Day 9

So our final day of our journey.... Let's just say it didn't turn out quite as planned! Graham had been having some issues with his crank/bottom bracket yesterday (where the pedal arm attaches to the frame for the non cyclists out there!).

Anyway we get only 13km's into our day and it broke! His crank arm is now off the bike and not able to be re-attached!!
Our only option.... hitch. Our trip was over and within 5 mins a nice gentleman had picked us up in his truck and we were headed for Phoenix. He had a lot of erons to run but we eventually got dropped off at the door of where we were staying in Phoenix.

We got a few last minutes of sunshine by the pool with a beer and then I fly back out tomorrow back to Vancouver.

It's been a great trip and have loved seeing a whole new area I hadn't explored before. We did miss out on what was probably going to be the best part of our route through Prescott and Sedona due to us staying longer in Palm Desert but thats all good as it means I will just have to return for another bike journey in the future!!

Happy New Year everyone, may you all have a fantastic fulfilling 2012!! What adventures are on everyone's calendar?

M

Day 8

Another big day today....175km. It started off tough with a busy truck road with no shoulder and rough road that didn't help the sore butt situation! But after we got off that road about 50km's into it, the day started to brighten. Its all just a mental game really!

One second you can be thinking 'im not going to make it today, everything hurts and there is so far to go' then a few minutes later you hit a nicer road, a good song comes onto the iPod, you start feeling ok, then you are back on a high enjoying it! So many highs and lows throughout every day, and if you didn't have the lows you wouldn't appreciate the highs as much - which can be nice smooth roads, tail wind, sunshine, great scenery, and just being out here exploring a new area in the wonderful warmth!

Many things wonder through your mind all day and they are the best times as you can really just zone out while the km's tick by! Thanks Todd for distracting my mind for most of the day getting me excited for my NZ trip! And thanks Jim for the playlist (from like 5 years ago) that I got cranked on for the last 2 hours, it was nice to listen to some different tunes!

Well one more day. We are off to Phoenix tomorrow to finish the trip off. Maybe lay by the pool all Friday before flying back to rainy Vancouver!

Today's stats: (1-3% incline all day today until the last 15km's.... Oh how amazing those last 15km's felt going down and being able to coast for the first time after 5hrs!!)
Duration: 7.5hrs
Ride time: 5hr 50mins (we had a few stops today!!)
Distance: 175km
Average speed: 30km/hr
Ascent: 745m
Descent: 225m

Day 7

Today we got back on the road and did days 3 original route from Twentynine Palms to Parker. It was going to be a long one - 175km. With no towns or services for 160kms of it, we had 2 bottles for the day and were out in the middle of nowhere!

But we were blessed with everything we could have asked for today. Tail wind, the smoothest freshly paved road you could get, a flat route, a road construction worker that gave us more water, then the lady at Best Western at check in was so excited for us that we had just road from 29 Palms and still had smiles on our faces that she reduced our nightly room rate!! What was expected to be a 7-8hr day was a 5hr 36min day! Woohoo!

Our legs felt great all day but our arses and shoulders/neck from the pack are very painful!

Not sure we could have got through the day if we had headwind or bad roads ;)

Today's Stats:
Duration: 5hr 36min
Distance: 176km
Average: 31.3km/hr
Ascent: 660m
Descent: 1125m

Day 6

We did a local ride today around Palm Desert and Palm Springs that included heading up the 7km tram road (2000ft climb that we pretty much had to stand the whole way up)! But it was a great climb and a great ride!!
We finished the day off at a Mexican restaurant with the biggest margarita ever!!

Today's Stats:
Duration: 5hr 35mins
Distance: 145km
Average speed: 26km/hr
Ascent: 1380m

Day 5 Rest Day

Ok not sure we are ever going to leave this place!! Yes another day in Palm Desert!! But today we didn't ride and took the day off. Relaxing by the pool, some reading, some eating, and a little bootcamp workout at the park!

So new plan for rest of trip... But of course this could change again ;)
We are doing:
Day 6 Tomorrow: 160km loop ride locally
Day 7:Twentynine Palms to Parker 175km
Day 8: Parker to Wickenburg 175km
Day 9: Wickenburg to Phoenix 120km

The sun and warmth has been truly amazing and more so knowing the forecast in Vancouver has been nothing but cold and rain!!

Day 4 Christmas Day

Another day in Palm Desert. We did this really great ride today along box canyon road. It weaved right through the middle of a desert canyon. It was so quiet and peaceful with great scenery. We were on our way to Joshua Tree National Park but only made it to the entrance. Then we got Mick to pick us up at the other end. This turned into a bit of a mess! Let's just say he couldn't find us and his cell wasn't working, we ended up starting to ride a hwy back but then it got dark and cold then we waited on the side of hwy in pitch black freezing, still no sign of him. We rode up to next rest stop and finally connected. It's crazy how the temp can be so nice during the day and how quickly it turns to freezing once the sun drops.
I took it easy today, slowing the pace down, spinning more and trying to loosen the legs up for the next 2 big days ahead - but it didn't help much, the legs were feeling pretty beat!
A swim, hot tub, stretch and a beer and then it was time for lobster and steak that Holly prepared us for xmas dinner with margarita's. What a great day!

Todays stats:
Duration: 3.20hr
Distance: 95km
Average: 28km/hr
Ascent: 725m
Descent: 155m

Day 3

So day 3 we got convinced to stay another night in paradise (friends place in palm desert, Jordans and his wonderful family) But this didn't mean a day off!  Jordan and Mick just received their brand new bikes so we got the tour of the area and got in a 3hr (77km) loop ride without packs and with Jordan leading the whole way ;) it was such a cool loop, it started with a gradual climb for about 45mins then the rest of the ride felt like it was downhill and fast!
Such a great place here. More great food and drinks to top the day off. So now it's Xmas morning and we will head off today through Joshua Tree national park to Twentynine Palms. But heres the catch.... Jordan will join us for the 125km ride and Mick will come pick him up, but has offered to bring us back too and have Xmas dinner with them instead of Twentynine palms.... Then take us back out to start our next day and continue on our journey.... So amazing!!!

Merry Christmas everyone

Day 3 stats:
Duration: 3hrs
Distance: 77km
Average: 28km/hr
Ascent 450m (oh so nice!)