Really big circles

twelve

MY NEW CARBON FIBER TOY

My new toy bike is on display with the Superstition Mountains in the background. A sunny Thanksgiving Day century (100 miles) ride in Arizona has been my holiday tradition for several years. After fighting the hungry crowds of the grocery store a little alone time is in order.

eleven

THANKSGIVING DAY TRADITION

The call of the road is strong as the Thanksgiving Day business builds. It is like the first time we visited Arizona in the middle of winter. We left Cleveland during a subzero snow storm and arrived in Phoenix at a balmy 80 degrees.

As we returned home there was a constant realization that there was a place on the planet without snow. We knew that fact but experiencing it drove us nuts as we bundled up, shoveled snow or deiced a windshield.

In the same way the thought of open road touring will drive me crazy because I know it is out there.

I was racing the sun in the California desert heading for a motel night in Blythe in the Arizona border. I lost and rode the last fifteen in total darkness. The roads had no side strips and no center line. There were no street lights, moon, and only a few cars. The lights on my bike were designed to be seen not to see.

Interstate 10 runs through Blythe, it is a mid point between Phoenix and LA. Most people stop for food, fuel, and a night off of the road. This was the big country I enjoy the most. Blythe will never seem the same to me.

ten

MEDITATION

I long for quiet still lakes with jumping fish. I long for "gully washing" rain storms with booming lightening while I cuddle in my little tent. I long for star filled skies, rainbows, puffy clouds, and waves of migrating birds.

nine

AMAZED WITH THE THE ORDINARY

The broken down pieces of history I find everywhere demand my questions. I have become a detective, and question the locals about the things around them. They soon tell begin telling me things they may not realize they know. Hopefully they again see the things that have been all around them. It’s only natural that over time the important things around us seem to faded away and become invisible.

eight

NOTHING COMPARES TO THE ARIZONA DESERT

Arizona is always a wondrous mystery to me because I grew up in rural Ohio. It is a harsh unforgiving environment for the foolhardy. After twenty years of exploring I never tire of the beauty and endless views. The strange survival focused plant life intrigues me. Soon I'll sooth my touring and desert needs with a weekend journey to the White Mountains.

seven

EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE

In my travels I have been in many bicycle shops, but this one was the most crowded. There were so many bikes in this tiny place. They turned the handle bars sideways to fit them closer together.

There were rows in front of rows, and no way to get to them without moving dozens of other bikes. I had never seen such an expertly organized tangle. I think you would need to make an appointment to look at a back row bike. I think they needed more room, but over time it would probably look the same.

six

EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE

Some bike shops are friendly to touring cyclists, but most aren't impressed. I have found most bike shop employees are not excited about bikes after all it's their job. I can't imagine having a thrilling conversation about meat with one of my customers. I like to eat, but 39 years in the meat industry takes a toll on that passion.

The owners of this shop were from Romania. Their focus was on making money, not friends, I respect that. I must say I have never seen so much merchandise jammed into one place.

five

THERE IS A TIRE PUMP IN THERE SOMEWHERE

Once a week I find a bike shop to borrow a floor pump to properly juice up my tires. I don't have many flat tires because I have touring tires, thick tubes, and Teflon inserts. This adds weight but “Walter” is not a racing bike, it’s a truck.

I maintain one hundred PSI in the rear tire because of the extra weight and about ninety in the front. Tires lose a few pounds of pressure over time. I have a small pump for flats on the road. However it is easier to use a larger floor pump for higher pressures.

The bike gets sluggish with mushy tires, every little bit helps when you are logging thousands of miles.

four

CAMPING UNDER A COAST HIGHWAY BRIDGE

That's my old Mountain Hardware two man tent. I liked the extra room and extra door but it weighed eight pounds. It served me well. I will replace it with a one person tent that will save five pounds. I did like the two entrance option, one for entry and exit and the other for a midnight pee. If you try this remember to factor in drainage.

three

BEST TWO DOLLARS I HAVE EVER SPENT

This is my two dollar campsite under the bridge in Lucia, California. The Bike and Hike rates in California state parks is great. This sunset was typical for the southern coastline. As a midwest boy the ocean never loses it's magic.