Monday, October 31, 2016

It was a "BOO"tiful day in Arizona!




The sun was shining, Glenn was very well rested and 
we both had new attitudes after yesterday's difficult start!
Glenn left Globe at 7:30 AM and was thrilled that his
route was a straight shot across Rte. 70 for 72 miles.
No turns, no GPS required today!







My drive was also very easy so I 
could really concentrate on the 
spectacular scenery  









A small airport in the middle of nowhere!

























Local people refer to the entire mountain range southwest of Safford as Mt. Graham. The actual name "Pinaleño Mountains" comes from an Indian word meaning "many deer", or "deer mountain." The summit of the Pinaleño MountainsMount Graham(also known as High Peak), is at an elevation of 10,720 feet.









Found Glenn along Rte. 70 about 42 miles into today's journey.
All smiles and no complaints!   The temps made it to the 
low 80's today which sure beats the 90's yesterday!   








You know how much I love to find bike related signs on our rides.
Well, not one thing today. No bike lane signs or share the road signs.
You'll see below, the most interesting signs I could find on this route!




























This entertained Glenn as he took a break!
Considering how many times we have seen cotton
fields in the southeast, this is the first time he has
seen how it is picked by machine instead of man.







I was hoping to see some animals....I'm on
a Southwest safari....all I saw were cows and horses
behind fences.   Maybe tomorrow!













We were amazed to see many cotton fields as
we entered the Safford area!

 Agriculture is considered to be a main economic product with cotton 
fields and a gin located in the city. A billboard along US Highway 70
 announces "Safford .... Copper, Cattle & Cotton".






No tumbleweed yet, but cotton balls blow across the road!












We never tire of this kind of scenery!






While living I want to live well.....Geronimo

I was born on the prairies where the wind blew free and there was 
nothing to break the light of the sun. 
I was born where there were no enclosures....Geronimo













Didn't see any stagecoaches or tracks but 
it is easy to envision early life here. We thought 
that we could find some historical info about this
road but none came up.  It does run through an
Apache Reservation and is lined with farms
with views of volcanic mountains. 








Back to the Future!  
This phone looks like my dad's first car phone - 
big, bulky, and difficult to stick in one's pocket or purse!
Knowing that we would be in some rather desolate areas,
we thought that renting satellite phones would be wise so
that we can also communicate on the road.  Thankfully, we 
have not had to use them yet.   Tomorrow may be challenging!





Today's Stats!

Glenn rolled into Safford, AZ around 1 PM.
He pedaled 73.41 miles in 4:36 hours!  
The ascent was 1819 feet...rolling hills but no
mountains to climb today!

In case you wonder how he replenishes these calories
during the ride....he eats 2-3 peanut butter and nutella/honey
sandwiches, a piece of fruit, homemade trail mix and
his camelback and two water bottles are filled to the brim
each morning.  Today he couldn't resist stopping for 
a root beer float in Pima, AZ because the 20 or more
signs along Rte. 70 for Taylor's Tastee Freeze lured him in!
















Help us answer this question and win a logo decal like this one above!






As we wander the roads here in the Southwest, the scenery 
reminds us of this print that hangs in our office at home 
(minus the water).  At one time, we knew the name of the 
artist but those brain cells are gone and we have given up 
trying to recall it.   Decals to anyone who can help us!













Sunday, October 30, 2016

On the Road AGAIN!





It is always bittersweet to embark on these
 cycling adventures for I Care I Cure.   
Glenn loves to bike, I love to travel 
and we both loved our nephew, Ian, 
and dedicate this ride to his memory.




After months of preparations, we are finally on the road again!
We arrived in Phoenix on Friday and were picked up at the airport by 
our Buick salesman who helped us lease our new SAG vehicle 
in Arizona so that we could avoid renting an SUV here! Great
timing for the need for a new lease! Thanks to Erez and
Brett from Van Buick for helping to orchestrate this!







We decided that it might be helpful if Glenn did a few miles on Saturday to cut down the trip today.  I drove him to Tempe and he pedaled the 17.5 miles back to our hotel.   This plan was not without drama!   About 1 mile into the ride, Glenn discovered that the battery for his electronic gear changer was missing. This meant that he had to do this ride in one gear.   Not an issue yesterday because the terrain was flat but that battery was a necessity to continue.   Since Glenn's bike is a few years old, the gear changing mechanism is obsolete and the battery is not readily available.   After we retraced all of the mornings steps, we were in panic mode. Enter Evan Green, a family member with biking community connections in  the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.  Amazingly, they found a new battery at a bike shop and we were relieved and stress free after that!  Thanks, Evan and Paul! Bike equipment crisis was averted!   Hope its the only one on this trip!





