We find our way to the north end of town with ease. Most roads have bicycle lanes on the side. This helps navigating even more. We're slowly climbing towards the Catalina mountains.
The Catalina mountains.
It is a good feeling to be back on the road again. All of us together. In warmer weather. We've struggled with the cold weather for over a month. The choice we made this week was the right one. It's time to move on.
Now we are on the south side of Phoenix, we are looking for a road to get to the west side of Phoenix without having to go through town. Our map gives the option Komatke, Avondale, Tonopah. Looks like a plan. There is nothing better then the open spaces to ride through.
Today we are mostly in Tucson and its outskirts which keep on stretching and stretching. We can't tell where one town ends and the other begins. The road keeps on climbing and so are we. We didn't realize Tucson was in a valley, or so it seems.
Climbing out of the Tucson valley.
We have a special new years eve lunch at the Olive Garden. It's sometimes hard to remember the special days of the year. Even on our journey the days sometimes roll into one and other. We certainly can't say that of these last couple of weeks. Dealing with the winter weather. Christmas in Santa Fe. Now Wâtte being here with us. It keeps us in the moment.
Wâtte is our scout today. He's going ahead of us to check the terrain to see where we can camp tonight. He's sharing our journey and finds a place for us to camp at a rv park in Catalina. It's still quite a climb from where we are, but doable. Amarins picks the spot this time. And you can guess, under the one and only street light...
As new years eve celebration we head for the playground at the Burger King. To the girls delight omke Wâtte is climbing into the playground with them. What's even better is that he beats Amarins in a game of cards later on.
With omke Wâtte at the playground
Happy New Year everyone. Be the miracle you want to see.
The first ten miles we climb slowly. From there it slowly rolls down ward through a saguaro desert. The saguaro's are incredible. We thought we'd seen it all in the Saguaro National Park. But this beats it all. The saguaro's are huge and are growing in abundance. It's a truly beautiful drive on Arizona road 79.
After about 18 miles we have a long break. Just as we pull of the road Wâtte arrives too. He notices that we have a flat tire on our trailer. The perfect time to fix it is right here. And who better to help then Jasmine and Robin...
A flat tire on our trailer.
After the break it's Wâtte's turn to be on the bicycle; much to the delight of the girls. They hoot and holler, they sing and whistle. Amarins follows by car. Sometimes ahead, trying to find good spots to take pictures. The men are riding so fast that they sometimes are past the spot before Amarins is properly set up.
Riding with Wâtte.
Again Wâtte has found us a place to camp. This time at the fancy Rancho Sonora. An established rv park with mature saguaro's near Cactus Forest. It's a couple of miles shy of Florence, but that works out just fine. Tomorrow we can take Cactus Forest road to Coolidge and by doing so cut off a couple of miles.
Amarins waits at the entrance to the campground. Just as Bill, the girls and Wâtte pull up, so does a police officer. With his lights on. Very friendly officer. He's just following up on a call. Part duty and part curiosity. Someone had called into the police station to report 'two grown-ups on a bicycle with three girls in a trailer'. He certainly didn't expect our kind of bicycle.
We have a great spot to put our tent. In the grass next to a row of saguaro's. A fence to put our bicycle against and a horse shoe game just a couple of yards away. Just perfect.
Since it's still early we all have a time to clean up before we head to town for supper. We're certainly being spoiled having the car available.
A full moon over your campsite is such a special thing.
Wâtte has checked out Sunlakes and it doesn't look good. It is a town of gated communities. Everywhere he asked he received a no as answer. There are no motels or hotels either. A couple of miles further out of town the desert opens up. There is space to camp on the other side of the interstate. It's five miles further though, but doable.
We follow Wâtte through Sunlakes and grab a bite to eat on our way through. The town is like an oasis in the desert. Green everywhere. Palms and grass, flowery bushes. Amazing what water can do to a desert. Fountains and little ponds spruce it up even more. But when the water stops, the desert takes over.
Just across the interstate we find a wide spot in the road. Just right for a night under the stars. Wâtte did it again!
Playing catch with an orange while we set up camp.
For supper we have a rotissery chicken, freshly from Walmart. Yes, it is undoubtedly true, having a car around is very convenient. We can see why many people travel with a follow car.
