Day 11: Globe-Safford 79 mi

Today was to be less challenging. The temp was 38F as we rode the short 1 1/2 mi to McDonalds for breakfast and my fingers were numb, but when heading out an hour later it had climbed 10F and would continue to climb the rest of the day and we would gradually shed layers as we went along. There was a nice several mile downhill leaving town but for most of the first 40 mi we would have a roller coaster terrain as we traversed low foot hills. It wasn't so bad as one could build up considerably speed going downhill and use the momentum to reach the next summit. But after 40 mi it had pretty much flattened out. Most of the day would take us through the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. I arrived at the First Baptist Church around 2:30 pm where an outdoor shower was already set up. We were just finishing a supper of lasagne when our fallen companion arrived looking not much worse for wear. A bright green forearm cast was in place. A look at the x-ray showed that only a inner corner of the end of the radius bone was broken and neatly in place and overall a stable fracture requiring a less imobilizing cast. A trip to the dentist repaired a chipped tooth. Little pain is reported so there are already plans to modify the handle bar to move the controls to.the good side. Your prayers are still appreciated so that a dream can still be accomplished. Having done the same before I know how important it feels.

Day 10: Apache Jct-Globe

Today was to be a challenging but satisfying day. Having our stay in Apache Jct placed us 15 mi closer to today's destination so we had only 22 mi out before the climbing began instead of 37 mi. We had an initial climb of 1,000' to Superior at mi 35 where we had an early lunch in a colorful restaurant with a lot of motorcyclists with their colorful garb. I headed out after 11:15 and the serious climbing began. It was a bit intimidating as there was no shoulder and fairly busy traffic. 1 1/2 mi out I rode over a tall arched bridge spanning Queen Creek gorge and then traversed a 1,000' tunnel before exiting into relatively safer visibility. The ascent continued to mi 45 at 3-5% and occasionally 7% grade until it leveled out then began a long 6% downhill made hazzardous by road construction and a blasting zone, At times, there was no shoulder with concrete barriers immediately to the right of the white line. It was a nerveracking descent but I continued without incident arriving in Globe at the Methodist Church before 2:00. I was sad to learn that one of our riders on that hazzardous descent had been clipped by a pop-up camper, hooking the rider's handlebar dragging the rider some distance until the front wheel came off, twisting the handlebar out of it's grip and the rider fell, fracturing the rider's left wrist and though it is in good alignment, it was only spinted and the rider will be driven tonight to Safford, our next destination to see an orthopedist in the am. Ironically, Pastor Burke of the Baptist Church where we are to stay tommorrow joined us for the 2 day ride from Apache Jct and called his wife. As I blog, the rider is having a late supper in our church tonight feeling thankful for a 'miracle' before driven to Safford 80 mi distant where she will sleep in a bed in the manse. This reminds us that such an indeavor as this has it's risks. I felt it was a miracle that I could get back on a bike, missing only one day in '99, but I did not have as hazzardous an accident, landing on a road. Our rider is a real hero. For those so inclined, we ask for your continued prayers for safety.

Day 9: day off in Apache Jct

Since I have the day off I thought I would share some of the legend of Bob Davenport, the founder of Wandering Wheels and affectionately called 'Coach'. Bob grew up in a very dysfunctional home but was athletically gifted and he received an athletic scholarship to play football at UCLA where he starred, being named All American on the team that won the national championship. It was there were he became 'born again', mentored by Bill Brite the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. Bob became an inspirational speaker, testifying to how one can combine athletic toughness and follow one's faith, so, though recruited by the NFL, he felt he had to set an example so instead played in the Canadian league since they did not play on Sundays in the 50,s. He became football coach at Taylor University in Upland, IN where he still lives (when not on the road). In the 60's he felt called to work at a summer camp and saw the potential of working with youth. He was challenged to devise a way to occupy some teenage boys who tended to get mischevious during the summer so he conceived of a 1K mi bike ride along the Mississippi. One mother said, when dropping her son off,'Bring him home changed or bring him back dead'. Along the ride the kids had to chip in to help with chores and had to do their own laundry and were shocked to find their clothes had turned pink when they had dumped everything in at once. After that trip that kid's mom knew something had changed when he thanked her for doing his laundry. In 1966 Bob lead the first cross-country ride and Wandering Wheels was born. Initially begun as a mission to teenage boys it eventually included girls and the age range broadened. Earlier trips proceeded on faith as the truck driver would drive to the day's destination and knock on school and church doors asking if the could provide a roof over the heads of perhaps 45 or more kids. After some years these facilities began to look foreward to hosting these groups. Wheels always leaves the place cleaner, bringing along their own vacuum and replenishing toilet paper and paper towels. Some churches feed us, often joined by church members. Some even entertain us with a home-grown talent show and we are encouraged to join in. Spending 6 wks together engenders some good fellowship and new freindships and I can already tell we have a great group who are quick to help each other.

