2017 09-25 Safford to Duncan
(41 miles)
We leave Safford today as a group, something that does not
happen too often. From the camp ground,
the entire group road a few blocks to the local IGA market and waited for
tonight’s cook team to shop. Duncan
has limited stores and supplies so the groceries we need for tomorrows
breakfast and lunch must be purchased here in Safford and carried to Duncan . This requires a group effort with each person
helping to carry a small part of the purchased goods. Fortunately we will eat at a restaurant tonight,
which greatly reduces the amount of supplies we must all carry.
The ride was easy enough, and the last 9 miles where down
hill into Duncan . The group arrived into Duncan
at close to the same time, all eleven stopped at the same restaurant, and ate a mid afternoon lunch. Finding the same place to eat in such a small
town is not that difficult a thing to do, and bikes parked outside a restaurant
seem to lure subsequent riders who need to join in the festivities. The place had good food and it was a relaxing
place to spend some time. No one was in
a hurry to rush off to the community park where we will spend the night. It is
a clean park but the thought of spending several hours just waiting for dinner
did not seem appealing.
After setting up their tents, some went to the local library which has WiFi access and a
place to site and write. Others stayed
in the park. Dinner tonight is at a
local pizza shop, only a block from the park.
Go two blocks in either direction and your out of town. And as for showers, there are none in the community park. The local school has offered to allow us the use of there showers at 6 o'clock tonight.
2017 09-24 Globe to Safford (78 miles)
Tom and Patrick get to cook for the group in Sanfford tonight . Cooking is not a favorite part
of the group shared responsibilities and the long days ride we face today, with
the possible late arrival into Safford, just make the cooks that much more
anxious.
Patrick has become the second unfortunate sole in the group
to be forced to end the ride early. It
seems an old injury he suffered many years ago has flared up and resulted in a
torn meniscus. Any cyclist knows the
importance of healthy knees, especially with the extreme pressure placed on the
knee joint during strenuous hill climbing.
We have done a lot of climbing lately and it is not going to be any
easier in the days ahead. We wish
Patrick well and a safe journey back home. We will miss his always pleasant personalty.
Tom is now faced with a little more of a challenge, but
someone will step in to take Patrick’s place.
Tom left Globe at 4:45 AM this
morning with Joe as a riding partner, and hopes to get to Safford in ample time to shop and
prepare a meal for eleven hungry cyclists. The first twenty miles of their ride required the use of headlamps, as it was still to dark to see the road without them.
The ride to Safford was relatively easy and uneventful. Ample stopping places along the route made it possible
to replenish ones energy with something cool and refreshing to drink, something other
than the warm water we carry. This part
of Arizona does not present a lot
of picture taking opportunities.
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