Day Four

I’m in Twentynine Palms, at the NE corner of Joshua Tree National Park. Winds continue to be helpful, though I’m getting flats at a rate of two a day. So it kind of evens out. 

This morning I woke early and started the climb to Yucca Valley. Now it’s mostly downhill, gradually, to the Colorado River at Parker, AZ, 110 miles from here. I’ll camp somewhere in the brush tonight. The skies are clear so I will get to see the famous Mojave Desert night sky.

My body feels good. I’m holding up. This riding to an heart rate is a good approach for endurance. As long as I stay fueled and watered, I don’t seem to be wearing out as the day unfolds. Everything with a bike, other than riding, is complicated. I just texted Frances that it’s like hauling around a large dead animal. Just awkward! So the chores of daily living take longer, and the days don’t seem long enough. I am fortunate to have this tailwind. It’s helping me stay on pace while I figure out how to live on a bike. 

I’m also fortunate to be running into nice people, everywhere. Folks I meet are nice. Drivers are nice. All you back home, or wherever you are reading this, are nice. I was fixing a flat at the side of the rode today and two different people stopped to see if I was okay. Nice.

From here I head into the longest stretch of desolation of the whole trip. 110 miles of nothing is a long way. There will be a few people out there, but no services. I’m taking plenty of water and food, and powering every battery I can plug into a Starbucks table. Then it’s off through nowhere to somewhere east. You may not hear from me for a couple of days. It’s a great time for you to donate to the Ride for Kids! Click the button and help us out. Thanks!

I’d love to hear from you. Donate to the ride and send along your words of encouragement and tell me why getting kids outside matters to you.