Days 5, 6, 7, and 8

Total accumulated miles: 249.5 – Total accumulated Time: 20 hours 17 min

These four days I didn’t take very many pictures, and it was just basic riding so I am going to combine them all into one post.

Day 5 – 57.21 Miles; 3 hours 30 min – March 15, 2018  – I started where I ended on day 4. It was in the middle of the roller coaster hills past Glamis, CA around the Midway Mountains. Overall, it was an awesome day of riding. I had some wind at my back and a lot of cross gusts. I rode just across the border into Arizona to a little town called Ehrenberg. I wanted to make sure I made it to Arizona today. We stayed at a place along the Colorado River near Blythe, CA, called Heaven’s bend.

Chocolate Mountains, CA

Colorado River near Blythe, CA

Day 6 – 21 Miles; 1 hour 40 min – March 16, 2018  – This was a light day of riding. I was starting to get slightly fatigued in my muscles. We packed up our site and drove to Ehrenberg so I could start my day of riding. Eric was going to hang out there for an hour or so to give me a head start because this was an area I had to ride on the interstate. I wasn’t sure how safe it might be, so I wanted him to be able to pick me up if it was too unsafe. There was a huge accident involving a semi carrying cases of windshield wash fluid. It caught on fire and the interstate going east was essentially closed. They were letting a few vehicles through one lane at intervals, so traffic was backed up about 9 miles! I called Eric and let him know he could probably get on the interstate. I knew I was going to beat him to our meeting point. It was fun to be passing cars on the interstate, knowing I could move and they were crawling!

Day 7 – 32.1 Miles; 2 hours 32 min – March 17, 2018 – This was another day of slightly rough roads. I guess it is something I am going to have to get used to. This day was literally all uphill. I know I keep saying that it is all uphill, but today was. It was a slight incline for almost all of the 32 miles. I can’t wait until I pass the Continental Divide in New Mexico. I am tired of climbing hills and the upward struggle. I am ready for a break.

Phoenix, AZ – After arriving in Phoenix, we set up at a campsite at a place called Monte Vista RV Resort. It is a wonderful complex with many amenities. We were able to utilize the cruiser bikes we brought to get around the grounds. We realized that a small drip that was coming from the water control panel on the RV had turned into a not so good spray of water. Calling around to RV repair shops, we soon came to understand that everyone who does RV repairs is extremely busy, and booked weeks out. We finally found one place that could squeeze us in. There were also 3 other water leaks happening inside the RV around the kitchen and bathroom sinks. These were things I could fix, so we made trips to Home Depot to get all the right parts. One day was spent doing that. One of my closest friends from junior high lives here in Phoenix. She and her husband own a few bicycle shops. My bicycles were in serious need of tune ups, repairs, and cleaning (after all the sand they endured going through the Imperial Sand Dunes). The bikes were going to take a few days, as some parts needed to be ordered. We utilized the down time effectively by organizing the RV, doing laundry, fixing the interior water leaks, and I got on the roof to seal some cracks (we were getting leaks from the roof also when it was raining in San Diego!) I am so tired of dealing with water problems! If you are ever in the Phoenix area, visit Sonoran Cycles. They do a great job. We got together with my friend Tamie and her husband Jay for dinner. It’s always so great to get together with one of my forever friends!

Day 8 – 7 Miles; 47 min – March 21, 2018 – We decided to drive down to the Arizona Canal Bike Path and go for a ride one day while we were waiting for the RV to be fixed. It is an interesting and pretty area around Thunderbird Paseo Park. It was a casual ride, and fun. Jasper rode in the bike basket, and seemed to really enjoy the ride.

Bike Path Ride

Everything is done with the maintenance on the RV and bicycles…for now…and I will be starting my riding again tomorrow!!!