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JOURNAL
and start spreading the word over the web. June 4th 19.0 miles - 10:00-11:00
Planning for a big day today, the low mileage came as a surprise but was needed. We caught up to the group of riders that had pushed their way through the snow covered pass. I was not envious. It had taken them over 12 hours to arrive in town from Platora and arrived at dark. Considering we were 17 miles south of Platora to begin the day (they had all begun in Platora) we would have probably ended up needing to stay the night at Indiana pass which would have been anything but good considering their experience.
They explained that their was multi section portions of yards of 4-5 foot deep snow that they hade to get over by essentially carrying their bikes over it. One of them had also fallen ill. Not having the right shoes to go through the section, this led to one of them getting extremely cold and falling sick. We met the goup today in Del Norte - Michael, the one who had fallen sick - did not look good.
The remainder of the group was pushing on even without Michael. Ryan and I decided to stay put and ride with Michael the next day. I was surprised the group was pushing on. Michael is a great rider and is someone that Ryan and I have agreed would be great to tour with. It was an easy choice to stay put. Going to grab something other than Raman and tuna - which has been our meal for what seems like this whole trip so far. Later!
June 3, 2007 62.9 miles - 9:30 - 6:30
Having already had problems with the terrain around 11,000 feet due to the snow I realized that today could present itself with an even more challenging circumstance. Needing to get around 12,000 feet those extra 1,000 feet could make for some tough if not impossible miles of ground to cover.
We arrived in Platora - 17 miles from of night sleep - just in time for lunch. We compared notes with the locals and learned that Indiana pass - around 12,000 - was still pretty much snow covered and impassable. We also learned that the few people ahread of us had made a pass at it. We were recommended to take an alternate route. A few people entering the lodge we were eating at reaffermed others perceptions of the problem with the snow at that elevation. We made a group decision to take the alternate route. We wondered however what the fate of the cyclists was ahead of us. Taking the alternate made way for some of the best views of the trip yet. If yesterday's early decent was great in terms of miles covered, this descent after getting over Stunner pass was remarkable in terms of scenary. I would recommend this spot to anyone as a particular highlight of this jounral so far.
The level and hard dirt roads were great along the alternative. It allowed us to cover ground and enjoy the ride at the same time. We ended up in Monte Vista - only a few miles from Del Norte.
June 2, 2007 40.1 miles - 8:00-4:30
Today we started early. Going off on advice the day before we knew the first 15 miles were going to be difficult to negotiate. It sure was. Snow covered much of the route. Even in the areas where the snow had melted the ground was a muddy pitt which became just as challenging. Despite the challenge however, the new terrain was somewhat fun to improvise of trying to overcome. We made better time than we anticipated and spent about 30 minutes at the "Top of the World" as one of the locals told us it was called. Over 11,000 feet made for some breathtaking views.
Even after coming down from the elevation the terrain did not seem to improve. Ryan and myself fell a few times trying to get around some of the sections. But with no bike problems we were able to get through the thick of it and cross over the Colorado border. We made it!
We made to a short section of pavement where we started to cover some ground. After one more climb to our last pass for the day we stopped in a small town south of Platora for some lunch. To our surprise we caught up to some of the members of the group ahead of us. From sharing stories we learned we were certainly not the only ones having difficultly with some of the previous miles. We went on about another 10 miles and called it a night. A good day.
June 1, 2007 38.8 miles 9:00-5:00
What will riding the GD teach you. If you think you have climbed enough...climb again. Today started with a beautiful, and I mean beautiful downhill. 5 miles of downhill at 30 mph = miles in the bank. But however lovely those first few miles were there is a keen awareness that once you go down you are certainly going to go back up. The rest of the day was spent esentially making up those miles and some more. The terrain also began to get much more challenging that the day before. Rutted roots, deep tire marks, and soggy ground, made for some interesting riding through this area.
Around mid-day we past two cyclists coming the other way. It is one of those encouters where a) you recognize you are both riding the GD and b) you want to compare notes. They informed us that the group of cyclists that we had gotten seperated from (due to our stop in El Rito for our tent) were only a few miles ahead - 'we must be making good time.' We also found out the the upcoming 20 miles were going to get really hard. Worsening road conditions and snow covering major sections of the route would make for slow progress. They suggested camping a few miles before the "bad" areas and tackling it in the morning. We did as we were told. We found a beautiful campground on the route and called it a night.