Day 8: Avondale-Apache Junction

Today was to be fairly relaxing though it took us through the vast urban sprawl of the Phoenix metroplex. This is a huge geographic conglomeraton that includes, besides Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Scotsdale, Sun City and Apache Jct where we are headed today and includes a pop of 7M altogether. Fortunately the city traffic was not too threatening. At mi 28 we encountered a vibrant street arts fair in the heart of Tempe. It seemed much bigger than the one in State College though only for the weekend. It was teeming with 100K people expected to attend. We hung around the festivities for some while before heading the additional 22 mi to the Topaz Motel, a rather modest facility that will be home for 2 nights. It's just nice to sleep in a bed for a change.

Day 7: Salome-Avondale

I'm cursed! I had mentioned that 3 evenings ago after the very difficult 70 mi ride, as we were puting the bikes away I noticed my rear wheel was soft. Changing the tube the next am I also replaced the tire because it had been damaged the first day. Then last night before lights out I found the same wheel was soft and found a pinpoint hole in which a tiny wire was still imbedded (from the steel-belted tires and treads cast off by big trucks; such debris is encountered all along the interstate and such punctures are a special hazzard of travel on the inerstate), I fixed the the flat and turned in. The followind morning I was informed that people sleeping near my bike heard a loud pop at 10:40 pm and this am found my rear tire was flat again. So I had to quickly replace the tube. We had had to get up at at 5:00 am because the chidren were arriving at 7:00. We headed out at 7:00. The temp was 45F but wind conditions were good and the terrain was flat and the skies were clear so it gradually warmed up and all made good time, especially the first 30 mi so overall it was a good day's ride for all. Most had arrived at the Salvation Army after an 87 mi ride by 2:30 pm. We're feeling more confident. We had an outdoor shower then headed out to a Mexican restaurant. So far my tire is holding it's pressure.

Day 5: Blythe-Salome, Arizona

Things are looking up. We had a 60 mi ride, entering Arizona immediately after crossing the Colorado on which we were camped last night. Skies are predictably clear in the desert but most importantly the wind direction plays a big part as I described 2 days earlier and they would be generally in our favor today as we picked up a good tailwind later in the am. We did have to travel 28 mi on I-10. In this sparsely populated area you occasionally have to travel on the interstate if you want to go anywhere.The most distictly new encounter was the appearance of many large saguaro cacti which grow predominantly in Arizona. We took a brief detour through Quartzite a town that appears to be sparsely populated today (mostly by RV's) but whose population swells to 1M in the peak of winter. Tonight we are bunked down on the floor of the gym of an Indian elementary school and must high-tail it out early in the morning before the kids arrive, At least we had hot showers in the building (it is a cool trek to the 'John' in the middle of the night at the KOA).
Tomorrow we should be in the west Phoenix area in Avondale, 85 miles from here. I'm hoping for a tail wind.

Day 4: Brawley-'Dry Camp', near Palo Verde

This was going to be a challenging day. I had to submit this a day late because I did not have cell access in this camp ground in the desert.It was a 70 mi route but 20 miles along we got strong continual head winds. Though initially flat it saps ones strength to have such persistent resistance, like biking uphill but no downhill. For awhile I was making as slow a speed as I can remember on the level. We crossed over the Algodones Dunes and watched dune buggies scrambling over huge dunes at the Imperial Dunes Vehicular Park. I limped into a lunch stop provided by Wheels, in the middle of nowhere. After an hour break I set off and was relieved that the wind had lessened slightly. There was a roller-coaster terrain that afforded a fast downhill, then momentum uphill which was better than a constant head wind. I rolled into camp at mi 70. The only bathing option was in the adjacent Colorado River. We invited 3 fellow bikers to join us for supper. They were biking cross country, 'self contained' meaning carrying 50 lb of gear with tent, sleeping bag, cooking stove and pots and pans. It made our venture seem so much easier. Never-the-less it was one of my most challenging days of biking. We had a beautiful sunset over the western mountains and a beautiful sunrise over the Colorado this morning. Today was a short ride. We are again camped on the Colortado but in a KOA on the border of Arizona so we cross our first state line in the am.

