April 26 – Done in by Mountains, Water and Performance

Thursday seemed like it was going to be a good day at 5 AM, good but hard. We were going to ride from Wickenburg AZ to Cottonwood AZ, by way of Prescott AZ. This would require 100 miles of riding and about 9500 ft of climbing. Nothing I haven’t done many times. However many riders, especially those from the east and mid-west who had never seen a mountain from a bicycle seat, were very concerned. Our route, via hwy 89, involved three climbs of about 3000 ft.

My troubles started at breakfast. We didn’t eat at Denny’s and while the breakfast buffet was good it featured eggs and bacon - NO CARBS. I didn’t figure this out until 20 miles into the ride. I also bought a gallon of water at a gas station, filled my four bottles and drank most of the rest. I must have been very dehydrated, because within the next 25 miles I had consumed more than three of my four bottles. Most riders carried two bottles that were to last them until the first rest stop at 40 miles. This combination and the time spent buying the water, really only a few minutes put me at the back of the pack, and loosing ground on the others. By 25 miles and 5 miles into the first 6 mile climb I had hit a wall. I got into the sag wagon and was taken to the first rest stop. It is kind of sad to get off the bike as it means that I will not ride all the way across America. I didn’t ride all the way from Berkeley to the start, and I know that all riders will have to be sagged 5 miles in New Mexico due to construction on the route so no one will be able to ride all the way across America on this trip. So it might not be too bad and I have proven to myself that I am not too proud do what is necessary, even if there is some loss of face.

After lunch and with another gallon of water on the bike or in me, I felt good enough to finish the ride and the last two climbs. The first climb into Prescott AZ went fairly well with the exception that what looked to be the summit with a nice downhill, turned out to be the first of many false summits over the next 8 miles. The scenery was great and there was a nice downhill into Prescott. We didn’t linger in Prescott because the last climb was reputed to be the hardest. I wasn’t easy, four miles of 6 to 7 percent grades after ten miles of a steady 3 to 4 percent grade. My cycling friends all know of harder climbs, usually shorter and if in the Bay Area at sea level. This climb topped out at 7100 feet. I have picture to prove it.

The ride then went down to Cottonwood. Since Cottonwood is below 4000 feet and only 10 miles from the top of the climb there was a large technically demanding downhill ride into town. Before we got to Cottonwood we went through Jerome. Jerome is an old coal mining town, which has become a tourist destination. One of its most popular attractions is the Haunted Hamburger where you can by a Ghost Burger. I don’t know why it is called the Haunted Hamburger, but they may make the best hamburgers this side of the other world. They also have a view across the valley toward Sedona that is to die for. It is one of the few views that I would consider trading for ours in Berkeley.

The saga of the wheel continues. Yesterday after some work I was able to confirm that my wheel had been delivered, so I thought that once I got to the motel I would be able to have my new rear wheel installed and return the borrowed wheel, which has performed admirably. I got the box with the wheel, my bike and a new tire to the mechanic. When we looked at the wheel we saw that I was sent a mountain bike wheel. For the non-bikies mountain bike wheels are 650 cm in diameter while road wheels are 700 cm. Clearly there had been a failure to communicate. After talking to Performance Bicycles on the phone I was able to arrange for a second wheel, hopefully of the right size this time to be sent to me. Hopefully, by Monday I will be on my own new wheel, but I will keep you posted.