May 31, 2007 42.6 miles 10:30 - 8:00
Yesterday was a rest day. Not that I do not like rest days but it is so difficult to get back on the bike for the first hour or two. We headed out of El Rito after a great breakfast and directly after town we got back onto the dirt road. We also stocked up on supplies because we knew for the next for days we were going to be in the middle of nowhere on our own.
The roads were in good condition but the the entire day was a climb. Around mile 8 I got slightly "lost" and but thought I was on the right track. 20 minutes later after seeing no sign of Ryan I reevaluated the map and realized I had made a wrong turn. From Ryan's perception I realized he was probably on the correct road and he was probably thinking that I was booking it ahead of him. I realized I had to get back on the correct road and catch up to him. The next 15 miles were like a game of cat and mouse. I passes through a small town and asked at the post office if they had seen any one on a bike. 2 miles up the road. Better keep moving. Finally, after about 22 miles I caught up to him. He was relaxing at this "summer store" on the side of the road having a bite to eat. Finally caught.
I also had a bite. The store was sure a welcome sight. After so many miles of cycling, and realizing I had so many more (all up hill) I was eager to refuel. After leaving the tough climb of the day began and it never seemed to end. It was already 2 pm and we had another 20 miles of climbing (2 peaks over 10,000 feet). Slowly but steadily we made it.
As a side note I have to add a comment about cycling such a great distance as this, which one way or another the trip ends up teaching you. You cannot force miles. In fact, you can't force anything. The trip happens because of persistance, determination, and a lot of good luck. May 30, 2007 0 miles - equipment problem
I had a tent forwarded to El Rito so that I could exchange ours which is practically useless at this point. Word to the wise - overnight mail does not work in this neck of the woods. So here I am stuck in El Rito after only a 20 mile day in order to get a tent tomorrow morning at 9 am from the post office. Not such a bad place to get stuck however - good shelter, food, and people - all make for an enjoyable forced stay. Despite the numerous challenging circumstances it is hard to believe that we are only one day behind schedule. I guess another day to rest the legs before a huge climb up to and over 11,000 feet is not such a bad thing. R & R does the body good. Till tomorrow. May 29, 2007 42.0 miles 8:30 - 4:00
The topographic profile for day looked mostly downhill. But at the end of today you could certainly say "looks are deceiving." We seemed to climd and climb all day long. We got to our highest point yet - 10,350 feet. I though I would have some problems with the elevation - but nothing too noticable other than a slightly higher heart rate than usual.
Today was by far my favorite. The climbing was well worth it as the scenary was the best we have seen so far. Looking down from above 10,000 feet is certainly a thirll. I can't wait for a few more day s to get to 11,000. Coming down from the elevation we had to drop back down to 6,000 feet to get into town. The downhill part was not as speedy as I would have thought. Going to opposite direction it is notoriusly referred to as one of the most challenging climbs on the entire trip - when getting off you bike and walking is expected. I was happy that I did not have to dismount at all going down - even though some portions I was thinking I should. But coming down the serpentine road gave way to some spectacular viewpoints - of which I have never seen a parellel before. It is remarkable to go from 10,000 feet to 6,000 in only a few miles. You go from thinking you are in Alaska all the way back to the desert.
What a great day.
