Daily Miles: 53
Total Miles: 2876
Avg: 11.3
Max: 20.3
Time on the bike: 04:40:05
I woke up to a dark sky and rain that looked like something out of a movie where there is an outside burial, and everyone is standing out there in rain coats and umbrellas, sobbing and crying and getting all wet as they say final goodbyes to thier beloved, as the casket gets lowered into a dark and muddy hole for all of eternity, with wilted flowers hanging limp and sad and mute colored on top, getting buried too.
The morning felt meloncholy and I didn’t want to ride my bike. I wanted to stay dry and warm and binge watch another Amazon Prime series again and drink too much coffe. But, unfortunately, I couldn’t do that again. I needed to get out riding and continue west, to finish my quest and reach That Other Ocean, way out there on the edge of California, in the City with Sea World and the nice Zoo and too much sunny weather. I had a great time at Sandy’s and can’t thank her enough for hosting me!
I pedaled out round 9:45 AM after some showers had ended. The rain was lingering much longer than forecast, but there were patches of blue and some sun, so it was as good a time as any to head back out.
The streets were wet but not bad. It was a quick 1.5 miles back to the canal bike path, which I then followed for another 10 miles north west. The canal bike path has underpasses that go beneath the roads and I took one down below only a few miles in. I couldn’t see well but when I reached the bottom there were about a dozen syringes all over the path. It was too late to react and I rode over some of them, feeling the slight crunch of them beneath my wheels. I felt ill coming up on the other side.
There are a lot of homeless people in Phoenix and as I rode to my friend Sandy’s house a few days ago there were multiple people pushing shopping carts around the path with all thier possessions. As I decended down to one underpass there was even a lady sitting down there in the semi-dark and I almost ran into her. She smiled and said “Hiiii,” showing her mouth and missing teeth, which looked like a jack-o-lantern, minus the candle to illuminate the void. She was skinny and dirty and her hair was pale blonde. She wore a matching red track suit and white shoes that looked like what nurses and doctors wear at the hospital. I swereved out of the way and pedaled out, surprised and scared and taken aback, not really wanting to have to go down another underpass, even though it was unavoidable. I felt like I was living in Stephen King’s IT, and at the next underpass Pennywise the clown would snatch me and pull me into the murky brown water of the canal to never be seen again.
I emerged up into daylight and stopped once I was on level ground. I hoped none of those needles poked any holes in my tires, and after a quick inspection I seemed to be in the clear. Dodged a needle on that one.
I eventually made it to the end of the path and found myself in a ritzy neighborhood with a golf course and nice homes. I weaved around the small neighborhood and was thrust out into a traffic dense Highway 60, which I would now have the priveledg of cycling for a long time. I cycled a mile further and saw a sign welcoming me to the town of “Surprise”.
I spotted a large rain cloud to my left. I could see the rain destroying whatever neighborhood unfortunately lay below it. I thought, ‘this cell is comming right towards me. I’m going to get really wet if I don’t find some shelter soon’.
The wind had picked up and was blasting me in the face. The palm trees lining the street looked like Pom Poms that were being shaken by an overly enthusiastic cheerleader. I felt a few rain drops and desperately looked around. I spotted a Carl’s Jr across the street and made a break for it. As soon as I made it under the awning the sky opened up and unleashed its fury. I opened the door to go inside and the door flung open when the wind caught it. It slammed all the way open amd against the outside wall and made a huge “CLANK” noise. Everyone turned and looked at me as I scrambled to close the door. I eventually got it shut and people turned back around to thier burgers and fries and soft dinks.
I sat down and watched the sky unload. It wouldn’t be too long before it passed. I caught a whiff of the burgers and my stomach started to rumble. It was intoxicating and my self control was weak.
A few minutes later, I sat at my booth with a burger and fries and a large soft drink, just like everyone else around me. Munching and slurping away until the rain stopped and I could comfortably ride my bike again.
I made it to Wickenberg late afternoon. It’s busy here. I think a lot of people going to the Grand Canyon or Las Vegas go through here. I’m camped in the grass at the Aztec RV Park. It’s a nice patch of grass. It’s fluffy and green and soft. I hope I can sleep well.
