Hope, Arizona to Blythe, California
Hello October!!
I wake up before sunrise to pretty clouds to the east and the outline of a mountain ridge. Cup of tea and write some notes from yesterday. Pack up and I’m off to California! Only 39 miles away.
Turned out I camped less than 3 miles from the Country Store in Brenda, AZ. Got there in the morning with about a pint of water and they were not open yet at 7:30 AM. Had a very pleasant wait there, though. Inside were limited breakfast items. I bought a quart of milk, some cereal, a small watermelon, a gallon of water, and a half gallon of Gatorade. After eating a few bowls of cereal, I realized my eyes were bigger than my stomach or else I’m just going bonkers out in the sun too long, on a bike too long, or in the desert too long. I begged them to give me a refund for the watermelon and they did.
A 15 mile hop to Quartzite, AZ and then 20 more to Blythe, CA. There was a sign welcoming bicycles onto the Interstate when I got on in Brenda with a reminder to ride on the shoulder. No - DUH!!
Stopped to take a picture of an old stage coach stop in Quartzite. Thinking about similarities and contrasts to how I was traveling across.
After Quartzite, AZ it got very hot and there were these 2” ruts in the shoulder every 20 feet which made for a jarring, bumpy ride into California.
11:30 AM PST. I am halfway across a bridge over the Colorado River. It is bouncing like a trampoline with the army of trucks slowing for an agricultural inspection stop on the California side. I stopped to take a couple of pictures. Then proceeded on and the agriculture inspector just waved me through.
WELCOME TO THE HOTEL CALIFORNIA!!
Roundin’ third, headin’ for home!!
San Diego is about 250 miles away! First stop is the post office so I can ship home all the winter clothes I won’t be needing anymore. Hot... hot... hot...
Took a picture of some hay blocks stacked alongside the road - 10 feet high and 10 feet wide but lining the road as far as I could see. Amazing quantity of hay. Looked more like a building than anything else.
Passed a motel with a pool. There is nothing at my intended destination tonight of Palo Verde, CA. Must decide what to do. OK, it’s HOT, damn HOT! M - O - T - E - L !!!
Totals for Day 45: 47.11 miles, 3 hrs. 33 min., 3200.5 total miles
Shower, margarita, pool, margarita, letter writing, margarita, shave, margarita,... sleep!
Woke up about 10:30. Walked to get something to eat. Passed Bruce’s Bar and Casino on the way back and went into the casino. It wasn’t really a casino - just a poker room - Texas Holdem’ $5 - $10. Full game with 2 already waiting so I just watched for about a half hour. Really wanted to play though. Martin had a lot of chips in front of him and was probably the worst card player I ever saw. I thought maybe they were playing Omaha Hi - Lo based on the betting and the cards he had. I watched him stay in and lose about 20 hands in a row. I could have saved him about $300 if he’d let me coach him while I was standing there.
Well, long nap and now I’m awake late. I wanted to leave really early tomorrow. Beat the heat again. Eighty miles of hot mountainous terrain to cross but one of the card players told me the heat is gonna break tonight and tomorrow should only be 95°! Whew! What a relief!! :(
Oh, one other thing - even in a motel I can’t get away from the dogs. Pit bull in the next room - lovely! :( Luckily he only barks when I come and go.