Jim

Jim
Let the Adventure Begin

About Me

Las Vegas, NV, United States
This is my 2008 grand adventure...riding a bicycle with 35 international bikers across Europe, following the Danube River along the Orent Express route through eleven countries. The ride is 4000km over 50 days of which 39 are ride days with camping and 11 are rest days in hotels. Our tour group, TourdAfrique, provides a tour leader that provides directions and transposts our luggage, a mechanic, and a chef who promises gourmet local cuisines. We start out in Paris on June 1 and travel through France to Germany, where we pick up the Danube river. We then follow the Danube through Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. Then we ride cross country through Romania, Bulgaria, and finally Turkey, where we finish in Istanbul on July 20.

May 18, 2007

May 18 Day 6 Prescott to Cottonwood


Today was a fun day, riding only 45 miles to Cottonwood and climbing 2600'. Since the ride day was relatively short, Tracy let us sleep in an hour and hit the road at 8:15.

I woke up at 6:00 and went down to the lobby for coffee, only to find most of the bikers were already eating breakfast. Some of them said they were so tired from the previous day's climbing the were in bed asleep at 9:00 pm.

We agreed to have a leisurely ride and have a long lunch in Jerome, because we couldn't get into our rooms before 1:30. Prescott has a beautiful old down town and lots of new construction on the outskirts. No sooner than we got out into the country than my riding group charged by and I had to join for another day of racing. So much for an easy day. The ride up to Mingus Pass was 2000' of climbing through Ponderosa forest with perfect weather. We had a break at the 7000' pass and flew down the mountain to Jerome.

At Jerome we had an hour lunch at the Jerome Hotel where they specialized in haunted hamburgers. We got lots of stares from customers, but find the motorcyclist want to chat with us. Everyone inhaled their lunch and then it was down to street to the English Kitchen for world famous pie. The best part of this long distance biking is we get to up our calories to 6000 a day.

The lunch talk centered on who had the biggest saddle sores and how to treat them. One of our doctors recommended putting a banana in your shorts. He is a retired heart surgon, so what does he know.

Tonight we are bedded down at the Cottonwood Best Western, next to the best Mexican restaurant in town, where Sandra and I eat when we visit her cousin. Tracy has us go across the street to the Sizzler where we can have a buffet. Forty of us thin bikers piled into the place to chow down and found the folks staring at us are huge 300 -400 pounds. This is a big deal for Terry, who is noting which restaurants across America have the biggest customers, so he can warn Canadians when he returns to Alberta.

Stats: 45 miles, 13.7 avg mph, 2600' climbing, 3 1/4 hours riding, 40 mph max speed.

6 comments:

kelly said...

amazing!
Pictures are great. Sounds like you might need radar detector soon! Patrick totally impressed by the spiked helment of the lady in the group picture.
Praying for all of your safety and blessings of being able to enjoy Gods gifts!

Hollisters said...

Wow!! What an adventure. I would not let the competition take me over. I would have some leisure rides. Keep up the great work!! We are so proud of you!!!!

Javin said...

That is pretty amazing! Not sure how the banana works though. You'll need try it and let us know. Beautiful scenery! Keep having fun - we're all thinking about your great adventure and wish we could be there with you!

Unknown said...

Jim WOW.... There is no way that I would be able to do what you are doing. I'm glad that you are having good time.
I am going to have to go to Jerome to eat some of the haunted hamburgers.
Keep it up...just a few more weeks to go.... ha ha!

sandra said...

HI,
So glad all is going well and you are not getting saddle sores! Are you partying tonight before your day off? I am reading your blog daily, but still need you to call. Keep on truckin'.

Tom Ryan said...

At some point, somewhere, someone in the group will decide to eat somewhere other than the ride selected spot, and speaking from experience, the sooner the better, so if you and Terry see a place that looks interesting -- go for it! You have my blessing to break free from the group. And besides, the group can use a break from Terry and yourself . . .