As the evening falls we enjoy a beautiful sunset over the mountains. The colors over the desert are incredibly marvelous.
We are very slow at getting started this morning. The girls have found a little bicycle. Bill puts some air in the tire and it's good to go. Even after all these miles they still enjoy riding a bicycle. Cheyenne has not forgotten how to ride by herself. Jasmine needs a little help and hasn't quite got the confidence yet. Robin can handle it pretty well, with Amarins holding the seat. She spins the pedals and steers it wherever she wants to go.
We turn our back to the interstate and ride the extra two mile to Salome road. Going the way we are going it takes us 7 more miles to arrive at exit 81. But at least we don't have to ride on the interstate. The road we're on is pretty good with little traffick. We have more time to look around. By doing so we find a beehive in a tire.
A tire on the road side forms a good beehive.
For several miles we climb up a steady grade. We can see the interstate from up here, but don't hear the noise of it. It's a pretty ride. We are amazed at all the mountains that keep showing up on the horizon. We didn't know this part of Arizona was covered by plains and mountains.
Jasmine is taking a break in an irrigation canal. Just right.
Just a couple of miles before the interstate we have a break. Three fellows in a car have brought us some cold cokes and a bag of chips. The men are retired and are roaming the countryside for old cars. In this low himidity climate old cars barely rust at all. From time to time they find a nice one.
Jasmine is checking the sign. We're getting closer and closer to California.
On the north side of the interstate, the irrigated fields stop and the shrubbery desert begins. It is the desert in its natural state. The girls are wondering where the cactus are. Well, they are not part of this desert. At least not as we can see it from the road. We are to low in elevation for the tall saguaro to grow here.
A lunch spread fit for a king.
We've been climbing most of the day and our legs can feel it. We were hoping to make it within 10 miles of Salome, but that is definitely out of the question now. Maybe another 10 miles, but then it is time to stop. It will be a desert camp tonight. While we are riding we keep our eyes open for a place to camp.
We decide on a site behind some taller desert trees. We don't know what their names are. They look like the mesquite we saw in Texas. We find a fairly flat spot and start setting up. The girls wander off in the desert. They follow little washes and explore the area. They finally settle down to dig a hole for a pretend camp fire. Robin decides on building a playground.
Playing together with what nature provides.
Robin has build a playground out of sticks and rocks.
We settle for a cowboy wash up before we crawl into the tent to call it a day. From the opening of the tent we enjoy a colorful sunset on the mountains.
Getting ready for bed as the sun has set on the horizon.
Sunset over the Pedouin camp on the Harquahala plains.
This was only the first round of swimming. This afternoon we'll go again. Now it is time to rest and nap. Amarins will work on the website. Bill is heading back to town in the hope that the old chain is still at the bicycle shop.
Tired girls from swimming.
Not good news. The old chain has already been thrown away. They put a new sprocket on, but that has not helped any. Even the bicycle repair man admitted we should not have come in. The bicycle is in worse shape now then before we brought it in. The old worn chain worked well with the worn front rings.
Well, thanks a lot. $100 down the drain and this includes two hours of waisted labor. So now we have a new sprocket and a new drive chain, with a hub that keeps locking up and front rings that are worn, thus the drive chain is to tight on the worn rings (follow?)
We are so through with everything breaking down. If it hadn't been for the joy and experience the journey brings to us and others, we would've quit a long time ago. The biggest wear on us right now is the cost of fixing the bicycle over and over and over again. If you haven't had a chance to support us, now would be the perfect time. If not; the website will be here for your entertainment purposes. Read these cheers if you need inspiration before you decide to support us.
All we know to do is to head for Yucca Valley, starting tomorrow. You can track our progress with the tracking device. Its link is located on the homepage. New front rings, the guts of a hub, other sprocket and drive chain are on their way and will hopefully meet us there.
There is little wind this morning. The little there is is coming from the north, north east. Time to load up and take advantage of it! No matter how fast we work it still takes over an hour to get on the road. The road paralels the rail road track. Many names are written with rocks on the side of the elevated track.
Among the many names we spot the name of Cheyenne's friend.
The road rises and drops. It takes us in a relatively straight line closer to the Iron mountains. It's hard to tell how far away they are. The sand in the air makes them hazy on the horizon. To the north we see more sand in the air. It's a sand storm.
