two hundred thirty three

IT IS SIMPLE

Life gets simple on the road. There are a few bodily functions and hygiene issues plus staying in touch with the people who worry, but eat, sleep, and ride is about it. I know I can't live out there but it sure is a beautiful place to visit.

two hundred thirty two

ROUTE 88 APACHE TRAIL ROAD IN ARIZONA

Mid summer in 2003 I attempted to ride to the high desert of Showlow Arizona. I was using this as a shake down trip to learn what works and what doesn't work. 

The first day I started at three AM to get some miles in before it got too hot. I made big miles that first day but by the second day the temperature reached 115F by noon. The famous words of Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) "A man must know his limitations" ran through my mind. 

With this in mind I decided to abort my original plan and divert to Roosevelt lake. I spent the remainder of the day napping, hydrating, and attempting to stay cool.  After sundown I headed toward my home in Gilbert Arizona under a clear sky and full moon. 

It was impossible to ride the steep washboard gravel road which was a third of the 63 miles. I pushed my loaded bicycle at least half of the way. It took 9.5 hours to reach the city and my home.

 I hydrated and rested my swollen legs the next day while I thought about what there was to learn from this nightmare misadventure. I learned I was finally mature enough to realize my limits. 

As a younger man my pride would have gotten in the way. This was a vital lesson well worth the nightmare. I reconfigured my bike and set more realistic goals.

two hundred thirty one

These are the places I have seen from the seat of my trusty bicycle "Walter".

San Diego California to Gilbert Arizona was my first long trip, this was in the early spring of 2004. I was in the middle of no where with only my bicycle and it was perfect. I watched a private Blue Angel air show in El Centro California as they practiced for their upcoming season.

The second trip was in the summer of 2004. This trip began in San Francisco California and ended in San Diego California following the narrow but scenic Pacific Highway.

In late summer of the same year, I took my third trip starting in St Augustine Florida and ending  in Bar Harbor Maine. This included the outer banks of North Carolina, Washington DC, and the autumn leaves of New England.

The fourth trip was in the summer of 2006; it began in Cedar City Utah. This trip included the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and the Navajo Nation; it ended in hot Gilbert Arizona.

Trip five was in 2007 beginning in San Francisco up the Pacific coastline, the Redwood Highway, and the Washington islands. This trip ended in Bellingham Washington.

I then took trip six in the spring of 2008, starting in San Francisco crossing Nevada on highway 50, three 9000 foot passes, and Niagara Falls. This trip ended on a rainy Hampton Beach New Hampshire beach.

In 2009 I headed to Vancouver Canada, parked my car at a friend’s house in Tsawwassen British Columbia Canada and headed for Key West Florida. I saw a forest fire, a Mississippi River flood, tornadoes in the plain states, and a hurricane in Alabama and Key West.

These trips totaled over 14000 miles or 22500 km according to my GPS.

Obviously it has been way too long since my last adventure. I have a few more states left to explore. I'm in the process of planning my next Really Big Circle.