Day 4: 29 Palms, CA to Parker, AZ - September 17, 2008

Arizona 2008 09 17_0835, originally uploaded by rhanke.

Miles: 112 Miles
Ride Time: 6 hours 25 minutes
Avg. Speed: 17.3
Total Climbing: 3045 feet
Work: 3795 kJ

I received a new nick name, Ricky Bobby:. The Colorado boys that I rode with yesterday have decide that since I was so fast like a race car I needed a NASCAR type of name. The name “Ricky Bobby” is based on the Will Farrell movie “Talladega Nights” whose character was called that. I just hope that means I have to run around naked like Will Farrell did.

Today was going to be long and hot since we are still crossing the desert. I tried to get off early today trying to beat the heat but after turning out of the hotel onto Highway 62 we were greeted with a sign “Next Service 100 Miles”. This was not a good omen. Our route would follow Highway 62 for the 110 miles to Parker. The first 25 miles went by fast as there was no wind and almost no cars on the road. I rode in the morning with Matt, Mark and Frank until a hill broke up our pace line we had going.

I then bridged the gap and caught up to Jack who had left even earlier. After the first water stop I ended up alone in front of everyone. For one of the water stops the van had pulled over at the bottom of a hill but I did not want to stop and lose my 30 mph speed I had going. Tara was nice about it and pulled ahead a few miles where my speed had slowed and allowed me to refill there. I knew that the Colorado boys who were riding with the Wave and would catch up to me but I put the hammer down and made it to lunch “about an hour” before them. The desert looked amazing in the morning sun.

Today’s lunch was at mile 52 and looked back over the valley we had just ridden. It was amazing site to see the desert landscape stretch for miles with not a hint of inhabitants and see the road stretch out for miles and miles.

After lunch I rode with the Colorado boys and we got our pace line going but we set a nice pace line. Today we did not have a strong head wind like we did yesterday so we did not have to work as hard.

After pulling into Vidal Junction to take a break in some shade, Matt pulled in also. He had taken a rest and jumped a few miles when the heat had gotten to him. The bike computers were showing 104 degrees on the asphalt. The van was reporting about 95 degrees. The heat was not bad as long as we were moving. But when we would stop for water you would feel it.

The five of us set up a pace line with the Colorado boys and me doing the rotation while Matt sat on the back where he could rest and enjoy the last 20 miles into Parker. But with 5 miles to go Matt raced ahead and shouted at us to pick up the pace. We almost fell off our bikes laughing at the spunk Matt showed. Greg chased him down and after we passed him, Dave went back and helped into Parker. We poised for photos at the “Welcome to Arizona” sign after we crossed the Colorado River.

We stopped for shakes just in front of our hotel and had a great time joking with Matt on his break away.

I thought today was the hardest day just from the standpoint that we were on the bikes for almost 7 hours. I’m not used to doing a pace line for 30 plus miles and was glad to have a rest at Vidal Junction where I could rest my butt. After that rest the last 20 miles were easy.

Visit all the photos from today at flickr