Day 12
Thatcher,AZ to Lordsburg,NM
I left Thatcher with my sights set on Lordsburg. Got a decent start with breakfast at Denny's. I was talking to the waitress and struck up a conversation about our ride. She said that Denny's is very supportive of things of this nature and would see if management could do anything for us, with no promises made. Here's hoping for that!!
Finally left town and headed out on route 70 started with a bit of a tailwind, but that did not last for long, the winds turned and it was a long go of things. This day was probably the most desolate to date (except for maybe the Imperial Sand Dunes).
Things started looking up when I rolled into Duncan, it was a cute little town where we stopped to get lunch. I rolled into the center of town to find 2 antique fire apparatus, and took the photo oportunity, gladly.
After lunch it was back to the desolate highway where I finally crossed into New Mexico.... The Land of Enchantment (and wind). While riding along I kept looking back at the dust that had been blown into the air during the day, wow was it ever dingy looking back there! No sooner did I start pedaling, and I noticed a sand storm in distance, so out came the camera again to document this.
As I was riding my last two miles to the KOA Kampground, I was greeted in the street by a white van full of people waving and yelling and beeping the horn. It was the Wandeing Wheels group again, it seems they were staying down the street at a local church--what a welcome wagon they make-- I was all smiles from there!
When I finally arrived at the lordsburg KOA, it was nearly closing time, we got our site, and the woman warned us of the extreme winds expected tonight. I was advised to stake down the tent, and boy was I gald I did. The wind howled so bad during the night that my tent was shaking right down to the stake, and the dust blowing around gave a very fine coating to everything in the tent, including me. I was glad when morning came and I was able to move on from that mess!!
The garmin data for the day is as follows:
Day 12 Thatcher to Lordsburg by wegotguts at Garmin Connect - Details
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Day 11
Globe to Thatcher
Leaving Globe we started out with breakfast at Joes, just up the road. After a good breakfast I stopped at the Globe Fire Department and left information to follow the ride.
I headed out on Route 70 and through the San Carlos Apache Reservation, including the towns of Peridot and Bylas,before leaving the resevation again. I traveled through Geronimo and on till lunch at Fort Thomas.
At Fort Thomas I ran into the Wandering wheels again as they were departing from thier lunch stop. They all asked how Jay was doing, I let them know he was diagnosed with Bronchitis, and had left for New York to recupperate and rejoin the ride later. It seems sickness is spreading, the Wandering Wheels group has been experiencing virus like symptoms and upper respiratory problems throughout thier camp. We parted ways, I had lunch and again was on the road. Two more towns and another nights rest was in order.
I traveled through Pima on my way to the nights destination of Thatcher. This nights rest was at the Red Lamp RV Park, where I was greeted by the owner. She was very kind and offered the camp space for free as a donation to our ride and cause. After thanking her for the site I set up camp and set my sights on dinner.
The Garmin readout for the day is as follows:
Day 11 Globe to Thatcher by wegotguts at Garmin Connect - Details
Globe to Thatcher
Leaving Globe we started out with breakfast at Joes, just up the road. After a good breakfast I stopped at the Globe Fire Department and left information to follow the ride.
I headed out on Route 70 and through the San Carlos Apache Reservation, including the towns of Peridot and Bylas,before leaving the resevation again. I traveled through Geronimo and on till lunch at Fort Thomas.
At Fort Thomas I ran into the Wandering wheels again as they were departing from thier lunch stop. They all asked how Jay was doing, I let them know he was diagnosed with Bronchitis, and had left for New York to recupperate and rejoin the ride later. It seems sickness is spreading, the Wandering Wheels group has been experiencing virus like symptoms and upper respiratory problems throughout thier camp. We parted ways, I had lunch and again was on the road. Two more towns and another nights rest was in order.
I traveled through Pima on my way to the nights destination of Thatcher. This nights rest was at the Red Lamp RV Park, where I was greeted by the owner. She was very kind and offered the camp space for free as a donation to our ride and cause. After thanking her for the site I set up camp and set my sights on dinner.
The Garmin readout for the day is as follows:
Day 11 Globe to Thatcher by wegotguts at Garmin Connect - Details
Friday, April 2, 2010
OK now for some catching up!!!
I will start with Day 10 )Mesa to Globe)and put a new entry for each day to keep them a little shorterand as alway I will have the garmin readout of each day
The ride out of Mesa was difficult as I found myself riding alone for the first time. Jay is off to see the doctor to find out what is wrong. After getting the maps and some supplies I bagan peddaling out of Mesa. The ride must go on, people with Crohn's, colitis,colorectal cancer, and ostomies go on everyday - so must the ride to bring awareness!!
The scenery changed quickly from city to open land as I approached and went through (yes that fast) Apatche Junction on my way to route 60. As I cameup the entrance ramp the colors of the flowers started and continued to get better as I arrived in the Tonto National Forest, through Florence Junction, over Gonzalez Pass(2651 feet), to Superior.
