Day 06
There's no corner anymore

Our route today was really tame compared to the last couple of days.  Gone are the trees that surrounded us as we climbed up the mountains approaching Flagstaff.  Now we are in the most wide open area that you can imagine.  You can see hundreds of miles in all directions in most places.  We were about 85 miles from Flagstaff and we could still see the mountain that sits on the west side of the city!  But the biggest climbs today were only gentle rollers on the interstate that may rise 100-200 feet over a couple of miles and then drop back down the other side. 

Since we were on the interstate most of the day, we had another day of more than normal flats, but we didn't have nearly the record for a day (in '99 we had 135 in one day on the challenge).  Flats started right off the bat as I had already changed 3 before I got more than 10 miles from the motel and at one point I found Guenter and Don changing flats in the same location.  I helped them finish the chore and before they even started to roll, Guenter noticed his other tire was flat too.  Best time to have flats if you ask me...right when the mechanic is standing by your side.  My hands are pretty raw from all the tire changing today.  I fixed about 10 and I know I didn't even get close to catching them all...tube sales are up!  Maybe we need a patch party!  We've had to pump so much air into our tires today that it became hard to breathe near our route...no air left!

Everyone seemed to be having a good day today in spite of the fickle winds that were behind them sometime and then in their face other times.  The mileage is hard enough without headwinds...but that's always true.  However, these long days in the saddle allows folks time to make some interesting observations during the day.  Someone commented at the SAG that a bike ride was the only place he knew where both sexes stand around touching their butts in public and nobody seems to care.  Must be something about sitting on a hard seat for 8-10 hours a day. 

We finished the day at about 6:00 after losing an hour so hopefully everyone will get enough time to do some recovering before tackling Albuquerque tomorrow...145 miles...a toughie.  Well, got to go and get some prep done for tomorrow.  Hope you enjoy the photos of today's adventure.  Tomorrow we do it again.