Many Southern Tier riders head east out of Phoenix on Hwy 60 toward Globe AZ instead of turning north onto Usery Pass Road, as currently recommended by the Adventure Cycling Association.
The Hwy 60 option, though less-cycling friendly than the Usery Pass route, is 60 miles shorter.
But I’m glad I took the longer road, because it took me through some of my tour’s most scenic terrain yet.
At the same time, today’s ride, with 5,696 feet of climbing over 65.2 miles, was also one of my tour’s hardest hauls.
Adding to the drama of today’s adventure was a violent afternoon storm. The wind gusts from this storm blew so hard and erratically that I had to get off my bike and hunker down on the road’s shoulder for five minutes until the storm passed.
In one cool move today, two workmen in a truck pulled over to offer me a bottle of water while I was taking a break on the shoulder of Hwy 87.
By the time I had checked into the Punkin Center Lodge, Alfonso’s, the Mexican restaurant across the street, and the kitchen at the bar next door, were already closed.
But the bartender thawed me out a frozen pizza in the microwave, and Rick Barr, a Stetson-wearing tavern regular, picked up my tab. Very nice guy.
Among Barr’s claims to local fame, as I learned that evening, is that he hasn’t owned a TV set for 45 years.
He also believed that today’s TV journalism is biased and promotes points of view instead of sticking to the facts as it should.
“Walter Cronkite would turn over in his grave” if he could see what journalism has become, Barr said.
DM: 65.2; TM: 570.9; avg. mph, 7.1; 8:51 hrs riding; 5,696 ft climbed
No comments:
Post a Comment