Date: 2008-03-10
From: Blythe, CA

To: Glendale, AZ
Miles today: 0.0

423 miles done on Southern TierIt's been a while since my last update....and even though we've been very busy, we haven't made many miles yet. The story follows....... :-)We left Blythe, CA and were eager to enter a new state. We crossed the Colorado River which separates CA from AZ in this area. We had a short day planned because of services and we were hoping to run into EZ who emailed me he was leaving CA today and heading home to the East.It was an easy ride to Quartzsite, AZ. We rode through town looking for the best motel. When we got to the other side of town, we headed back....stopping for lunch.The waitress said not to stay at the 2 motels in town, so we ended up on the west side of town again.We never heard from EZ, so we went ahead and ate dinner. It was a couple days later when I finally heard from EZ. He had drove through town looking for us, but didn't get my email with my cell number till he got home. The next day was also an easy day riding into Salome, AZ. We did climb almost 3000 ft all together on our bikes though....and rode on I-10 for about 15 miles or so before heading off on Rt 60.We stopped for a snack in Brenda,AZ and got talking to a couple who had a friend that walked the AT a couple years ago. They couldn't remember his trail-name, but his real name was Brian Gunlock. Anyone know his trail name?It was a nice ride through the desert to Salome, AZ where we spent the night.I think the thing that has surprised me most on this trip so far is the fact that we really haven't seen much in the way of wildlife.I have spotted 2 roadrunners, but Mrs Gorp has yet to see one. I have a roadrunner sticker for her bike when she does see one. :-)We also haven't seen much roadkill and only one set of animal bones in the desert. We saw lots more of that stuff last year through the central and northern US.We ate Mexican again in Salome. I asked the lady that owned the motel about breakfast in the morning. She told me that there was a really good place in Wendon, AZ, just 5 miles down the road, so that's were we headed the next morning.It gets up in the 70's during the day, but the mornings are nice and cool....usually about 40 degrees.....and I can't believe how many sunny days in a row we've had.We road through Wendon and found the coffee shop. I was standing over my bike checking my watch because they didn't open till 8am, when the lady opened the door and said to park our bikes and come on in.It's called Ingredients Coffee House....or Way Cool Coffee House, depending on which sign you look at. :-)It was very uniquely decorated by women, for women.....but I felt right at home because they served good coffee! :-) Their coffee and their breakfast was very good! We enjoyed the crazy ladies who ran the place. They made breakfast fun. :-)We rode on and came to Aguila, AZ about 30 miles later. We stopped at a place called Coyote Cafe and had a very good grilled chicken breast, avocado and thousand Island sandwich.There isn't much out here in the desert, but we've been eating good!We headed on to the next town of Wickenburg, AZ which was about another 25 miles away.Wickenburg is evidently known for it's cowboys. It's a pretty good sized town.I spotted a Safeway grocery and pulled in. It was downhill into town and I didn't want to ride uphill later just in case I decided to come back.Mrs Gorp stayed out with our bikes while I went in.....just to have a look around. ;-)I had groceries when I came back out!I had a rotisserie chicken, potato salad, potato chips and dip, popcorn, 1/2 gallon of lemonade and some sticky buns. I shouldn't go into a grocery store hungry. :-)We worked on finding a way to carry everything across town. Mrs Gorp was tired of eating Mexican food in CA. :-)We ran into a bike rider from Wickenburg about 20 miles before we got to town and he recommended a motel on the east side of town, so we headed there.We ate a BIG dinner! :-)Mrs Gorp had spotted a theater 2 doors down from the motel that was playing a movie she had wanted to see since hearing about it from the Academy Awards.She said it was called Juno and it was a chick flick, so I wouldn't like it.I said that I would because they have movie theater popcorn at movie theaters! :-)We both went and I actually really enjoyed Juno.....and the popcorn!We left town the next morning and were heading into a busy area on the outskirts of Phoenix, AZ called Glendale.We came to a small town of Morristown and Mrs Gorp wanted to mail home her Bowie knife. She found it laying along side the road in the desert. I had found a $60.00 Leatherman tool knife the other day too.We kept riding and started getting into lots of traffic near Surprise, AZ.We stopped for a quick snack and Mrs Gorp put La Zorra's address into her GPS. We headed into Glendale, AZ and I got to a road and turned right to get to La Zorra's. When I looked in my mirror, Mrs Gorp was standing over her bike with her hands on her hips, back at the corner I turned at.I turned around and went back to see what was the problem. She said La Zorra lived in the other direction.I think Mrs Gorp would have stood there with her hands on her hips for an hour or more waiting on