Ride comes to an early end

I woke up this morning with the realization that my legs were too tired to do the climbing that was needed to get to Prescott, AZ. I also found that my left arm, hand and wrist were weaker again. There are several tasks that are very difficult to do one of the most important being shifting gears. I do not have the strength in my left hand to shift the front derailleur. In order to shift I need to reach over with my right hand to pull the shift lever and this is not a safe maneuver, not to mention being very irritating and cumbersome. I have also come to the conclusion that I will not be able to camp out as much as I had planned on doing and it will just cost too much to stay in motels etc.

I am very disappointed that I will not be able to continue the trip but even more disappointed that I may have let others down. I should have probably done some shorter excursions to see how things would go. I do not know for sure if the fall caused the neck problem or if it was from improper helmet adjustment causing me to lift my head to much. Either way, it is my understanding that permanent nerve damage is possible if I don't get it under control soon.

I guess I will have to find another way to accomplish my dream of at least crossing the US from coast to coast via bicycle. One friend says that he might be able to have his wife drive an RV from place to place, hauling our gear etc., while we ride together. It would cost a lot more money but at least I would have more time to save and plan for it!

For those who donated to the ride I will try and return your money as soon as I can. Thank you all for your support and encouragement and your donations to CAF.

Days four and five!

Day Four: Today was a total rest day and I really needed it. I spent the night in a hotel and will spend tonight there also. I met two nice gentlemen who flew down from Washington and started riding their bicycles from San Diego, CA the same day I did. They also took a much needed break. It was a bit of a boring day with nothing really to do except check out my bike and rest. The TV had only 7 channels and none of them were major networks. At least the air conditioning worked.

Day Five: Rode 53.5 miles to a town called Congress, AZ. Pretty small place but at least I have library Internet access. Speed 9.7mph Avg.

Total Miles: ridden so far 254.5

I rode the first 29 miles with my two new acquaintances, and then we stopped and had breakfast together. Their names are Bill and John. Their destination is Florida. John is a retired Chemistry teacher and Bill works for a water works plant. Bill told them he was going on this trip for 3 months or so and asked if they wanted him back. They said yes so he didn't have to retire. Breakfast was great especially being able to enjoy it with company. We split ways a half mile past the restaurant. The remaining miles seemed longer than the first 29, but it was actually less. It is going to take some getting used to the heat.

The lady at the general store said I could camp out behind the store for the night, and hang around inside until closing if I wanted too. People all seem to be very friendly around here. I was seriously thinking of taking her offer but after sticking around for a few hours I decided that it was just to darn hot and got a motel. It has free WiFi and great TV reception. Wahoo!

Tomorrow, I am headed about 45 miles to Prescott, AZ and the following day plan on making it to Sedona, AZ, where I plan on spending a few days with my brother Pat! You can check out some of his Youtube videos by going to Youtube and searching "javadavida." I actually star in a few of them.

Days 2 and 3 Updated by Russ' wife, Mary

Total miles travelled on bike: 201

Day 2:  93.6 miles  7 hrs 35 min riding time

average speed 12.3 mph

Incidents:  At 60 miles, 2 women on motorcycles gave me a quart of water.  A big truck forced me off onto the soft sand shoulder while passing another vehicle coming toward me.  I fell, but did not get injured.  At 89 miles, I was out of fluids and going very slowly.  I waived down a vehicle and 2 young guys gave me a couple of monster drinks.  I made it into Vidal Junction about 4:30 and cooled off in a gas station cafe.  I hung out at the cafe until about 6:30 and then headed across the street and pitched my tent on really rocky ground.  It was not easy.  At 8:30 I started trying to get sleep, but it was difficult with all the noise from the trucks at the junction.  According to my wife, the high for the day was 96 degrees, and at 8:30 it was still 88 degrees.  

Day 3:  61.3 miles, 5 hours 37 minutes of riding time, average speed 10.9 mph

Incidents:  Had 2 flat tires on my trailer wheel.  I went through a goat head patch.  I patched the first flat and thought all was well, but it was flat again 4 or 5 miles later.  I decided to limp to the next town about 20 miles away by pumping the tire with my miniature dual head pump.  That proved to be a lot of work, especially since the temperature was approaching the mid nineties.  I made it to town and decided to eat lunch at a restaurant.  After lunch a gentleman offered to take me, my tire, and wheel to half a mile down the street to a tire shop.  It took the guy longer to patch it than it took me.  I guess he was not use to such a small wheel.  Anyway, he had a water tank and found 2 other tiny holes.  Forty minutes later I was back on the road, but going very slow.  I had a tail wind that made my going seem even hotter, as there was no breeze to cool me off.  Finally, I had enough and flagged down a guy in a truck who offered to take me the 13 miles remaining to Salome, Arizona.  I got a hotel room and am now thinking of taking a day off to recuperate.  I have a raw spot on my bottom in the crease, and my left arm is numb from my elbow to my little finger.  It is also very weak.  I will just have to see what the morning brings.

Ride - Day One

The morning started out great. Ben Vassantechart showed up and rode with me for 25 miles. Robert McAtee showed up in his car and went back and forth along the route making sure everything was OK, taking pictures and video. I got to see quite a few Lopers out on the course as we rode by and took a few by surprise I think. I'm not sure Sandy Wible knew who I was, judging by her reaction when I called out, "Hi Sandy." I'll forgive her! I'm not usually wearing a helmet when she sees me.

After about 3 hours we stopped at a Starbucks and Robert bought me a Frappaccino Mocha! Very refreshing! Then Ben's wife showed up to take him back home and I took off again. Robert and Ben both followed a ways and I only got a few blocks away when I noticed I had a flat rear tire. They both graciously stopped and helped me repair the tire and soon I was on my way again.

Five miles later, one of the streets I was supposed to take was blocked off by a gate and Robert helped me find a way around. Two miles later, I found I could not take another road, I had planned on taking, and lost some more time trying to figure out a new route. After some frustration, Robert and I decided to stop and eat lunch at what I think was a Pioneer Chicken place. We met two gentlemen, one in his late 50's and the other 61 who were doing the Pacific Crest Trail. They had run into each other on the trail and joined up as a team.

Robert took off scouting some more for me, while I continued to eat and talk with the hikers, and found that I could get to an old abandoned service road from the on ramp to the freeway. From there he left me on my own. About 9 miles later I again had problems with my routing and found that my next street was a dirt road. I backtracked a half mile and walked a good part of it as the wind was becoming outrageous. 50 mph gusts. I could not control the bike when I got into a side wind at all. I went on another 2 miles or so down the freeway, with a tail wind, and found my way to what I thought was my next road and it too was a dirt road. by now I could really not control the bike at all and decided to call my wife. She came an hour later and we drove about 40 miles or so to Twentynine Palms and got a hotel for the night which is where I am presently writing from.

I am hoping that the wind dies down, as the weather forecast predicts, for tomorrow morning. My wife informed me that she is still open to rescuing me tomorrow, if I continue on, but after tomorrow the offer is off the table. I am really quite drained from fighting the wind those last 9 miles. Even with a tailwind the trailer was hard to control because of the gusting which made it unstable. tomorrow the forecast is for 10 to 15mph wind which I can, if that truly pans out.

Not the best way to start out my trip but memorable non the less.

Thanks so much to Robert and Ben for all their help and encouragement! It would have been an even tougher day withou you guys.

Thanks to my wonderful wife who is such an angel and somehow puts up with me!