The wind is so strong, it's blowing the flags over.
The road signs warn for drifting sand. Cheyenne wonders what it means. As we get to the lowest point of the stretched valley we learn. The sand is blown across the road. It forms a sand snake over the ground. The wind has picked up in strength and is coming more from the north now. It's pushing us forcefully from the right.
With our backs against the wind, to protect our sandwich from the sand.
A break like this doesn't take long. We move on quickly after we finish our food. Bill didn't even get a chance to sit down. The wind would have pushed the bicycle over.
After this quick lunch Robin takes a nap. She doesn't sleep as much any more. Our little girl is growing up. All of them are. When we reflect upon the past five months we have seen them change and mature a lot. We understand that the same would have happened at home. But would we have noticed it as we do now, or would we not?
Happy girls.
After a steady climb, we crest between the Granite and Iron mountains. Off in the distance we see a valley where the mountains have been swallowed by sand. It's an erie yet beautiful sight. A road runs through the valley. A road, we soon find out, is the road we'll be taking towards town. We actually are going to get a closer look of the valley.
The road is going to take us into the desert. Due west we go.
Between the mountains the sun will set quickly. Time to find a camping spot. We see two tiny hills in the distance. That's our goal. The first four miles are free miles. Down down down the hill we go. It's always very rewarding. We have to keep on pedaling so we don't lock up the rear hub. This works very well.
We climb for just a couple more miles to be out of the flood zone. We don't make it to the two little hills. We'll save that for tomorrow. We set up our camp in Cadiz Valley at the foot of the Coxcomb mountains. Tonight we won't put the outer fly on the tent so we can look at the starts as we fall asleep.
Thank you to everyone that have helped keep us safe and keep us on this journey. Thank you for your moral support, your prayers, your cheers. Thank you for a roof over our heads, a meal in our bellies, or the funds to help us with both. Thank you very much. We couldn't have made it this far if you had not been a part of this journey.
For a downhill day, we sure are climbing a lot. Our starting point was five miles north of Yucca Valley. We chose to go west to highway 247 and take this road down into the valley. But before we get there we need to climb. The roads are fairly clean. There is sand in the washes where they cross the road. It's good enough for biking though.
The snowline has dropped to almost 3,500 feet. We're right below it. There are snow covered mountains all around us now.
Once we get to highway 247, we're taking the road. There is a shoulder, but it's filled with sand and rock debris. Now we're going down hill. It is very steep. A good thing Bill has checked the brakes before departure. The signs tell us it's an 8% grade. Both Amarins and Bill are holding the breaks. We're using muscles we've never used before.
We make it safely into the valley and continue our journey on highway 62. We're going to make good time today. We'll go down hill from here. Right? Wrong. As soon as we're to the edge of town we're climbing again. It's finally dawning on us that the name of the town could be an indication of the landscape. Valley = "A long, narrow region of low land between ranges of mountains, hills, or other high areas...". So because we're in the valley, we need to climb out of it before arriving in the next valley; Morongo Valley.
On our slow climb we meet David and Leanne. They ride a quad with their two sons. They saw us last week on our way to Yucca Valley and are surprised to see us here today. Time for an explanation. They invite us for lunch, but with all our climbing we're not as far as we want to be yet. We decide to push on. Only to meet David and Leanne a couple of miles down the road again. With lunch! What a warm gesture. Time for a break. The girls enjoy the company of the big boys.
Lunch with quad riders David and Leanne and their two boys.
David and Leanne tell us to be very careful going down the hill from Morongo Valley into the Palm Springs area. The road is narrow, winding and steep without the comfort of a shoulder. We're taking it to heart and work our way to the other side of Morongo Valley where the descend begins. We needn't worry. We have guardian angels watching over us. This time in the form of David and Leanne. They have decided to be our follow car through the winding part. With their help we make it safely. Thanks once more!
We can't go over it. We can't go under it. So we have to go around it. But where?
Highway 62 takes us to the interstate. Without other alternative we're allowed to ride the shoulder to the next exit, two miles further. It's uphill, so it takes us quite some huffing and puffing, but we make it there. At the Whitewater exit awaits us a surprise. A couple of cars are parked there with a lot of boys waving and cheering. Are they waving and cheering for us? Yes they are! With the interstate behind us, it's a good time for a break and hear their story. They are a boyscout group from the Hemet area and have been out hiking on this beautiful day.
