Day 3 Wickenburg AZ (116 miles, 2999 feet)

First, let's go through the inventory of pain.  Left elbow: feeling pretty good. Everything else: hurts.  Feet hurt.  Toes hurt.  Hands hurt.  Fingers hurt.  Neck hurts.  Back hurts.  Seat really hurts. Hair hurts.  You get the idea.  Last night as a lay wide awake at 2am I thought "I probably should have brought some aspirin".  Despite the gallons of water I drank on and off the bike, I was still dehydrated.  We found out that temps on the interstate reached 100. 

Each night since arriving in California had about 3 hours of fitfull sleep.  So at 2:30am, I made a deal with myself.  I'd take the day off to give my body a chance to recuperate.  Day 4 is a big climb day, and I want to be in shape for that.  Five minutes before breakfast I decided that I should probably bike to the first SAG - it was only 40 miles out.  Once I got there, well it was only 22 miles to the next SAG - practically around the corner.  Then it was only 30 miles to the final SAG.  Not sure that I will fall for that ploy again.

The morning in Blythe CA started out perfect, except for one thing: it was in Blythe CA.  I'm sorry if you're from Blythe, but that town is dead and dying.  A complete contrast to Palm Springs where we had been the day before.  Anyway, it doesn't take long to get out of Blythe and onto the interstate.  I did my usual get out early routine.  The temps were ideal at 6:30 am - must have been low 60's.  What I failed to notice right away was that another rider was also leaving early.  It was Wolfgang from Austria (think Arnold Schwarzenegger, but a bit more determined).  He came up beside me, slowed and said "this headwind is refreshing".  I said, "Funny.  I was just thinking the same thing.  Except replace 'refreshing' with 'demoralizing'".  He took off and I could have sworn he said "I von't be back".  He is a great rider.

A few miles before the SAG (at the 40 mile point), I was able to catch and eventually pass Wolfgang.  He was on the side of the road changing a flat.  That meant that I was the first one to the SAG.  The staff were all confused; but the rest of the riders came in shortly.  The ride to the lunch SAG would not be as successful.  We were climbing, temps had risen considerably and we had a headwind.  The pacelines flew past me.  They're always real nice when they pass.  Each one says stuff like "Way to go, Mike" or "You're doing a great job".  Once again, Jay came to the rescue and paced me into SAG.

Just a quick word about pacelines.  If cyclists can ride in a line and very close to each other, there is a significant drafting effect.  Even the rider in front gets a slight reduction in drag.  By taking turns at the front, the paceline can travel much faster than a person on his own because each rider in the paceline conserves energy when they are not in front.  There is a danger, however, with pacelines. If your front wheel touches the back wheel of the person in front of you, you go down.  If the person in front slows up or stops pedaling for just an instant, there is a chance that person behind will run up on his back wheel and go down.  The person in front,and each peson behind, must maintain a very steady pace.  Furthermore, the person in front is responsible for pointing out road debris.

This part of Arizona is pretty desolate.  We spent about 70 miles on Route 60, which has been designated the "Loneliest Road in America".   It is just flat, empty desert with mountains well in the distance.  As we progressed, we saw more and more cactus.  Every once in a while, there is an RV park.  It is so strange - miles and miles of nothing, then this RV park in the middle of nowhere.  These are long term RV parks, with trailors that have been there for decades.  Who are these people hiding from?  Jay thinks it is a dumping ground for the federal witness protection program.

After lunch and about 15 miles from the 3rd and last SAG, Paul and Brian came up behind me.  They had mechanical issues that required help from Jim, the mechanic,which explains why they were behind me this late in the day.  Paul and Brian are both excellent cyclists and sandwiched me in between them for a paceline to the last SAG.  They purposefully kept to a slower pace so that I could stay with them.  We were hammering along at 20+ mph - this is a flat road with a pretty heavy side wind.  And this was keeping to a "moderate" pace - which was a good 5 mph faster than what I was doing on my own.  Everytime I was beat and thought I would have to drop out, the guys would slow up the pace until I could get it back together.  Like I've said before, we have a great group of cyclists and it is a pleasure to ride with each one of them.

Tomorrow (Day 4) is a killer day with nearly 10,000 feet of climbing.  Furthermore, it is supposed to be near freezing and precipitation is in the forecast.  I'm still in a deep deficit.  My legs are coming around, but it may not be soon enough.  Last year, my thighs blew up on one of the climbs about midway through.  I just couldn't continue and rode in the van for the rest of the day.  So this is fair warning that I may have to cut it short tomorrow.  We've already had two trips to the hospital, and I don't want to be responsible for the third.

On that note, the rider who went to the hospital last night for IV work was back and riding in great form today.  I don't know how.  If I had IV work, I'm calling in sick the next day.