May 28, 2007 39.4 miles 8:30 - 4:30-
Today was all climbing apart from the few miles outside of Cuba. Although it was a lot of work, the climbing did not faze me and I got into one of those zones where the miles just seemed to tick by. Lucky for me, Ryan, myself, and the group of cyclists, all headed out of town together. Just out of townmy rear derailer stopped working. Michael and Lee, two of the guys in the cycing group I was referring to, were right behind me and gave me a helping hand. I want to thank them again for their help. What took them a few minutes to fix would have taken me much longer. Their biking expertiese was impressive and I learned something new about my bike mechanics along the way. I guess that what you get when you have 10,000 of thousands of biking experiecne under your belt. In additon to being great mechanics, they were all great company asa well. Michael, was from Germany, and I was able to practice some of my German. Very interesting guy and some great converation climbing to the peak. Lee, was somewhat more researved at first, but as I got to know him I really liked his character. Although there were other people in their group, we seemed to ride together for the remainder of the day. We all set up camp together - ours a little slower then theirs - could it have something to do with the fact that our poles are missing? We finished at 9,400 feet for the day. 3,000 feet of climbing. See you tomorrow. May 27, 2007 0 miles - equipment problems
Getting a late start around 10 am Ryan and I are about the head out of town when he looks at me and says, "Josh, we have a big problem. I do not have the poles to the tent." My mind goes from getting in one of those grooves to start the day to crisis management...what do we do now? With changing so many flats and with all the problems encountered the day before it does not seem as if going back would do any help. The possibility of finding something to rig the tent for a few days while we get a replacment is the only option we really have. As a result, we are forced to spend the day in town trying to figure out how to fix the problem. Cuba, the town has its own charm, but it not blessed with the best services for a hiker or biker. Even talking around town, we are not able to figure out a way of putting together something which could last for a few nights. In the end we decide to stick with our original thought - rig it together with some string and figure out a way of making it a few nights with out improvised living quarters. Getting late, we realize that we need to spend the night and head out the next day.
On a different note, we meet a group of GD cyclists today doing it S to N! Some good company along the way. Definetely a good group of guys with a great background in cycling. Their experiences range from biking across America to biking from the southern most tip of South America to the northern most tip of North America. Quite impressive...makes us look puiny! They end up staying at the same hotel in town in us and we all head out the next day together.
May 26, 2007 65.65 miles 7:45 am - 9:00 pm
What a long day. This trip certainly helps to test ones patients and today was full of those moments. We awoke around 6:00 am. An early awakening for an early start. We knew we had a good deal of mileage to cover so we wanted to get on the road. After breaking down camp we set on the road around 7:45 am but our early start was short lived. Less than 5 miles from camp Ryan got yet another flat tire (I think the count is now up to 19 flats - we probably have set a world record for flats on the Great Divide). For those unfamiliar with flats, changing and fixing a flat is not an all together easy operation. To put in other words, even if everything went as planned the operations still is time debilitating. It takes a good deal of time and gets you out of your cycling groove. We fixed it and moved on.
The terrain we encountered was somewhat challenging. We biked along a terrain consisting of a muddy clay (Adobe) which when wet would become like a cement consistency. Although it was not wet, the rains that had come before left major portions of the road with wide creveses that made it important to focus of your path as you biked along. Biking is not an simple as pushing through a straight line. Rather one has to try and circumvent a number of obstancles on every turn of the road. What is enjoyable for a mountain bike stroll back home can become quite taxing when it is encountered mile after mile. But to make up for the road conditions the scenary was spectacular. We were surrounded by beautiful rock formations that often make you stop and just study them for a while.
What is so remarkable about this countryside is how 5 miles can make a world of difference. In five miles time depending on the elevation and area one can pass through any number of different enviroenments. Today in a 5 miles portion we quickly passes from desert to an area that resembled the plains of Kansas. You really never know what is going to come around the bend....
HISSSSSSSS! As we starting to climb out of the arroyo's I starting to go around a bend and was curving left as I heared a loud hssing sound. I looked quickly to my left to see a 4 foot rattle snake in attack mode about a foot and a half from me on the side of the road. I quickly adjusted the other way in order to avoid yet a more uncomfortable encounter with the reptile. I remember feeling a little tired, but interesting the sight of it evoked that "fight or flight" response and my legs never went so fast for the next mile. After I stopped I thought back to Ryan, who was still behind me - had he made it past the snake? I waited for some time and with still no sight of him I began to head back. A few hundreds yards later I saw him biking up the hill with a huge smile on his face. "Where were you - I was worried..." - he quickly cut me off. "I just saw the coolest thing ever," he exclaimed. "I got a video of this rattler snake a few minutes back...sorry for holding you up." I guess our encouters were somewhat different...or maybe it has something to do with the fact that he is one of those nature guys. Not my kind of scene. I found myself checking the ground a little more carefully the rest of the day.