Another surprise awaits us here too. With light blinking, at full speed, a highway patrol man comes barreling in reverse down the off ramp. He's spitting fire. They have been inundated with calls about us riding on the shoulder of the interstate. Although it is not against the law, Officer Groover makes clear that if he finds us along the interstate again, he'll have to 'escort us off'. And we all know what that means. So eventhough it's not against the law, it can be changed in a wink by a couple of phone calls...
When the patrol man has left, we talk some more with scout leaders Ed and Joe. We exchange phone numbers in case we need any help to get to Banning. It's good to have.
We take the exit and curve to the east before the road ends in highway 111. From here we go west again. It's been an intense day. Lots of braking and climbing and now the changed interstate law. We see a housing development a couple of miles away and make that the destination for today. But it is not to be. Highway 111 pours into the interstate before exiting an eight of a mile further into Railroad Avenue. We're stuck on this side.
Should we call 911 to find out if we can go? Should we just go and risk being 'escorted' off? Should we call Dennis for transportation? We decide to do neither. The sun is setting quickly behind the San Jacinto peak. We're not risking the crossing today. We turn the bicycle around to get off the on ramp. Time to find a place to pitch the tent. A couple of shallow sand dunes will be the place. a little out of sight of the road and plenty of space for the girls to play.
Fun in the sun in the sand.
Jasmine and Cheyenne are building castles. In the background on the mountain is a sampling of the many windmills in the area.
Camp is set up. We have time to think about our next step. We call Joe and Ed and see it they can help. We're asking if they can take the girls and Amarins to Railroad Avenue tomorrow. Bill will ride the bicycle the part of the interstate. Joe and Ed immediately agree to help. Peace has returned to the camp now that we have found a solution. We never though this simple downhill day would have been so strenuous.
We didn't stop at a store for fresh food, so we eat what we have with us.
Tonight we are going to stay with Ed and his wife Chris near Hemet. We decide to leave the trailer in the truck and only take food and tools. And we're off again. We ride at the foot of San Jacinto. An impressive mountain. On the other side of the interstate we can see San Gorgonio, even taller then San Jacinto. The snow makes them even more distinct.
It's a steady climb up to Banning pass. 18.9 miles uphill to Beaumont, according to Joe. That's going to take us a while. We can see the tall Indian Casino in Cabazon. Little by little it's getting closer. We're thankful we don't have the trailer with us today. We're in our lower gear and are pushing hard. Then out of the blue we're stuck. The drive chain has wrapped around the rear hub once more. Everybody off!
Total lock up. Chain wrapped around hub again. By releasing the chain, the cassette came detached. Something that has never happened before. Very strange, but Bill can put it all back together again.
We finally make it to Cabazon, only seven miles from where we started this morning. A short stop at a filling station is very refreshing. We ride through Cabazon and allongside the many outlet malls. Lots of people are out shopping today. We ride to the Fields drive exit. Here we need to ride through the Morongo Indian Reservation. A detour, but it avoids the interstate. When we get to the reservation we're thrown for a loop. We're not allowed to enter. Gate closed. We ask an Indian police higher up the ladder, but no, permission can not be granted for us to ride through the reservation. Not even with escort. But there is another way... There is a road on the other side of the interstate that will take us directly to Banning. It's actually shorter too...
What are we to do. Well, we take this shorter road. Shorter perhaps, but full of obstacles. Pictures tell more than words.
This road is not so bad.
It's not getting any better.
We're on gravel, with a swimming pool ahead of us.
We hug the train tracks to get around the water: deep gravel.
It's a total wash now.
We made it! Never thought we'd be mountain biking with our quint.
The roughest miles of our journey for sure. We are so glad we don't have the trailer with us. We wouldv'e been stuck in the wash. It's already in the early afternoon. Beaumont is still seven miles uphill. We keep on pedalling. Up and up, mile after mile. Finally, we make it to Beaumont Avenue, which will take us south off the mountain to Hemet. But before we go, we need to eat. We find a fast food mexican place. Some burritos will be just fine.
