Southern Tier 2021

 77 miles of both good and very bad roads through the Sonoran desert and into the Phoenix metropolitan area. Gradual climb out of Gila Bend, with a headwind, meant 20 miles of crouching down on handlebars. Then onto a very busy highway with trucks blasting both ways and a shoulder consisting of a rumble strip and a very narrow split level rough pavement and paved slope down onto sand, difficult to navigate. All of this in increasing heat as day wore on. Surprisingly "green" for a desert, with small trees and saquaro cacti scattered about. Last 30 miles of more urban and strip mall development, once again drinking lots of ice tea at every stop, Chipotle, McDonalds, etc. Arms, neck and feet tired from pounding and stress. Typical punishment. But that completed our first 7 days of this trip, 425 miles.  At Quality Inn in Mesa near end of light rail that goes into Phoenix and a day off tomorrow to recover, work on bike (clean and lube, tighten or adjust whatever has loosened up, ...

 Easy 50 miles today, some interstate, just one bad stretch of cracked pavement frontage road. And seemingly cooler, partly overcast. We are staying tonight at the old high school gym in air conditioning, sleeping spread out on the basketball floor. Tomorrow we get to ride into Mesa, near Phoenix, where we will stay 2 nights at a Quality Inn -- our first rest day after a week of riding. Saw our first goathead thorns, a few sticking in tires at last night's campsite. Of course it happened to our most unlucky rider: Joe, who's already had 2 flats and who had his brother-in-law bring him his Surly touring bike yesterday to replace the road bike he started with. Several riders had trouble with the heat the first few days and had to ride in van. Tough adjustments to make as things shake out, both to bikes and riders.

 Total change in road conditions, smooth pavement and a tailwind improving attitude, literally a breeze. Locals tell us how lucky we are, usually 108 degrees vs this "fresh" air of high 90s. We went through the Yuma Proving grounds, tanks driving fast through desert. Big highlight was the bobcat dashing across road, first I've ever seen outside a zoo. End of day rolling fast on the Interstate, and then off into date groves. Tonight's campground was again austere, but at least the two toilets and showers worked, and pitched in with Terry and Chuck on a laundry load. Breezy night, freight trains and highway noise for lullaby.

 Can see the lights of Yuma AZ on horizon from our hilltop crappy RV "resort" -- barren, hot, junky, rocky "lawn" where we are camping, one working toilet, 2 showers. And no Internet. Apparently a military facility at some distant point, explaining the uncompleted bunkers dug into hillside. Hot bumpy riding today 72 miles on an untested route, a last minute relocation requiring a water stop by the van on the side of the road halfway, no services for 46 miles, just desert. And this unvetted camping place, for which we are guinea pigs  Sore butt, legs, arms, neck. And tightness in jaws from nerve wracking and punishing bumps and broken pavement. Even ended up on dirt or gravel farm roads as we approached town of Bard end of day, cotton, hay, and lots of date trees. Ok, enough complaining. We had to have pizza and beer to make up for van/trailer hitch breaking, requiring services of tow truck, but all better by 6:30 pm. 

Today we gave up all the altitude we gained from San Diego, descending over 3000 feet in a 35 mph 6 mile ride on Interstate 8. Then a 33 mile desert crossing, totally dehydrated when we got to Calexico. Drank quarts of cold  water before an ice cream bar. Face bright red from the sudden immersion into a new climate here in the Imperial valley. Since this is close to the wall good Samaritans put out buckets with water jugs marked by flags, about every third of a mile.  Then slowly to RV resort in El Centro with a pool, enjoyed a soak, and then busy for the next few hours shopping, prepping dinner, and cleanup: Chuck found online a recipe for teriyaki chicken peanut stir fry on brown rice, with tofu on the side. Plus big hit: watermelon for desert. Delicious, rave reviews, but we dirtied every possible pan and pot. Ate, then map meeting -- tomorrow we try an 80 mile new route and campground, but another very long waterless stretch so the van will be placed halfway for water supp...

  We are camping right next to the border tonight, at the community center and library (thus the wifi) in Jacumba CA, after a long, slow and warm 44 mile climbing day and then rapid descent. And even saw a road runner today. Coyotes yipping in distance, bright stars, desert tomorrow. Turns out I'm not the oldest rider: Terry is 80, one hip replacement and two shot knees, but he did the northern tier in 2013 unsupported. Matt is youngest, a mere 36. Average age was 66 before Matt and I joined late. Lots of folks have done the Iowa RAGBRAI ride multiple times. Seems to be a fun group so far. Tomorrow is Chuck's and my turn to cook dinner. Will be interesting.

 Today we ride. Had a fun visit with daughter Clare, who picked me up at airport Wed and together we enjoyed the Ocean Beach district. Funky, practical (brew pub, Target and CVS all within a  block or so) and amazing beach at end of street from pleasant if groovy hostel. Then last night first group meeting, and first of many meals together. Teams of two will make dinner and do kp duty each day. My first stint as cook is Sunday. Today: mandatory dipping of rear wheel in the ocean, then navigating through San Diego eastbound, often on bike paths. I just followed folks who knew how to use the GPS ride app. Couldn't get by with just map. After confusing stints in traffic a few long climbs into scenery, getting to Alpine for lunch, mile 37 of a nice short 42 mile day. Lunch right now at Alpine public library, and then just breeze into RV park where the van and trailer hauling gear should be by 2 pm. Last night's meeting

Our map for the first stretch, one of seven total.  Here's the link to Adventure Cycling, and the Southern Tier specifically: https://www.adventurecycling.org/guided-tours/van-supported-tours/southern-tier-van The Southern Tier Bicycle Route is our shortest cross-country route and offers a wide variety of terrain, vegetation, climate, and people all the way across the nation from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The route is rich in human culture and history — ranging from the Spanish and Mexican influences in California, to the ancient indigenous pueblo cultures in Arizona and New Mexico, to the imprint of the Spanish conquistadors in Texas, to the bayous and French influences of Louisiana, to the Old South of Mississippi and Alabama, to a four-hundred-year-old city in Florida. After climbing east from San Diego and topping out at 3,890 feet at the Tecate Divide, you'll enter desert country. The route travels through the Yuha Desert and the below-sea-level, irrigated Imperial Vall...

 My next adventure starts this week: biking the Southern Tier/Adventure Cycling route, San Diego to St Augustine, over the next 2 months. I'll be doing it in an Adventure Cycling group, "van-supported", meaning they truck the stuff and you just ride, mostly camping and cooking as a group (10 riders, 2 leaders). I had decided that I needed to do a southwest trip and that this fall was the time to do it. I signed up for the wait list last February, optimistic about vaccines, but as time wore on I started to have doubts about doing it in a group. So I bought the maps, thinking I might just do it on my own, maybe San Diego to New Orleans (for my birthday). After looking at the maps I had even more doubts, long stretches through Covid land, who knows what stores might be open in the desert. Then in August I got the call to join in with 3 days to decide. After already talking myself out of doing it twice, I passed. But then they exhausted the wait list and put out an open call....