The next 10 miles were challenging but without mishap. Things were going smoothly. I look back - no sign of Ryan. I figure it is another one of those wildlife encounters. I wait to see him. After I few minutes I again head back and start descending the hill I had just climbed (I hate backtracking - especially on a hill) and see Ryan in the shade fixing yet another tire. Another 30 minutes gone and the heat was just turning up. It must have been getting around 100 as I began to see one of the characterisitc signs of the desert - the heat rising right in front you (I guess the weather channel later that day did not hurt either). We get back on the road only for a few miles when Ryan's tire goes again. All flats by the way are due to these horrible thorns (luckily I have somehow escaped their presence). We both agree to find the nearest shade and fix it again. We find a place by the side of the road and as he is removing the one tire notices that his other tire is flat as well (22 flats and counting). We get under the shade and he spends the next hour fixing both. His patients is wearing thin...if he has any. But who could blame him - I certainly would not be doing any better in his shoes.
On a dfferent note our water in thinning. I am down to two water bottles and we need to find a water source in the next few miles. Finally back on the road we start to push through another good mile portion and find a water source. Things to be looking in our favor. The dirt road even turns to pavement and the terrain worries go away.
By this point we seem to be in better territory but much of the day has already passed and we still have 30 miles to ride. Unfortunatly the upcoming mileage is by any means easy. It is all climbing. It is one of those climbs when you looks at the odometer and it say that you are going 4-5 mph. You can't help but ask youself the question - are we really going to get there at somepoint today. But you push this thought back and dig deeper. Time to climb.
After 6 miles of climbing we get to a seeming peak and take a break. We are at the intersection of the next off-road portion and as we are about to get on the bike Ryan remarks "What do you think of this?" I look at his shocks which he is pointing at, and see to my horror, oil leaking out of one of them. I am by no means a bike expert, but with some bike background it is apparent that something is leaking in his shocks. Now the million dollar question "Can we keep riding." Both of us agree to take a paved alternative to the off-road section. Neither of us know the extent of the problem and don't want to risk it by pounding the shocks even further. A car which passes by tells us that the town, via pavement, is within 15 miles. Not a chance. At the 15 mile mark we ask again. Another 15 someone tells us. Well time to get back on the bike.
All of the road is uphill and my legs are feeling it. I know Ryan must be as well. We pull to the side of the road and have a make shift dinner - we both agree this is probably going to be our dinner for the night. We get to the last 10 miles and the downhill begins and it felt so good. We ended up pulling into town at 9pm at night - pitch black. What a day. 66 miles in over 12 hours. Good night...
May 25th, 2007
Our experience in new Mexico has been great apart from the varying road conditions. We fully understand why the monsoonal rain season could make much of this portion of the route impassible. Our hope is that the rains hold out so that we are able to successfully and efficiently get through this day. Today began with a steep climb. Although we had already climbed 17 miles outside of Grants, the elevation we had to reach required yet another 15 miles of climbing, before we reached to top, 9300 feet, our highest elevation yet. The oxygen was certainly a little thinner than before- but it was good practice for our soon to be days at high elevation in Colorado.
Finally when we started to come down from the mountain we began to pick up a little speed- but oh wait- flat tire #20. Ryan and I have agreed we are probably going to win some type of record for most flats on this trip. After getting back down off the mountain, the directions/road conditions were a little hard to follow in some sections, but the day did leave us with a beautiful camping spot- with a great view of the sunset.
May 24th, 2007
Late start 3:45pm in the afternoon. W had to take care of a number of chores prior to heading out. We had to configure the GPS, go to the post office, and stick up on supplies. If only everyone’s schedules aligned with ours. Oh well, an easy day.
May 23rd, 2007
Often I think it is the case that many of us battle with the idea of whether things happen due to fate or circumstance. I was even on the fence about this issue before, I certainly would have to take fates side after today’s events.
Eating a sub at Subway has never been one of the more eventful things in my life, but today was to be different. Was sitting down trying to figure out my newly purchased GPS when someone inquired as to the reasons for owning such an item. I was quick to inform the inquiring gentleman about my trip- the purpose and what I was trying to accomplish. Often my spiel is met with enthusiasm, but hardly the way in which he reacted. He informed me that he was a governmental employee who was the director of the office of Indian Elder Affairs. He worked and was responsible for many individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. 20 minutes later he invited me to join him in attending the first “Long Term Services Listening Session”. The session was being led in Gallup- a town approximately 60 miles away from Grants. It was a tremendous experience. The secretary of NM- Secretary Armstrong was their with other individuals of the cabinet under Governor Richardson to talk personally with the individuals (the Elders) from the community about problems affecting the area. It was incredible to learn about the issues affecting the community as well as seeing an extremely effective policy of governmental affairs in direct contact with individuals from the population. I was given the chance to introduce myself and meet and converse with the individuals attending. I want to personally thank Ray Espinoza for taking the time to invite me into such an amazing community so I could learn so much.
