Wednesday, September 19, 2012

To Proceed or Not To Proceed, That Is The Question


Of course, we will proceed….after some well-deserved rest.  We made it back to the RV today (which is parked at Buzz and Pam’s place between Brenda and Salome, AZ).  Left Blythe at 6:00 a.m., stopped at Albertson’s for water after a sumptuous breakfast of leftover pizza (!!).   

You have your great days, your okay days, your not-so-great days, and then your bad days.  We’re going to start a ranking system – 1 being a great day, and 4 being a bad day.  Today was a 4.  It started out as a 2  with the first 12-mile climb up to Quartzsite (it was still early and fairly cool).    Temperature high for Quartzsite (which we passed through about 10 am) was 106 today and it was heating up early.   With the f’ing heat it turned into a 4 after passing through Quartzsite and heading on to Brenda.   There is this little 12 mile climb from Quartzsite on I-10, up till you exit to highway 60.  Twelve miles of dodging shit and debris on the shoulder.  Twelve miles of huge trucks roaring past you every 10 seconds (they were all pretty good, but still, the noise!!).  Twelve miles of pulling our 100 pound non-pedaling “passenger” up a hill in the sweltering heat.

Our legs are doing well.  They were tired today, but still working well.  Our upper bodies – shoulders, arms, necks – are taking a toll.    I have a chronic pain to the left of my spine that sometimes stabs; it comes and it goes.  Rick’s arms and shoulders are beat up from the rough roads the other day plus dodging all the crap on I-10 today.

Good thing is….TOMORROW (Thursday) IS A REST DAY!!!!!  We are at our RV, we have the A/C on, and plan to sleep, rest, eat lots of pasta, and get rid of sh*t in our “passenger” that we’re not using.    And leave for Wickenburg (or some intermediate destination) very EARLY Friday morning (Rick says 5 a.m., I say 3 a.m., earlier the better….we HATE the heat!!!)

Total miles today:  46.9
Time:  4:27
Avg: :   10.54 



2 comments:

  1. I am amazed at the miles you two are covering. Incredible! Thank you for keeping us posted.

    Today is Koa's second birthday. We are giving him his first bicycle!

    Get some rest. Then get your naked asses back on the road!

    -Ben, Katie, Koa and Amelia Thompson

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    Replies
    1. Happy Birthday, KOA!!!! You're doing the right thing getting him started on the bike early. Thanks for the encouragement!!

      Rick and Lee

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