Lunch in Superior was at Los Hermanos Mexican restaurant, really good food resonably priced and good service. With lunch finished it was time to climb some more. Leaving town I haeded up the hill to the Queen Creek Tunnel, a quarter mile tunnel that is the noisiest, smelliest thing I have ever been through. Onward to Miami - The Copper Capital of the world (thats what the sign says!)
A short trip through Miami and Claypool to Globe, our final destination for the evening. While riding through Miami I noticed the signs that proclaimed "Miami, the copper center of the world). One last climb and we were at the Gila County RV Park. The owners were great people offering us a dicounted rate (for cyclists) of $7.00 for the night, and the offer of a shower also for cyclists in an old adobe home they are Remodeling.
The Ry park was small and only had a port-a-potty bathroom, but they did have free wi-fi.It was interesting hearing the church bell chime (westminster chimes)on the hour until 11:00 pm and starting again at 6:00 am
The ride for the day according to the Garmin:
Day 10 Mesa to Globe by wegotguts at Garmin Connect - Details
I will start with Day 10 )Mesa to Globe)and put a new entry for each day to keep them a little shorterand as alway I will have the garmin readout of each day
The ride out of Mesa was difficult as I found myself riding alone for the first time. Jay is off to see the doctor to find out what is wrong. After getting the maps and some supplies I bagan peddaling out of Mesa. The ride must go on, people with Crohn's, colitis,colorectal cancer, and ostomies go on everyday - so must the ride to bring awareness!!
The scenery changed quickly from city to open land as I approached and went through (yes that fast) Apatche Junction on my way to route 60. As I cameup the entrance ramp the colors of the flowers started and continued to get better as I arrived in the Tonto National Forest, through Florence Junction, over Gonzalez Pass(2651 feet), to Superior.
Lunch in Superior was at Los Hermanos Mexican restaurant, really good food resonably priced and good service. With lunch finished it was time to climb some more. Leaving town I haeded up the hill to the Queen Creek Tunnel, a quarter mile tunnel that is the noisiest, smelliest thing I have ever been through. Onward to Miami - The Copper Capital of the world (thats what the sign says!)
A short trip through Miami and Claypool to Globe, our final destination for the evening. While riding through Miami I noticed the signs that proclaimed "Miami, the copper center of the world). One last climb and we were at the Gila County RV Park. The owners were great people offering us a dicounted rate (for cyclists) of $7.00 for the night, and the offer of a shower also for cyclists in an old adobe home they are Remodeling.
The Ry park was small and only had a port-a-potty bathroom, but they did have free wi-fi.It was interesting hearing the church bell chime (westminster chimes)on the hour until 11:00 pm and starting again at 6:00 am
The ride for the day according to the Garmin:
Day 10 Mesa to Globe by wegotguts at Garmin Connect - Details
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Wait, you mean it takes more than guts or partially missing intestines to ride every mile?
Greetings, all. I know you have been looking for updates, but alas, all of the recent changes have made it far more challenging to give them. Thank you for your patience and thank you for your support of this project and both of its riders!
I am (enviously) following Todd on the Spot Tracker, lending support from afar, and also following everyone's comments on Facebook and this blog. Since Saturday, Todd has ridden from Mesa, AZ to Globe, Globe to Safford, AZ, and Safford, AZ to Lordsburg, NM. Today he heads back north toward Silver City, NM.
For my part, here is the short version: it turns out you need lungs, not just guts, to ride. What started as a headcold the day before we left San Diego (annoying but not a big deal) deepened into a chest cold (a big deal but not the end of the world) and then blossomed into a true problem of lung function. When you have a history of pneumonia, medical folks like to make sure that you know just how easy it is to get it again. In Mesa, I visited an urgent care clinic and was diagnosed as bronchitis complicated by asthma, and was advised to seek follow up from my regular doctor. (BTW - I read in the newspaper article that Todd had a cold as well, but he didn't - - just in case you were wondering how I got so lucky to have mine progress while his did not!)
I am (enviously) following Todd on the Spot Tracker, lending support from afar, and also following everyone's comments on Facebook and this blog. Since Saturday, Todd has ridden from Mesa, AZ to Globe, Globe to Safford, AZ, and Safford, AZ to Lordsburg, NM. Today he heads back north toward Silver City, NM.
For my part, here is the short version: it turns out you need lungs, not just guts, to ride. What started as a headcold the day before we left San Diego (annoying but not a big deal) deepened into a chest cold (a big deal but not the end of the world) and then blossomed into a true problem of lung function. When you have a history of pneumonia, medical folks like to make sure that you know just how easy it is to get it again. In Mesa, I visited an urgent care clinic and was diagnosed as bronchitis complicated by asthma, and was advised to seek follow up from my regular doctor. (BTW - I read in the newspaper article that Todd had a cold as well, but he didn't - - just in case you were wondering how I got so lucky to have mine progress while his did not!)
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