May 22nd, 2007
Originally the day’s plan was to take it easy. We had already biked a 73 mile day and the thought of completing another seemed at first too large a task. But like many other things that go along with bike touring, nothing really ever truly goes as planned. After passing our initially determined camping spot, the time and our somehow fresh legs wanted a different approach, pushing onto the Grants. It was one of our first flat days where the miles just poured on as our legs pounded along. The scenery was beautiful and I stopped many times to admire the views. Coming into Grants the last 10 miles was not the end to the day I was hoping. Like clockwork just as the sight of the town caught my eye the wind kicked in- of course opposite to the direction I was traveling- 15mph of it. The last miles were challenging, but the thought of staying a warm night in a motel made me push through it.
Grants is a small Community lying along historic route 66. The hotel “The Sands” caught my eye among the many along the side of the road. I thought I had heard of it before and I sure had. In its hayday, The Sands was the place to be- Elvis himself had been one of the guests. I feel into a deep sleep after a bite to eat.
May 21st, 2007
Today we made an attempt to get off the detour (due to soggy conditions) and get back off-road. We did it with success. There was no rain and the roads were in good condition in order to allow us to transverse them fairly quickly. But we did not begin the off road portion until 22 miles into the day. There was another 50 miles to Pie Tow- which was our goal in order to stay on course. Although the roads were in good condition, the elevation that we had to gain was somewhat challenging. We had to climb over 2200 feet in under 10 miles. Please don’t forget the 70lbs of equipment we are hauling around- because it is certainly on my mind while climbing. Did I really need to bring that extra pair of socks?
After pedaling to the medal for a few hours, we finally made it to our destination into Pie Town, famous for, yes you guessed it, Pies! We were all so excited about the chance to eat some but the closed sign hung directly in our way. However, things turned for the better, when I heard a voice yet, “ Hey…wait up” A guy about my age was strolling down the hill. “Riding the Great Divide?” he asked. “Sure thing” He informed us that they were staying at a house in town up the road and we were welcome to join. In order to understand this phenomenon, one must understand “trail magic”. “Trail magic” popped up on the woods off the Appalachian Trail- essential people do things (provide food, water, etc.) for hikers on the trail. This has become so prevalent throughout the trail but because of the GD’s lesser known status – it is not something someone should expect to find. But we did. We were able to stay inside thehouse and the woman who owned the Pie shop in town even brough us some left over pie. The day could not have endedo n a better note. In addition to meeting Lee (the guy who told me about the house) and his girlfriend Jamie, we also met two hikers, yes hikers, of the continental divide. And I thought we were hardcore! These guys can average anywhere from 35-45 miles a day hiking. Looks like our mileage needs to start increasing to keep up with them.
May 20th, 2007
Yesterday we lost about 2,000 feet of elevation, needing to reach almost 12,000 feet by the time we reach Colorado (today’s elevation started at around 4,000 feet), We knew we were in for a tough climb. Right outside of Glenwood the climb began- 20 miles of it. At the 200 mile mark we found ourselves resting at a pass of 6400 feet. It was a small victory in our elevation battle for the sky.
Our victory however was short-lived as the inclement weather moved in quickly around us. With a sign reading “warning- flash floods” we put our rain gear on and take off. The downhill portion, despite the rain, looked spectacular. The serpentine road transversed between the mountains allowing me to have a look from every angle.
Lunch came late but we were all glad it did. We stopped at a place called Adobe. All I can say is if you ever get a chance, visit. I would give their burger a prize as being one of the best ever.