Day 3: Julian-Brawley

What a difference a day makes. Our home-grown Accuwheather missed the mark. But I won't complain that we did not wake up to snow this am. Never-the-less, it was a chilly 30F when we set out. But skies would be clear all day. We had to bundle up for the steep 7 mi.downhill from Julian but we were able to shed our extra layers as the temp had climbed 30•. We had ascended 4,300' yesterday and we were to descend as much today and in warmer temperatures. We skirted the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley below sea level. This broad valley that spans lower Cal.is a major supplier of truck crops and hay all made possible with irrigation. Fields were lushly green as we biked past. We arrived after 76 mi. at the Methodist Church and it was warm enough for an outdoor shower. I hope I can include a pic to better illustrate this novel experience. I did laundry at the same time and hung it up to dry on a tree, which doesn't take much time in this arrid climate.

Day 2: Escondido-Julian

Whew. What a challenge. We started with blue skies with temp in the high 50's and as we progressed the temp continued to drop. The rain began at 9:00, slow at first, but by 10.00 it was coming down steadily. We sought shelter at a lunch stop in Santa Ylena but after venturing out at noon for the final climb to our destination, there were heavy rains and howling cross winds and by the time we turned into the Methodist Church it was freezing. The temp was 42 but winds were gusting and it was still raining. After drying out and some hot coffee we felt better but an 'outdoor' shower was out of the question. Stay tuned and I will describe an 'outdoor' shower in a future installment. Snow is still predicted but keeps being put off till later. But at least we are now warm and dry. These experiences make one appreciate modest blessings.

Day 1: Carlsbad to Escondido

This was to be a short beginning to be sure our bikes were functioning after reassembling after being shipped out to the west coast.However I had an inauspicious start when I had a 4" thick wire puncture my rear tire only 2 mi. out as we headed to the Pacific to dip our rear wheels in the water.The dreary overcast skies cleared up and we had beautiful sunny skies in Escondido. However the forecast is calling for snow and temps in the 40's tommorow.
20 years ago my son biked coast to coast with Wandering Wheels and returned with tales of a great adventure. We dreamed of doing it together but it took 10 years for him to find the time after finishing college, medical school and residency. In 1999 we headed out from Seattle with Wandering Wheels. At the end of the first day's ride I slipped on a gym floor and broke my left wrist ending up with a long arm cast. It appeared that my dream was shattered. But I had no pain and felt that if I could reach my handle bars I could get back on my bike.While riding the 'sag wagon'that second day the mechanic contrived a solution and rigged up a handle bar that stood up 15" from the stem with all the controls placed on the right side. On day 3 I was able to bike 80 mi.and completed the 3,200 mi. trip with a cast on my arm. I did not experience any pain. But to share such an experience over 7 weeks with your 30 y.o. son was a bonding.experience that we will never forget. That is the memory that has prompted me to do this 4 times.And I just learned this morning that 84 y.o. Bob Kiser has already biked cross country 4 times before and this will be his 5th. Now that is an inspiration.

Arrived in Carlsbad

This is my first entry since arriving in San Diego.We were met by the Wandering Wheels staff who transported us to the Pacific coast town 1 hour north of San Diego.There I learned there would be 15 of us challenging themselves to achieve this. I was particularly delighted to learn that 70 y.o. Edith Albright and 84 y.o. Bob Kiser, with whom I had biked cross country in 2003 were included. So it doesn't seem so daunting for a 62 y.o. Tomorrow we begin the trip by biking the short distance to the Pacific to have the traditional dipping of our rear wheels in the Pacific before heading East on our 2,500 mi. journey. I hope to show you a photo of our brave number. Iv'e already met several interesting members, most attempting this challenge for the first time, including Larry, a parkinson sufferor who is biking to raise money for Parkinson's research, I hope to relate other interesting profiles and also tell my personal story of what insired this challenge that has lead to my 4th cross country bicyle trip. But some of that later. It is quite a challenge learning to use this Blackberry (complements of VerizonWireless).

Getting Ready to Ride

Dr. McLane is busy preparing his bike and inventory necessary for his ride across the U.S. Please check back for his first blog coming soon!