New day,  New SAG vehicle, New ride for I Care I Cure!

Glenn took off from Tempe yesterday at sunrise to ride the
17.5 miles back to our Scottsdale hotel.  We celebrated the rest of
the day with family for Lauren's bat mitzvah! Congrats to all!











The scenery in this area is stunning....This was my view at
breakfast after I dropped Glenn off in Tempe.










The stats for yesterday's quick ride:


Notice that the elevation only changed 210 feet....good thing!





We woke to this beautiful sunrise today!
 We are hopeful that this is a good 
omen for this adventure!







Glenn took off from the same point as yesterday, heading south and
east this time.  Notice his new logo cycling jersey!









A photo of me in my "cheerleader - SAG supporter" shirt!
You'll notice that there are few photos of me that are not
selfies since I spend many hours on my own each day!







Thanks to Sharon and Joe, Glenn's sister and brother-in-law, (below)
 for seeing me off and getting a non-selfie photo as I set off to meet up with Glenn!   
Couldn't convince them to ride along with me!












First sign that we are in a desert area!  
More about this special cactus later in the blog








My drive-by shootings.....not much traffic today so it was 
possible to stop right on the road to take these shots!















The next few are Glenn's photos from the road.
He has a much more "up close and personal" opportunity than I
do in the car!   The scenery was magnificent today!




Cell service was remarkably good on this road :)
Usually palm trees mean vacation to us but this one
has double meaning.  Can't have enough cell service
when we do these rides.  Nothing worse than not being
able to communicate with each other on the road!





The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is one of the defining plants of the Sonoran Desert. These plants are large, tree-like columnar cacti that develop branches (or arms) as they age, although some never grow arms. These arms generally bend upward and can number over 25. Saguaros are covered with protective spines, white flowers in the late spring, and red fruit in summer.












The segment today was from Phoenix/Scottsdale to Globe, AZ.

Globe is located in the heart of Arizona's magnificent Tonto National Forest and is surrounded by some of the most spectacular mountain vistas in the Southwest. It has a colorful history, punctuated by mining discoveries and is supposedly named for a globe-shaped piece of pure silver found nearby. The mining and ranching economic base is still a major factor in the city's economy.






Cacti everywhere!













Entrance to Devil's Canyon Tunnel



Devil's Canyon is noted for its sharp ridges, rock strata and cathedral-like tower formations that illustrate the enormous geological pressures exerted on the region. The mineral wealth of the area is credited mainly to these forces. The Queen Creek Gorge, Bridge and Tunnel can be seen on a drive through the canyon.






While you see Glenn dismount from his bike here, you miss the next scene which was his utter exhaustion.  After doing two long inclines in 92+ temps, his body could not go on.  Thankfully, he decided to hop in the car with me and call it quits for today. I'm proud that he realized his limits this afternoon....after all, this is the first day of MANY!  

Glenn's code for today's ride is W-E-T!
Wind - Temperature - Elevation were his enemies!



 Today's stats!

Comparing yestersday's ascent of 210 feet to today's 2876 feet, its no wonder that today was a much more difficult day.  I guess we'll have to replace those calories at dinner tonight. About 3/4 of the restaurants here in Globe are Mexican cuisine. I have a feeling that will be the case for the next few weeks! Anyone have a favorite dish to recommend?










Pre-dinner nap!   After all, it all starts again tomorrow morning.
No worries, he'll be fine!  

Tomorrow we head to Safford, AZ which is about a 
72 miles ride.  We hear that the terrain is a little less mountainous
which will be appreciated if its hot again.  Weather.com has
promised us cooler temps as the days go on!

We are so happy to have you all on this journey with us.  
Thanks for your support, love and good wishes!
Be in touch when you can and watch for trivia games soon! 





Not an hour goes by, on these rides, that we don't think about our nephew, Ian, and his battle with leukemia.   It is so important that there be a change in the approach to treatments for childhood cancers.  Our donations go directly to research facilities that are working on targeted therapies that are more humane and less toxic to our kids.   This devastating disease has touched so many of our lives. 
We decided to do this crazy journey to make a difference!