On a different note, today was an important day for me in a few ways. First, I am finally relaxed. Despite having gone on adventures such as this before one always wonders, can I do it again? I has taken until now for my reality around me to set up a daily platform for my daily expectation.s he city begins to look so much more dangerous and I chuckle to think of how I ever had any fears of this adventure in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, there are certainly numerous ways in which things can go wrong. But so many of the “big” worries can be easily avoided and never encountered. Second, life really is a wonderful element. Independent of religious belief, we all have a certain amount of time with which we can choose to spend as we see fit. I feel so alive and blessed to hav been given an opportunity to be on such an incredible adventure. I have woken up and been exited about the anticipation for wat the day might bring. My mind is racing but my body is telling me too close the eyes. Good night.
May 19, 18 & 17, 2007 19th- (detour- route 181) 59.36 miles 10-5pm 18th- 27.0 miles- 12-5 17th- 44.0 miles- 8:30-4
19th-
With the help of them, the husband drove us back to Silver City to embark on an alternate route to circumvent the impassible portions of the rail. The people here have really been great. We started on the road around 10am and covered about 60 miles of ground. For those who ever are in the area I would recommend route 181 wholeheartedly. Absolutely stunning and beautiful. Definitely a highlight in terms of scenery on our trip so far. We ended the day in a small town by the name of Glenwood. A group of touring cyclists invited us to have dinner with tem. Till tomorrow.
18th-
Getting out of Silver City was certainly delayed. We did not end up leaving until 12pm- but I must add it was for two good reasons First, we had to prepare our supplies for the next 250 miles which meant stopping off at the local hardware store, atm, grocery, post office and of course we couldn’t forget breakfast. Second, a reporter from Silver City interviewed me about my trip and took some photos. Very productive but with almost all productive things in life-time is required.
We headed out of Silver City fully loaded and looking like three guys out of some Sci-Fi movie. Cloth draped over my neck, tape covering my nose and a trailer that begs the average person to question- are you moving somewhere-we got a few strange looks. We started to climb and climb. We climbed for about 14 miles out of the city until we came upon Georgetown road. It was yet another dirt road to add to the longest off road bike path in the world. For better or worse-I think better-we started cycling through this off road portion when we became stuck in the mud. The book “Cycling The Great Divide” had mentioned that due to monsoon-like rains some of the roads in New Mexico could become insurpassable. But these rains are supposed to come in late summer and we chose to begin in New Mexico in may just to avoid the dreaded rains. No matter there we were stuck and I mean stuck in the mud. The mud got everywhere. There was so much that often a short time it was impossible to push our bikes. The next hour and a half was spent carrying our fully loaded bikes about half a mile. But despite bad conditions, we were lucky in many ways. It could have been a much longer section which could have left us somewhat stranded and the experience gave us a better outlook of what the next 250 miles of off-road terrain might be like. A problem on Georgetown road would becomea nightmare 125 miles into our 250 mile portion.
We finally managed to remove enough mud and find a clear enough oath of dirt to ride the remaining few miles in the small town of Mimbres. We quickly spotted a small town store and we went in. We discovered that we were not the only ones that had run into problems with the weather. The entire town had been hit by a tremendous storm (hail the size of baseballs). Which had caused significant damage throughout the community. Everyone we talked to tried to convince us over and over again that we were going to nbeed to find an alternate route to bypass the muddy sections of the GD. We did not need much convincing.
A couple from the town saw our situation and were so helpful. The invited us over to use their power washer to remove all of the mud from our bikes. There hospitality was amazing as they let us take showers and also stay inside their garage in case another hail storm was ensuing. They were such a neat couple, full of great stories and experiences.
17th
By now it was mid-day and our water supplies were dwindling. We knew we needed to go a few more miles until better surfaced roads….but the miles seemed to drag on and on. Not helped of course by the fact that I got yet another flat tire (the culprit another thorn called “goat heads” by the locals. After facing the flat we hit an incline that just kept going and going. Lucky for us in a number if ways when we got to the top of the road we came up to a ranch house where we asked for water. Not only did the woman who lived there allow us to fill up our water containers, but she also gave us a bunch of homemade oatmeal cookies. I guess you can say the ordeal ended on a sweet note. The journey for the day was far from over. We had another 18 miles to our destination in Silver City. The 18 miles were certainly “hilly”. We encountered our first real climb which lasted for over 2 miles. It will be a good warm up for the mountains to come. Biking into Silver City we immediately brought our bikes to the bike shop to get many needed adjustments and supplies. Primarily we needed different tubing for our tires. We decided to purchase the heavier but more dependable slim tube- but hopefully we won’t be dealing with such a catastrophic number of flats in the days to come. Also, I had to get my derailer adjusted. Somehow it had been bent and I was having difficulty switching between gears. We ate a hearty meal at a local Pizza establishment, shared our stories with some of the people we met and called it a night.
