Daily Miles: 56
Total Miles: 2777
Avg: 9.5
Max: 33.2
Time on the bike: 05:48:53
Today was hard. I was either climbing at 5 mph or zooming down the other side at 30. I was either sweating profusely trying to get to the top of the hill or freezing my butt off in the decent. I was either sheltered from the wind on the climb or blasted in the face with it as I cruised down. It was a day of extremes, but the roads were good and the scenery was spectacular, so I can’t really complain about all the tough climbing. For once the effort was rewarding, which can’t be said for a lot of the days on this trip.
I’m camped in the Tonto National Forest again, near Urserry Pass. Apparently the road is closing on Saturday so I’m glad I was able to make it up and over. I actually went further from the pass to Ursury Mountain Park, because there was camping listed there on the maps. It was a big park with a large fancy visitors center. It was one of those parks you have to pay 5 dollars to even take a piss in the toilet.
I walked into the visitors center and was greeted by an overly enthusiastic park employee. “Have a good ride today?!” he exclaimed with a smile that showed all his pearly white teeth. I swear I saw one twinkle in the afternoon sun comming through the nearby window.
“Yeah, it was alright,” I said.
“What can we help you with today?” he asked.
“How much for camping?”
“That would be 30 dollars for one night.”
30 dollars! Were these people serious? What does it come with, a massage? This was by far the highest amount I’ve seen on the whole trip.
As I tend to do more and more now after hearing what the price is to pitch my tent in the wide open world, I smiled and chuckled.
“Ah, okay. Thanks,” I said. “I’ll think about it.”
I went back outside and filled my water bottles up. I was going to cycle back a mile and a half to the boundary with Tonto National Forest. I had seen a jeep road that led into the desert woods. I’d be able to camp somewhere there…for free.
I found a nice spot away from the road and hikers. I could see the edge of a Phoenix suburb down in the valley. As day light waned, the city lights sparkled in the twighlight, one by one, until the whole valley glistened underneath the clear and starry night.
