Day 07 - Wickenburg to Scottsdale

Relatively easy day. The predicted wind never really materialized, although we did get some. The first thirty miles, after a disappointing breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts, from the Westerner Motel in Wickenburg to Surprise were slightly downhill with just one easy climb early in the day.

We then traveled on some of the Phoenix area bike paths before a long 11 mile stretch on Union hills Drive, a six lane arterial. We broke up this stretch with a lunch break at Roliberto's. Green chili chimichanga and strawberry soda. While we were eating there was a load BANG! that created some concern in the restaurant, sounded like a gun shot. Since no further excitement followed, we all finished eating and got up to leave. Once outside Jerry discovered the the bang was his tire blowing out. Glad it happened while eating and not while descending or traveling in heavy traffic. A quick change to his spare tire and we were on our way.

The day before I had mentioned to Michele that Jerry's wheel looked out of round. With the new tire Jerry's wheel looks fine. That wobble in Jerry's tire was surely the tire bulging and getting ready to blow. Note to self: mention anything unusual immediately.

Not that Jerry's was the only incident of the day. About 10 miles before Surprise I picked up a dry wall screw in my rear wheel and flatted. Two flats on one day. There goes my fantasy of crossing the country with no flats. The fixing of the flat is easy enough, it's the unpacking of the bags to find the spare tube that's the pain in the neck.

After lunch it was about a twenty mile ride to my parents place in Scottsdale where cold drinks and soda were waiting. It's nice to be home. Mom made us beef stew and salad for dinner with key lime and cherry pies for dessert. Best meal of the trip so far.

The drivers have been mostly courteous and curious. Only a couple of honk horns or dirty looks and these invariably occur in larger towns. Yesterday in Phoenix we had an SUV honk at us as he drove by. While he, or she, was probably expressing some level of contempt for cyclists, I choose to assume it was an overly exuberant "hello," an event that happened later in the day has been far more typical:

While we waited at a streetlight in Scottsdale a car with two couples pulled up and rolled down the window to tell us that Kansas had just defeated North Carolina (Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!) and to ask what we were up to. After a quick explanation they were off, shouting encouraging words out the car window as we went our separate ways.

FYI: I've heard that the KU Geology Department can be credited (blamed?) for changing "Rah Rah, Jayhawk" to "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk".

Pfft! Geologists.