May 15 & 16, 2007 15th- 46.0 miles 3:10 16th- 43.6 miles 9:50-5:20 It's 9:30pm-day 2. before I left, my father had told me "The first 72 hours are the worst." Dad-you were right. Bike problems have been our number one enemy over the past 48 hours. Consider the factthat in a span of only two days, somehow the three of us (Dennis, Ryan and me) have managed to accumulate 8 flat tires. The culprit for this problem is merely a thorn. A thorn that requires the attention of a keen eye- and with tweezers in the right hand getting ready to remove it from the tire. The tire problem began this morning after waking up and discovering that all three of our bikes had flast. My rear wheel was the only one damaged, while Dennis and Ryan had the problem of changing both. But we are keeping a positive attitude...sometimes that's all you have! Backtrack to our flight into Tuscon, AZ. We get in around 8:30 at night (11:30 our time). After getting a quick bite to eat we head back to our motel rom and spend the next couple of hours setting up all our gear for the following da. Tired but needing to get all of our equiment prepared, we crash at 2 in the morning. the net day we tried to get an early start on things, but to no avail. Dennis had discovered a problem with his hydraulics, but luckily we were able to finda bike shop to repair it that morning. Good news-the bike was fixed. bad news-we still had a five hour ride (car) to our starting point. We made it to the Mexico border around 4 in the afternoon. A late start especially considering the necessity to bike 46 miles to get to the first campsite in Hachita. Luckily, Bill Baube', who came with us on the trup to drive us to the border and see us off carried our equipment in a van to Hachita in order for us to complete the first day before the sun went down. Three hours later we arrived in Hatchita with a rain/thunder storm ensuing. Hatchita, although the maps deem it otherwise had no camping or services available. Our only choice was to spend the night in an abandpned church that one of the books told us was a frequent hiding place for illegal immigrants. It was not the best sleep I ever had but the roof over our heads was a welcome comfort to escape the harsh storm circling the area. 43.6 miles later I find myself lying in the middle of the Chihauhaum Desert (1200 miles long and 800 miles wide)- the largest and highest of the four deserts shared by the US and Mexico. I leave the night with this. Most peole I believe would be more frightened to be in a lonely and desolate place like this than in the comfort there own home. No doubt the vastness of the space needs to be taken into account (i.e. do we have enough supplies). But with supplies sufficient enough, the wide space is a welcome alternative to the fast pace society I live in everyday.
May 8, 2007
Less than a week until we leave. Everything is really coming together. Only a few minor items to add to the list...but everything is essentially prepared. Logistics are now the major item of discussion over the past couple days. We have been talking about the most efficient way to get to the border once we arrive at the airport Monday night. Here is the plan. Bill Baube', a great supporter of the trip, is going to be flying into Tucson, Arizona ahead of time and will pick up a van for the team. When we arrive Monday night in Arizona he will be ready with the van to pick us up and our gear (3 bikes and a bunch of other goodies). Monday night we will stay in Tucson and then Tuesday we will get up early and on the road. It should take us about 5 hours to arrive in Antelope Wells, NM - the starting point of our two month journey. At this point it is game time. Get out of the van, set up our gear, take some last minute photos, and take the first few pedals. WOW! I really can't wait.
In the mean time, there is certainly a number of events going on this week prior to our departure. This morning I recorded the first of many podcast episodes at the NIH radio. NIH will be airing periodic (about every two weeks) podcasts of our adventure. This equates to me calling in every two weeks to the station and giving updates on how the journey is progressing. Additionally, NIH will also be putting together a vodcast (video) as well which should air every month. I am glad to be partnered with NIH with these media outlets.
Wednesday, I have an appearance on 107.3 (Jack Diamond in the Morning). I will be on the air around 6:30 am so be sure to tune in for that. Then Saturday is the annual Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk to be held at the Potomac Valley Nursing Home. I will post more information about the event later in the week. I am going to be giving a brief talk. Also, I will be around for the entire event for those interested in learning more about my trip and asking any last minute questions. I am looking forward to it.
