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.