Location: Brawley, CA
Campsite: Motel
Miles: 70.1
Ride Time: 5Hrs 55 Mins
Weight: ?
Temperature: 92
Odometer: 158
Average Speed: 11.8 mph
My butt hurts a lot. Today was the longest day of riding yet, but it was the most bearable. You know why? NO HILLS! I actually had reached the end of the mountains for a few days, and I had to get on the freeway for about 15 miles, and it was all downhill. I was getting out of the mountains, and so the elevation was dropping almost 4,000 feet. Riding on the freeway wasn't as scary as I thought, even though I still don't want to do it very much. The scary part was that the wind was blowing very strong, and my bike almost fell voer a few times.
Now for the flat part of the day. After I got to the bottom of the hill, there was nothing but flat ground-I had reached the desert. It was hot, and no trees in sight. But you know the worst thing about that stretch of road? They haven't done maintenance on that road for a very long time. There are huge cracks, and holes, bumps, and you name it, it was probably put there to torture cyclists. My butt hurt so bad bumping up and down on that seat, the whole bike was rattling big time. I swear, that when they paved the road to Hell, I think they started in Plaster City, CA.
There were times during that day that I found myself with glazed-over eyes, looking like a zombie, and just pounding out the miles like a robot. Sometimes I felt half-conscious, not because I was dehydrated, but simply because I was doing the same thing forever.
You know what interestingly hurt worse than my butt? My elbows. I am holding myself up all day on the bike, and my hands would go numb - specifically my left hand, and then somehow that pain would travel up to my elbows, and it would feel like someone skewered me in both elbows and said "Ride, danggit!"
After that road from Hell, I reached El Centro, and after taking a break at McDonald's, I
searched for a place to sleep that night. I soon discovered that El Centro was too populated of an area for me to just pull over and camp, and since I'm still getting used to this bike/camping thing, I wasn't sure what to do for a while. I almost stayed on some grass behind a funeral home, but was afraid they would get to work before I left, so I decided to ride another 12 miles north to Brawley. It was already dark by then. I couldn't find a safe place to camp, so I decided to suck it up and fork out $55 to stay in a hotel room there in town.
On the positive side though, I got to take a shower, sleep in a comfortable bed, and enjoy air conditioning and a T.V. If I had started this whole trip from the beginning again, I probably would-have done credit-card touring, instead of loaded touring.
Spiritual Thought of the Day:
Find the good in every bad situation, it's the only way to secure consistent and long-lasting happiness.
Campsite: Motel
Miles: 70.1
Ride Time: 5Hrs 55 Mins
Weight: ?
Temperature: 92
Odometer: 158
Average Speed: 11.8 mph
My butt hurts a lot. Today was the longest day of riding yet, but it was the most bearable. You know why? NO HILLS! I actually had reached the end of the mountains for a few days, and I had to get on the freeway for about 15 miles, and it was all downhill. I was getting out of the mountains, and so the elevation was dropping almost 4,000 feet. Riding on the freeway wasn't as scary as I thought, even though I still don't want to do it very much. The scary part was that the wind was blowing very strong, and my bike almost fell voer a few times.
Now for the flat part of the day. After I got to the bottom of the hill, there was nothing but flat ground-I had reached the desert. It was hot, and no trees in sight. But you know the worst thing about that stretch of road? They haven't done maintenance on that road for a very long time. There are huge cracks, and holes, bumps, and you name it, it was probably put there to torture cyclists. My butt hurt so bad bumping up and down on that seat, the whole bike was rattling big time. I swear, that when they paved the road to Hell, I think they started in Plaster City, CA.There were times during that day that I found myself with glazed-over eyes, looking like a zombie, and just pounding out the miles like a robot. Sometimes I felt half-conscious, not because I was dehydrated, but simply because I was doing the same thing forever.
You know what interestingly hurt worse than my butt? My elbows. I am holding myself up all day on the bike, and my hands would go numb - specifically my left hand, and then somehow that pain would travel up to my elbows, and it would feel like someone skewered me in both elbows and said "Ride, danggit!"
After that road from Hell, I reached El Centro, and after taking a break at McDonald's, I
searched for a place to sleep that night. I soon discovered that El Centro was too populated of an area for me to just pull over and camp, and since I'm still getting used to this bike/camping thing, I wasn't sure what to do for a while. I almost stayed on some grass behind a funeral home, but was afraid they would get to work before I left, so I decided to ride another 12 miles north to Brawley. It was already dark by then. I couldn't find a safe place to camp, so I decided to suck it up and fork out $55 to stay in a hotel room there in town.On the positive side though, I got to take a shower, sleep in a comfortable bed, and enjoy air conditioning and a T.V. If I had started this whole trip from the beginning again, I probably would-have done credit-card touring, instead of loaded touring.
Spiritual Thought of the Day:
Find the good in every bad situation, it's the only way to secure consistent and long-lasting happiness.
1 comment:
Sweet deal about the shower and AC man, little luxuries Im sure that you will enjoy when you can get them!
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