This whole project has been a pleasure to start and work towards. I have met so many phenomenal people who have all made this trip into what it has become. I feel that the community is behind my efforts and this will certainly carry me through the many arduous sections of the trip.
I really am depending on so many people while I am on this journey. I am depending on individuals for moral support, technical support, helping me in raising awareness, in raising fund, not to mention all the other countless ways people will end up contributing to this. In order to raise the support and awareness that I would like it is going to take a team of people working together to make this dream a reality.
Join the "Great Divide Team" and help us make a small but meaningful difference.
April 18, 2006
Less than one month till take off. I am certainly getting excited about the trip but there are a number of things to take care of in the upcoming days. I am finishing my work up at the National Institutes of Health and my last day will be May 11, 2007. I have a number of projects that I need and want to complete before I depart. Outside of work I am organizing things in preparation for medical school. This weekend I am going out to LA to find an apartment, meet my new classmates…essentially set up shop for my next four years at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. I am looking forward to it.
But intertwined between all of these obligations I am training whenever possible. Last night I just did a two-hour spinning session at our local fitness club. Tonight I am doing the same w/ some weight training as well. After returning Sunday night from LA, I am going to be building up the hours of the saddle to help further adjust my body for the daily grind to come. From past experiences nothing truly prepares you for sitting on a bike, day in and out, for 6-8 hours (not to mention lugging about 70 pounds of equipment behind you). So I guess you could say I feel like I am juggling a few things at once. But no worries, it makes me feel alive.
Just to let everyone know, there have been a number of things going on behind the scenes. Tonight I am going to be posting a few pictures from some events that have taken place over the past few weeks. For one, I want to personally thank Bill Baube’ and Lynn Grinder for all their help and support through this project. Bill who read my story in the Gazette contacted me shortly after and wanted to help. Bill and Lynn are very active throughout the community, especially in terms of Alzheimer’s disease. For a few years now they have been actively involved in the Alzheimer’s memory walk through the Potomac Valley Nursing Home. They both have volunteered countless hours and have raised thousands of dollars and I am so lucky to have them as part of my team. It is because of them that this project has become what is has. They have introduced me to so many wonderful individuals that have opened so many doors. As I continually tell everyone I meet, in the beginning I had put so much time into raising awareness about the project and recently the support had simply snowballed into something bigger than I could every have imagined. So big in fact that I now have a team of individuals that are helping me in this fundraising goal. Originally I had believed that raising 10,000 dollars would be a very challenging task. But due to all of the support, our new goal is to raise over 80,000 dollars!
I really need to take this time to thank the rest of my team for all of their support. Thank you to Stephanie Reynolds, my love, that has provided me countless support and in helping me in so many ways. Anyone that has met her would understand that she is an inspiration to me everyday in living life to its fullest. She is going to be taking the reigns of the web site and PR responsibilities during my time on the bike trip. She is going to be contacting all the “major” towns we pass through to make them aware of our trip and the purpose of it. Thank you to Gunner Dahlberg, who works at the Potomac Valley Nursing Home and is the head of the local Alzheimer’s Memory Walk, for spreading the word of my trip to so many valuable communities. Thank you to Jordan Clopton, President of LifeMatters, who has been phenomenal with his companies support in my project and his commitment in helping me raise over 80,000 dollars. Thank you to Ryan McLaughlin, my best friend from high school, that was crazy enough to join me and support me on this adventure. Thank you also to Dennis Chazelle, President of the Montgomery Village Rotary Club, for his clubs support as well as his – he has been so helpful in our training program and he will be doing the New Mexico portion of the trip with us. Thank you to Jarod Williams, our next-door neighbor, for his technical support, friendship, and financial support in our trip – he may also be doing a mid-section portion of the trip with us. Thank you to my parents for always supporting me in anything I set my mind to and to my grandparents for giving me the inspiration for this journey. There have been so many other people as well that have provided support in countless ways to include my friends, colleagues, family, donators, sponsors, and I thank all of you. You all have been an inspiration to me in the power of a dream.
March 6th, 2007 I just wanted to share with everyone one of the many stories that has touched me during my fundraising efforts. It is stories like this which make me strive to make a difference in my life. All these stories will be on mind during the 2,500 miles this summer.
officially sponsored by 
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