One more hill and then we zoom down the mountain. Down down we go. A beautiful ride. Curving and swerving, down to the valley floor. Literally breathtaking. What took us all day to climb, takes us less then an hour to descend. By four we arrive in San Jacinto. We leave the bicycle in town. Joe takes us up to Valle Vista where we'll stay at Eds house. The view from Valle Vista is incredible. To the west we look over the citrus groves to the mountains after which the Pacific Ocean lies. To the northwest we see the Baldy (now San Antonio peak) standing tall, over 80 miles in the distance. To the north is San Gorgonio, the highest mountain in southern California. To the north east is San Jacinto. Here we are on the southside of this mountain, where we were still on the northside of it this morning. A lot can happen in a day.
And the day is still going...
There is a party tonight, because it is Cheyenne's birthday tomorrow! Thanks for putting it together Ed and Chris and everyone else involved too!
What a day. What a couple of days. The most strenuous and intense days of the journey for sure. So far...
The smell of pancakes takes us all to the kitchen. Chris is up and is cooking away. With four children of their own and our three, not forgetting the grown ups, you need to be able to cook up a storm. Delicious.
By detaching the wheels on the trailer, we can load it in the back of the van easily. Chris is bringing us back to San Jacinto where we will pick up our trail again. Thanks for letting us store our bicycle in your garage Rex family!
Happy Birthday Cheyenne!
We're riding and riding and are still in the Hemet area. This is a big town. We stop at the Donut Hut for a celebratory donut. Yumyum. At a mercado we buy some fresh groceries. Then we ride again.
We ride as if we have all the time in the world. We look back often. Just to look at San Jacinto. We made it around it. Incredible. On the west side of town, already on the Domenigoni parkway we meet Joe. He's arranged for a reporter to meet us here.
Cheyenne is sharing the lego's with Jasmine. It was a gift from McKay.
With yet another break it is time to put the spin to it. We're going to stay in Temecula tonight. It's almost noon and we're not yet halfway there. The road is very nice to ride on. It has a broad shoulder and is rolling hilly. Just before we reach interstate 215, in Menifee, we turn left on Antelope Road. This road parallels the interstate for the next miles.
When we get to Murrieta we manouver ourselves across town to the west side of interstate 5. We're thankful for the directions Joe and Ed have given us. We can find our way easily. Riding in a city is not a fast way to get around. Finding the way, stop signs and red lights. But we're getting there.
Temecula is a sister city to a town in the Netherlands.
We stop at Big Boy's for a snack. It's a good place to find out where we need to go next. It also turns out to be a good place to meet people. We're offered a place to stay on the south side of town with David and Cathie. We have a place to stay tonight, but with rain rolling in tomorrow, we gladly take them up on their offer to stay tomorrow.
Hot fudge brownie with icecream. Yummy! From the Big Boy ladies to the birthday girl (with extra spoons for us all).
We ride to the GRN building; Global Recordings Network. John works here. This is where they have recordings of over 5,800 languages and dialects. An amazing operation. We get the grand tour and see the old recording devices in the museum of the building. Very intriguing.
Before we know it the evening comes. Still enough daylight left to ride to John and Rosa's home. We arrive with the sweat dripping off our backs. The girls? They have enough energy to jump around on the trampoline with their new friend Anna. And that's how it should be.
We enjoy the evening in the company of John and Rosa and their children. A loving home. Thanks for having us over.
A busride that takes us all over the zoo. This way we get a good isea about the distances. We take the gondola to the top of the zoo. From here we take the several pathways and escalators to see as much as we can.
What an adventure this is!
The panda is definitely the animal of the day.
The easy way to get up the mountain.
Going back in time with the mammoth.
Janes in the jungle.
The koala family with joey.
Big sister love.
We were able to visit the zoo thanks to James.
Thank you Ray for taking us first to the Wild Animal Park and today to the San Diego Zoo.
Warm, wonderful, generous, special, loving, incredible, kind people. Many many assumptions that proved to be totally wrong. Be it about the landscape, the people, the weather, the bike. Ordinary people on an extraordinary journey of giving and receiving. And the journey continues...
As the sun gets closer to the horizon, our ride arrives. We ride with Annie and her daughter Caitlyn. It is dark as we arrive at the border crossing. Always a tense moment, but all goes well and before we know it we're in Mexico!
