the next trip.  Al

It’s way past my usual bed time and haven’t had a minute to write this.

YEEHAH, made it to the end.

The three M’s, Mark, Matt, and Murray, snd the three A’s, Allen, Allison, and myself, left together this morning for the last ride of the trip.  It was solid town from our motel to the end.  One city just blended into another one.  Not even a vacant lot.  Too many people and too much traffic.

Allen led most of the time and Allison navigated and they did an awesome job.  It would have taken me a lot longer to navigate through town.  So many turns.

We rode across Rodeo Drive and down Sunset Blvd.  Didn’t really have time to take in the sights much because we had to watch traffic.  But I can say I’ve been there.

Went straight to the pier and took pictures at the end of rte 66.  Made it to the hostel by about 3:00.  Long day but very pleasant weather.  Only in the mid 70’s.

Our fearless leaders, Jared and Johnny.

More tomorrow.  Need to go to bed.

70.7 miles today. 6235.3 total

Cool, almost chilly morning.  I kept telling myself I was storing up the cool for when it got hot this afternoon. Sorta worked.  The first few miles were definitely cool.  All my cold weather stuff was buried so I just toughed it out.  Only lasted less than an hour.

Just a few miles down the road there was a Bottle Farm.  It was probably an acre or more of bottle trees, all colors, with a sign at the entrance that welcomed you to walk through.  I didn’t take time to do that but I got a couple pictures.

Today was so different than the last three.  We got into civilization and it was odd to be going through big towns, still in the desert.  Much more interesting though.

We had a long gentle climb out of camp that took us to the top of Cajon Pass.  The climb was tedious but the downhill was way steeper and hairy.  Plus the downhill was on the interstate.  Four miles of 6% grade.  I stopped three times to rest my hands and make sure my rims weren’t getting hot.  I just pump my brakes and try to keep it around 30 mph.  Getting chicken in my old age, I guess.  Just don’t like speed.

The signs at the top warned about keeping your speed down and said that there was 12 miles of steep downhill.  Fortunately, we only had to ride a third on the interstate, then we got off on old rte66. So much more pleasant.

All in all a good day.  We will be in traffic all day tomorrow for our last day.  I am ready to be done.  The body is tired.

This has been a good trip and I’m really glad I didn’t do it alone.  I like rural and small towns but the Mojave desert had mostly ghost towns.  You could ride for 60 miles and see no one.  Just a little too sparse for me.  I guess of all my riding across America, MT and ND were my favorites.  And as I mentioned before, OK, TX, and NM were my least favorite.

People ask, what’s my next trip.  I honestly can’t say at this time.  I need to stay home and take care of my business in the summer months but I might consider going to Australia in the winter, their summer.  All I can think about right now is getting home and putting my house back in shape.  I have stuff in storage, carpets need to be cleaned, gardens need to be winterized, and my Explorer needs attention (as in dead battery).  No rest for me for a while.

I noticed I had wrong days and dates on a couple previous posts.  They have been corrected.

62.5 miles today.  6164.6 total

 

What a day.  Long, boring and hot.  We are finally out of the Mojave desert but still in a desert per se.  We had to ride 17 miles of interstate first thing due to extremely rough roads that paralleled the interstate.  The interstate wasn’t bad except for too many trucks.

There was just nothing to look at today to keep your attention so I always play mind games and count things.  Helps to keep me occupied instead of dwelling on the boredom.

We were scheduled to ride 68 miles but somehow, the miles got longer or someone miscalculated.  We ended up riding almost 77.  It was getting hot, all uphill at the end, and I was tired.  I just wanted to be there.  We all sorta expect a mile or two off but not nine.  If it hadn’t been hot, I think I would have not minded so much.

No pictures today from this boring ride.

Staying at a golf resort lodge tonite.  We had our last rider prepared meal last nite so we are going out to eat these last three nites.  The rider prepared food has been good, never went away hungry.  Don’t think I’ve lost any weight on this part of my trip.  Darn it.  Just too much food available all the time.  And I am not one to just look at it.

Sounds like I’ll be coming home on a day they call for snow.  Oh, well, that’s to be expected.  I was hoping for a week of snow free weather so I could do a few things outside.  We’ll see.

