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I've Got Something to Say
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| Ride Stats |
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Time: 07:37:01
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Distance:
123.91 miles
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Max Speed:
43.70 mph
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Avg Speed:
16.20 mph
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Route:
PAC Tour Central Transcontinental
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Weight:
0
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Category: training: general -
solo
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Terrain: Road: Hills
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Bike: Fuji Newest Road
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| Club: Commuter Cycling Century |
| Weather Conditions: |
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Today’s riding started with a photo opportunity just a mile or so after the start. The lyrics from the song "Take It Easy", written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey, were made famous by "The Eagles". It's a song almost everyone knows, hums and sings. It has put Winslow on the map. Then for a little off bike touring, the route sheet had us going over a road that is closed, and having a bridge being rebuilt of the Little Colorado River, just outside of Winslow. Several riders decide to follow the detour that took them back to I-40 east for about a mile. I was following a group of riders, and we hoofed it over the construction zone. Then about 70% of the rest of the roads today reminded me of riding down the Earth City Express Way between St Charles Rock Rd and I-370 in north St Louis County. Even though that segment of road is part of one of my favorite rides, I have only been out that way 4 times this year – all since the middle of August. The road surface in Earth City is concrete – slabs that are about 8-10 wide and separated by an expansion joint. The issue with that section of road though is that when crossing the joint between the two slabs there is an inch or two vertical gap between them (thankfully it’s a drop from one slab to the next, not a bump up), so the bike ‘kerplunk’-‘kerplunks’ from the edge of one section of slab to the next, which can get a little bone jarring, too. I would say maybe 40% or more of our road surface to day felt the same way. It was all asphalt, but there was that familiar ‘kerplunk’-‘kerplunk’ as we rolled along.
Not long after the second rest stop today, we were approaching a T-intersection, and Anne Marie was shifting her gears as we were going up a slight incline to the stop sign. All of a sudden her bike made a funny crunching noise and she came to sudden stop – then before she could get a cleat out of its pedal, she fell over. She was okay, but her bike was not. Her rear derailleur (the mechanism that moves the chain from one gear to another) had strayed to far, hit a spoke in the tire and was forced out of it’s mount on the frame – needless to say it was toast; un-repairable on the road or in a shop. We called for a SAG wagon, to come get her. It took about 40 minutes before they could reach us. Once she was getting load in the van, Daniel & I continued on our way. We were now the last ones on the route. The good news, though, is the wind conditions our group had been facing all morning now became favorable winds as our course changed directions – the wind was now a tail wind!!! We made it to the lunch stop in about an hour (covering 16 miles), chugged our way to the last rest stop of the day (mile 100), and continued hammering all the way to Chinle (even with all the kerplunking of the bike going over the pavement gaps), covering all of the days 120 miles and arriving at about 4:15 p.m. – a lot sooner than I thought we would!
I am currently sitting in the hotel lobby, using their wireless high-speed access, and did not bring my bike computer with me, so I will include today’s stats with Saturday’s blurb.
Updates on a couple things before I close:
First, I mentioned in day five’s blurb that "after leaving the reservation, we made our way to Interstate 40." Well, we didn’t exactly leave the reservation. The Navajo Nation covers over 25,000 square miles in northeast AZ, southeast UT, southwest CO, and northwest NM. Staying in Chinle, AZ tonight, we are still in Navajo Nation.
Secondly, I mentioned in the prolog that I felt I was overcharged for my oversize luggage (i.e. my bicycle). I sent the airline’s customer service an email on Friday, 9/9, and I did receive a reply back from them on Tuesday (9/13) telling me I should not have been charged the $50 overweight charge on top of the $80 bike charge. It went on to tell me how I can apply for a refund. That will probably wait until I return to St Louis.
Tomorrow will be a long day: 140 miles and 4,350 feet of climbing!
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