me if I hadn't seen her. Boy is she lucky. ;-)We rode her way and made it to La Zorra's home in about 5 minutes.La Zorra and I have emailed each other a number of times, but this was the first time we'd met in person. I really like the way this journal allows me to meet people who I would otherwise never meet. She has a beautiful home and an inviting swimming pool in the back.....and she opened her home up to Mrs Gorp and me!Thanks La Zorra!! :-)We all went out for dinner. Mrs Gorp was happy because we didn't have Mexican....we had Chinese. :-)We watched a CDT video of Savant's '05 hike when we got back.We had made arrangements to rent a car here in Glendale, AZ for 3 days. We picked up the car the next morning and Mrs Gorp and I left our bikes at La Zorra's home and headed to Flagstaff, AZ to see another Trail friend by the name of Phoenix Rising.We drove to Flagstaff and Mrs Gorp couldn't believe the difference.....lots of Ponderosa pines at Flagstaff's 7000 ft elevation compared to the desert around Phoenix.We were treated to (and Chief should be impressed) a night at the Symphony by Phoenix Rising.It turned out that when I called Phoenix Rising and told her when we could stop by that she and a friend by the name of Trail Mom had plans to go to the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, but she got 2 tickets so Mrs Gorp and I could join them. We all headed there for a great evening!We had a special treat because world renowned Alexander Fiterstein was performing with the symphony tonight.I was the only one at the symphony wearing short pants.....and it wasn't even all that cold. maybe in the 30's or so. :-)Riding a bicycle across the country opens up lots of adventures you would never get to witness otherwise. :-)Thanks Phoenix Rising for treating us to the symphony! :-)We crashed on the floor at Phoenix Rising's home and when we woke up, we went to The Place for breakfast.This is a university town with Northern Arizona University here and The Place is where lots of the students eat....large and inexpensive portions.....very good!Mrs Gorp and I left Flagstaff, AZ and headed up to the Grand Canyon.I had told her she would say "Wow" when she saw it....and she just rolled her eyes at me......well, she said "Wow" a lot! :-)We got a room at Yavapai Lodge, then rode the shuttle bus to the western part of the canyon and walked back about 5 or 6 miles along the rim. We got snowed on some, saw the canyon way better than from a car or a bus and got a little exercise. I heard lots of Oohs and Aahs coming from Mrs Gorp all day. :-)We got some great shots of a large bull elk that was only about 35 yards away.When we got back to the rim lodges, we heard a couple singing and playing guitars in one of the lounges, so we went in for some really good music and a couple beers. Our dinner was a hotdog and some chips, but that was enough.We got a late start the next day by stopping at El Tovar for breakfast, then starting to head back to Flagstaff going out the east exit of the canyon.I overheard a lady talking about the condors that just got back Wednesday from their migration. I got Mrs Gorp and headed out to see if we could find them. Neither of us had ever seen one.Well, we were walking along the rim looking and a pair of condors flew right over our heads. Those buggers have a 10 ft wingspan! We watched them till they effortlessly disappeared across the canyon, then headed east again.We stopped at all the overlooks and really felt like tourists....getting out of the car, snapping some photos, then heading on. :-)We spotted a coyote about 20 yards away from us near the east end of the canyon and watched him a bit.We headed backed to Flagstaff for the night and took Phoenix Rising out to a steakhouse where the waiters and waitresses are theatrical students from NAU and get up and sing in between waiting tables.Trail Mom's sons, Bo and Bjorn have hiked some or all of the AT. (I forgot to write that earlier)I called Zulu and talked to him a while. He's a good Trail friend and I had hoped to get over to Prescott, AZ to see him, but we had to have the car back to Glendale in the morning.We did leave early enough the next morning to take a side trip through Sedona, AZ on the way back to Glendale.I've seen all these places a number of times, but I'm trying to make Mrs Gorp a more worldly person! ;-)We had the car turned in by 9:55am.I had bought new tires for my bicycle in Flagstaff and couldn't wait to try them.La Zorra brought us back from the car rental place and I went right to work on the bike.They are FAT tires! I like the way my bike looks with them on and it should ride smooth a silk now. :-)La Zorra is planning on riding half a day with us tomorrow, so I fixed her bike up. Took the tires off and checked the tubes, put a new wheel on the back, adjusted brakes, and put a different saddle on and adjusted it.We had a nice late lunch on the patio. It was 70 degrees and sunny again.There's nothing better than being around Trail friends and taking time to play. Hope I never grow up! :-)Back to putting some miles behind us tomorrow.Oh yeah, I sent about 23 pictures to Hammock Hanger to post in my photos section too. :-) NOTE FROM HAMMOCK HANGER: 8-) Egads!!!!