76.7 miles today.  6102.1 total

We are still in the Mojave desert and it did get hot today.  I left super early and had about 1 1/2 hours of pleasantly cool weather.

The road was marked closed for the first 22 miles due to five bridges being worked on.  We talked to the locals and they said there was a roadway around the bridges through the washes that we could ride.  It was loose gravel but I walked and it was fine.  If we had not been able to go that route, we would have had to ride the interstate and add miles.  So glad we could rIde the route.

Saw a really neat out cropping along the road.  Couldn’t tell if it was marble or quartz.  We were near the marble hills so I am guessing.  The first picture just shows the hills.  The second has a big white spot way to the left.  Try to enlarge the picture to see it.

Right outside of Amboy, we saw the Amboy Crater.  To the north of it was a big lava flow.  Our road skirted the edge of the flow so on one side was the lava, the other side, desert.

Later on up the road was a big tire painted red and yellow that you could see from a distance.  I laughed when I got up close to it.  Says “Route 66, Siberia.”

Towards the end of our ride, we had 16 miles of gradual uphill again.  In the heat of the day. Yuk!.  Then a really rough section that made my rear feel like hamb.  Parts of the old rte 66 roads are in pretty bad shape.  Some have been maintained and some are just neglected.  The road surface changes constantly.

Yep, Today I passed the 6,000 mile mark.  Yee ha!

68.6 miles today.  6025.4 total

Today’s ride was so different from yesterday.  2% uphill grade for 26 miles and that is my least favorite kind of riding.  I’d rather ride a pass like yesterday.  So much easier.

A mile from camp today we passed all this cool art work along side the road.  Hope you can see it ok.  The top one says POW MIA and the bottom says USA.

There were several and all the armed forces were represented.

We are camped at a truck stop today with no showers.  Our leaders gave each of us a pkg of wet wipes so we could sorta get clean.  We are out in the middle of the boonies again in the mojave desert.  Hot here and very little shade.

39.6 miles today.  5956.8 total

Awesome ride today.  Mostly downhill except for one big climb to Sitgreaves Pass.  It wasn’t a bad climb at all but I didn’t like the downhill.  It was much steeper than the uphill and I had to brake a lot more than I like to.  Freaks me out to go that fast.

This is the first of many pictures I took today.   Somehow I got it twice so we’ll have to deal with it.  Can’t get one to go away.

On the way up, we passed Thimble Mountain and an interesting out cropping.  The down side wasn’t as pretty.

This is where Oatman sits on the other side of the pass.

The reward for climbing the pass was the town of Oatman up in the hills and far from any other civilization.  Not sure why it is there except maybe for mining years ago.  Only inhabited by 135 people.  Almost like a hippy town.  They had wild burros walking in the streets which were actually very tame.  People walked right up to them and petted them.

We are back in the hot zone now.  First time I’ve sweat in days (or weeks).  Guess that’s the way it will be now to the end.  We dropped into the Mojave desert today and will be in it for two or three more days.  Mountains seen from a distance as I rode down in to the desert.

Sorry you have to deal with my computer inadequacies.  Apparently, this is the best I can do.

68.5 miles today.  5917.2 total

This is the best KOA ever.  I am so impressed with the entire set up.  And if I ever come this way again, I’ll be sure to stay here.  Put it on your list if you ever plan to come this way.

A lazy day.  Didn’t even crawl out of bed til 8am.   No need to.  We are always up at 5:30 EVERY day regardless of the daylight or how far we have to go.  I tho’t I was an early riser but some of these guys are ridiculous.  We eat breakfast and pack our lunch, then stand around until it is light enough to ride.  Dumb.  But that is the expected or accepted routine.  Our leaders have, a couple times,  jokingly said at 7 am, “Breakfast is now being served” and we are all done.  We laugh.  I’m not really sure what they think about us.

It started almost immediately in the trip when our leaders pronounced breakfast at 7.  People were lined up and ready to go at 6:30 and it hasn’t changed except to push it up a few minutes earlier.  Type A anal men. Geez.

I did laundry yesterday so I spent some time this morning cleaning my bike and getting ready for the last six riding days.  Then I walked to the nearest Taco Bell for lunch.  Turned out to be a three mile round trip.  But worth it.

As I walked through the residential streets in which the KOA is situated, I passed some interesting Halloween decorations.  This one caught my eye.

