Where is Lance?

Follow Al on his cross country bike tour!

If you want to see the itinerary, click here.

To learn more about the tour, click here.

Day 9 Lie very still and don't move a muscle day

2009-05-17

A day in the life:
5:45 am wake up call
Breakfast location is typically at hotel
Pack, stretch, ready bike
7:00 Load luggage
7:15 Sign out, leave in mass
We follow trip tip sheet. Turn R at Jones road 68.2 mile
Ride like crazy
SAG (Support and Gear) usually 30-40 miles apart
Ride like crazy some more
Next SAG
Ride like crazy some more.
Arrive at hotel
Shower, eat (12 inch subs in my case)
Clean clothes, bike, do blog, some hit the pool
5:45 Route Rap -discussion on next day's ride
6:00 Dinner
7:30 find store for gatorade, etc.
8:00 stretch, blog, read, tv
9:30 sleep

When I signed up for this tour I expected that we would have to ride slowly to be able to live through the experience. Wrong. We bike hard almost all the time. Much faster than I ride in AA.
There are many things that extend the time it takes to get to hotel to hotel.
Stop lights and stop signs. In cities we stop at the lights. In Corona, CA we did 4 miles where there were lights every block.
Road construction. We waited 30 minutes in the desert for a pilot truck to lead us through a construction zone.
Stopping for liquids. In the desert I was drinking a full Camelback every hour. I used my water bottles to pour on my head and body.
Stopping to allow liquids to exit the body. We have some old prostates on this trip.
Flats. The number of flats we get are amazing. Since we generally ride in pace lines we all stop as the tire is changed.
On the interstates the raidial tires break up and spew small wires over the road. A one spot at least 50% of the riders flatted.
Trash, tire parts, wire, screws, etc on the road way. Amazing the amount of junk especially on the interstates.
Stopping to take pictures.


Road Kill: There is virtually no road kill. I have seen in total: 2 snakes, a rabbit and a skunk. Are there no animals?

There are no clouds. None. I saw a little one yesterday. Is this normal?

Heat. It has been hot, very hot and I am still not dealing well with it.

The Riders. I is a great bunch and we all get along. Jim is so strong that I didn't even know he was up ahead early in the ride. He is off the charts for this group.
We have only one person who did not come prepared. Michael is using this ride to condition for the ride to Florida he will take after the ride is over.
The riders are all much more experienced than myself and it is a load to keep up. Hopefully I am getting stronger.

Rich is Rich. At breakfast he complained about how cold his room was last night but he added spooning with his roomie helped.





Pictures from yesterday. Sedona, AZ. Stunning.


Red Rock National Park. Stunning


Willie an me on top of some mountain. Great guy, strong biker.


Rich showing off his nipple pasties. He is one of our stronger riders and will be leaving us to compete in the Ironhorse where you race a train over the mountains. The man is obscene and very funny.

Messages

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Al Al Al, all we want you to do is finish! No riding hard and keeping up with fast guys, just finish. Loved you comment about the youg guys with jobs that had to drop out. I was once a young guy and even had a job. Sent 2009-05-18 from Dan G.

Al, while you're in Flagstaff, you should go see the Lowell Observatory this evening. 114 years old, so you should feel right at home. You can all ride there this evening, it's only about 400 feet up to the top of the tallest hill in Flagstaff. Should be lots of fun flying down the hill in the dark. Sent 2009-05-18 from Old Uncle John

Am waiting to see when the fun begins, but you've convinced me. If I don't fly, I'll be driving out west. Are you able to stay awake long enough to read anything at night? Stay with it. Looking forward to many discussions at Cafe Verde. Sent 2009-05-18 from Barry

Reason you don't see road kill in the desert: the animals know better than to hang out on top of really, really hot asphalt. Sent 2009-05-18 from Old Uncle John

We drove through Sedona and Red Rocks last February. It is stunningly beautiful. As we were looking way, way, waaay down the valley from the top, we saw some bicyclists coming up. I thought "what kind of crazy fool rides up that insane grade with all that 'pick-up pulling trailers' traffic?" Now I know. Sent 2009-05-18 from Old Uncle John

Al: Is it harder each day or do you feel that you are getting stronger and in better condition? Is your butt toughened up yet or do you dread sitting on the bike first thing in the morning? Keep up the great effort and the blog. It gives the Y runners something to talk about every day! Pat Sent 2009-05-18 from Pat Shields

Coming up - thirteen miles east of Holbrook is a top "Roadside America" attraction, - Stewart's Petrified Wood. The dinosaur's are a hoot. Its worth a picture with you survivors! Sent 2009-05-18 from Jim K

yuo will thinking about this trip forever!! thank-you for for sharing this with the rest of us-I wish I could be ther also-so it will have to be you. Carry on!!!! Sent 2009-05-18 from peter brown

Anna - this comment is for you. Can't you go easy on your dad - given all the stuff he is going through. Children are supposed to be.... (I forgot) I thought it was only his "friends" who give him a hard time. None the less - good job Al on the specifics of your day. It gives us all more stuff to talk about. Sent 2009-05-18 from Larry

I love reading your blog dad, and the love is shared by the entire Wares clan. We all think you're crazy, but that's why we love you. Great to hear more about what a day is really like in what you wrote today. Love you and will call you after work tomorrow :) Sent 2009-05-17 from Katie

Love your blog so far, Al. You go, guy. Libby Sent 2009-05-17 from Libby Berry

I think Allan is trying to talk me into doing this crazy stuff. He said that yesterday a woman "even older than me" passed him on the bike. One of us has to have a semblance of sanity. Now the ride that Pat and J wrote about, biking form vineyard to vineyard in Switzerland and France. That seems totally reasonable. Sent 2009-05-17 from Roddy

Allan was trying to talk me into doing this crazy stuff yesterday, when he told me that a woman who was "even older than me" passed him on her bike. I think that one of us has to have a semblance of sanity. However, I am up for the long distance ride that Pat and J describe: riding from vineyard to vineyard in France and Switzerland. That seems sane and doable. Sent 2009-05-17 from Roddy

Good you're going through a lot of liquid. In the desert (and in Kansas) that is critical. Do you only have one jersey, the "Michigan" one? I bet you're ripe! Keep up the good work. Sent 2009-05-17 from Denny

Bob, Kurt and I were thinking of you, and, in your honor, went on a 5 mile stroll. Happy to report no flat tires. Your reports have our full attention and are fully discussed each day. Hang tough. Ed Sent 2009-05-17 from Ed

France/Switzerland have their own versions of long distance riding - yesterday it was to visit the special opening of the Swiss vineyards. LOTS of rider, who sipped, bought and continued to ride! Sent 2009-05-17 from Pat & J