Days 9 & 10

Total accumulated mileage: 299.04 miles – Total accumulated time: 24 hours 12 minutes

Even though I rode the cruiser around the park we are staying in, and we went on a ride through the bike path park area, it was like starting over to get back on my bike after taking a few days off. Of course, it doesn’t help that I am still climbing mountains! I will be so glad to finally be over the mountains after I get through New Mexico. However, the important thing is that I have my riding legs back under me, and it feels good to be back out on the road.

The grounds at the Lost Dutchman Museum at Superstition Mountain

Day 9 – 21 miles; 1 hour 40 min – March 23, 2018 – This day started out to be a little scary. I have decided if a road is in too bad of shape, or it seems too dangerous to ride, I am not doing it. We made a mistake in looking at the route map, and thought I was supposed to be riding on Highway 88 out of Apache Junction. This highway was actually a secondary (alternate) route listed on my map. I made my way through out of town, and once I got on the true highway, it became a narrow two lane road with virtually no shoulder beyond the white line. It forced me to have to ride in the traffic, which was heavy with cars, trucks, motor homes and 5th wheels. I almost got side swiped by one truck by inches, and another car honked at me (as if I had no business being on the road). I decided I was done with that road. I had gone about 5 miles and pulled off at a museum for the Lost Dutchman and Superstition Mountain. I called Eric to come pick me up. I was frustrated with drivers of vehicles, and wanted to just go back to the campground, but we figured out the route that was the primary route I was supposed to take. I had Eric drop me at the starting point for that route. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. The ride was wonderful. I conquered Usery Pass and made it just past Saguaro Lake.

The Salt River, AZ

Saguaro Lake, AZ

Day 10 – 28.54 miles – 2 hours 15 min – March 24, 2018

My goal today was to make it to Roosevelt Lake. I was headed over some of the hardest mountains that Arizona had to offer me on this route. They are miles long sweeping up and down mountains at a 7% grade. I have figured out that the best way to climb miles of unrelenting mountain roads is to NOT look ahead. With every curve, my mind tells me that the climb will surely be over after the curve. But, when I get around the curve, all I see is more uphill. So, I stopped looking ahead. Instead, I started looking at the side of the road and examining all the things that lay off the side of the road. I have determined that all people do when they drive is drink alcohol and use tobacco products, then throw the contents out their windows. It is unbelievable how many empty bottles I saw. I was scanning the roadsides for bags of money, but unfortunately, none were found. The last 8 miles I rode, the wind started to really pick up. It was such a strong head wind, that even a few times I was going down a hill, I was still losing speed while I was pedaling hard. It took me 16 minutes to ride 2 miles with the strong headwind. I was still 15 miles away from Roosevelt Lake, and determined that it would take me another 4 hours to get there at the pace I was going. I called it a day, and will start fresh tomorow!

Hwy 87 North of Sunflower, AZ

Hwy 87 North of Sunflower, AZ

At the top of one of the mountains I climbed –  Hwy 87 North of Sunflower, AZ