Finished my book and did Sudoku the rest of the afternoon while I watched these huge RV’s come in either self driven or pulled by a pickup truck, towing a small car behind them.  Some are much bigger than a trailer home.  I can’t even imagine how much money is invested in one of those.  They are HUGE.  And it was interesting to watch what they do to set up for the night.  All the ones here yesterday left this morning so I’m assuming these will do the same.  Seems like a lot of work for one night.  But they probably think the same about us setting up a tent.  And that can be a chore.  Especially if it is wet from the morning.

Four riders rented a car and drove to the Grand Canyon today.  It has been a beautiful day so they should have been able to get some good pictures.  I’ve been there four times and would love to go back but not on a much needed rest day.

It seems like the nearing of the end of this trip came awfully fast.  Hard to imagine we have only six riding days left and that is to cross CA.  For me, this has been great and I’m so glad I did it with Adventure Cycling but my future trips, if any, will be solo self supported.  I feel I need the ability to stop when the weather is bad or if I’m tired.  These van supported trips have a schedule they have to follow and I understand that but I never would have ridden the interstate in the rain for 40 miles if I had been alone..  I feel at my age, I need to have a little more flexibility to survive gracefully.  Don’t know how else to put it.  I’ve done it and I’m proud of my accomplishments but it has been hard a few days.

Walked 3.0 miles today .

 

No flat tires today.  Yeah!  This is so stressful.  I always need help because my thumbs and hands are so weak from arthritis that I can’t get the tire back on.  I just freak out every time I have to ask for help.

Our ride today was the best ever.  Mostly downhill, ever so gradual but you could cruise.  Slight tail wind most of the day.  And the scenery was our best yet.  Mountains on all sides of us.  We followed a stream and went around the mountains instead of over them.  I was in absolute heaven.  Loved every minute of it.  This was one of my favorites.

We are camped in at the Kingman KOA and it is the best one we’ve had this whole trip.  Very nice bathrooms and clean and well stocked.  Some have been almost scuzzy.  I told the lady here that this KOA gets 5 stars.

Rode by a couple interesting places along the road.  This was one.

I think this is a Joshua tree.  First one I’ve seen this trip but I know they are prominent just south of here.

It has been over two weeks now since I fell off my bike and hit myself in the chest.  It is still tender but feels a lot better.  I have been wearing a sports bra 24/7 so I could roll over and that really helped.  Never did turn black and blue but it sure hurt like heck for awhile.  Not a recommended way to fall.

Went to an In and Out hamburger joint for dinner and I was impressed.  I never eat hamburgers at a fast good joint but I might be hooked on these.

Our leaders are doing a campfire tonite and making Smores.  This is our last rest day before the end.  One week from today we will be done.  Kinda sad.

Then I have to, or get to, go home.  I have so much to do in the first week just to get resettled.  It is almost over whelming.  I’ll manage.

62.0 miles today.  5848.7 total

This was a pitso day in more ways than one although the ride was great.

We woke up to extremely wet tents from dew.  I had another flat tire due to the goatheads.  I’llll try to get a picture of one soon.  They are lethal.  I laid all my bags on the ground next to where I was going to set up my tent and when I picked up the one, it had 15-20 goatheads sticking in it.  You can’t see the little creeps but you sure feel them.  When I put my ground cloth down, one poked me through it.  They are relentless.  A couple guys even sprung a leak in their therma rests that they sleep on so by morning the air was all gone.  Funny but not funny.

We rode on what is the beginning of the longest uninterrupted section of rte 66.  Starts out on Crookton Road and goes for a long time.  Quite interesting terrain today and lots of downhill with a tail wind even though we did climb Crookton Pass.  No sign at the top.  So far, this has been one of the nicest roads we’ve ridden on.

We went through Seligman and it was a pretty cool town.  Lots of rte 66 buildings.

We are out in the real boonies tonite.  No phone service, no Wi-Fi, no internet, can’t even text.  But we were honored with a cloud show that was quite impressive.

On the way up to the campground, I passed this car along side the road.

The main source of entertainment tonite is everyone checking and rechecking their tires for goatheads and wires from the interstate.  We are all becoming a little paranoid.

50.8 miles today. 5786.7 total