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Day 06
We're just Gallupin' along

YESTERDAY                  TOMORROW

ROUTE: Winslow AZ to Gallup NM DISTANCE: 133 miles WINDS: NNW 10-15, quartering headwinds, cross winds at best
WEATHER: Sunny and cool...31 at departure and 69 at Gallup. TERRAIN: Interstate rollers TOTAL CLIMBING: 3400 feet

DAILY REPORT: 

I think everyone was anxious to get out of Winslow this morning.  What a depressing place...dry, rundown, dusty.  There's just not much going on there anymore.  Even the tourist trap downtown of the statue of the Eagle standing on the corner hasn't been vibrant for a couple years.  The building next to the monument burnt down about 3 years ago and they are finally starting to revitalize the area by building a park around the old corner site.  It looked like they were trying to save the mural wall that was the only part of the old building that survived the fire.  As I was trying to get on the road this morning I couldn't find my mechanic...he was down "standing on the corner" when I finally found him.

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. 

Our winds were forecast to be out of the NW and pretty strong...not good for us at all.  In the past, we've always had predictions of strong winds, but almost every time they did not materialized in velocity...not the case today.  We had an annoying cross wind most of the afternoon which made the tired legs have to strain a little harder to get down the road and by the time they pulled into town the winds were blowing full force in their face.  I guess anyone can ride across the country with tailwinds...these folks are tough.

Today's ride was filled with flats...and we weren't the only ones having that problem.  At one point between the first and second SAG, Karen and I were riding along blissfully enjoying the headwinds when a semi passed us.  Just as he approached, he blew out a tire on our side on his trailer.  Rubber flew everywhere and splashed us a bit but nothing serious.  After he noticed his tire had blown, he had stopped on the shoulder and as I passed I told him that he'd gotten our attention.  Later, just before arriving at the second SAG, Karen and I stopped to help a stranded motorist who'd shredded his front tire.  Sometimes you meet nice people out in the middle of nowhere.  John, Brock, and Caryl from Manitowoc WI were on a road trip and appeared to be in distress.  When we pulled up we asked if he had everything under control...they didn't.  They had unpacked the spare and jack, but the jack was broken...they were stranded.  I think it was a father/daughter road trip for college...guess it's all part of the grand adventure.  After exhausting about every resource we had, I called Jim who was just down the road fixing flats from our group and after he finished he came forward.  We used our tools to fix the jack and in short order they were back on the road.  John, if you are reading this, here's hoping you have a safe trip home.  We'll be in Manitowoc in July...if you see a bicyclist with a flat, it may be me.   Just another day on the road.

Tough day...everyone got in about 7:00 PM...the winds really knocked the spunk out of just about everyone today.  Tomorrow we're supposed to take on another 130+ challenge and the winds don't look too agreeable either.  Tonight they are talking gusts of 65 close to our route, but they are "supposed" to calm down by morning...we'll see...and hope so.  What ever mother nature throws at us, we'll take it on...we're on a mission.  See you tomorrow...we're riding one more day before a rest day...we're ready for that for sure.

HEARD ON THE ROAD TODAY:

"How's the butt today?"
"Well, compared to yesterday's 9 pain level...today is about a 2."
"It's early yet."

"Mike, I have this pain in my side every day at about the 80 mile point.  What should I do to prevent it?"
"Stop riding at 79 miles."
"Hmmm."

"I've had 5 flats today...is that a record?"
"While worthy of honorable mention, it's not even close?"
"Gee, how many more do I have to have today?"

"Sometimes GPSs are a good thing."
"Yeah, if you're out using the facilities along the roadside and get eaten by a mountain lion, just before he eats you, punch in a waypoint.  Then when they find the lion poop, we'll be able to trace back to find your bike."

"There's a hole in my tire...how far do you think I can get?"
"All the way to the scene of the accident probably."

"Barbara, do you know the names of those Dinosaurs?  I want to put them in my blog so the folks back home will know more about them."
"Sure I do...the big one is Marcel and the little one is Clovis."

 BICYCLE BRAIN BOO BOOS:

We may have discovered why riders experience the "Bike Brain Phenomenon."   When Greg rode into the third SAG, it became evident something unusual was going on in his grey matter.

DAILY PHOTOS OF OUR ACTIVITY

It's only day 6!

Mark has been around bikers for so long, he was yearning for some intellectual conversation.

With the headwinds starting to pick up and the fact he was still 25 miles from the motel, Scott was thinking these accommodations were looking pretty good.

Just after saying, "I'm not bragging, but I'm the only one who hasn't had a flat all day," James heard a hiss.

We are in the land of extraterrestrial happenings.  After a bright,  blinding flash from the heavens, Karen's thought waves became visible..."I keep hearing noises," She said.  I told her it was just a passing truck.

The last thing we heard Darryl say was, "Hi mom."

There's bargains out there, you just have to know where to look.

The fresh kill and the fact that T-Rexes are allergic to lycra, may have been what saved Darryl, Conrad, and Greg as they sped by the petrified forest.

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