Day 7 - Prescott, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ
43.2 miles
3,192 feet of climbing
3:02 bike time
Day 6 was the second day of three days of big climbing. Although the distance wasn’t that long, we did have a nice climb. It started out with a bang. Literally that is as Neuro Jim (he is a neuro-otologist so I’m careful not to say “hey it ain’t neurosurgery” around him) had another flat. He is down big in the flat pool for who gets the fewest flats and now has four. The first day everyone bragged about what tires they have. That’s the type of thing us bikers talk about; chains, gearing, seats, wheels, etc. A conversation would go something like “well yeah, I have the German hand made Continentals Gran Prix 4000’s. To which the other replies, that ain’t squat. I have the new Vredestein tires and research shows they are better. Anyway now Jim is thinking about changing his paper thin tires. As Forrest Gump says, that’s about all there is about that.
After fixing the flat we started chasing down the pack. A few miles out of town we once again encountered the false flats and began reeling them in. This time I was ready for the false flats. See yesterday’s commentary. At least that’s what I wanted to believe. But once again totally demoralizing. Hmmm. Enough bout that. We crossed a few cattle guards and eventually started the climb. My Iliotibial band started to pain me along the way. This is the one they shot cortisone into 10 days ago. We climbed to the 7,023 foot level to the top of Mingus mountain. Somehow I neglected to have anyone take my picture, so I once again have no proof I was ever there. We were at the top however.
Now the fun began. We descended down hairpin turns all the way down the mountain to the 3,500 foot level. The road was right out of a James Bond movie where he gets chased (this would be Sean Connery of course) and the car ends up in an olive grove. Hopefully you get the picture, if not you’ll have to rent the movie. It was absolutely exhilarating. On the way down, we stopped at a little mining town turned tourist town called Jerome. We ate at the haunted hamburger for lunch. Sure beat goo and a bar that would have been our normal course of fare.
We stayed in Cottonwood which is right outside of Sedona last night. T he motel was nice and we all ate at the Sizzler. Now you know why bikers burn 5,000 calories per day and still gain weight.
A little Zen wisdom for the day.
3 bikers were biking and came across a Zen Master. The Zen Master asked the first biker why he biked. He replied “because it gets me to where I am going”. You have learned a lesson my son replied the Zen Master. He then asked the second biker the same question to which he replied. “I can see more things when I bike Master”. The Zen Master replied that he too have learned lesson.
When the third biker was asked the same question he replied. “I bike to bike” to which the Zen Master replied “I am YOUR disciple.
Maybe this will only have a meaning to Zen Masters and bikers.
Signing off
