San Diago to Messa – Mike's Bike Adventures

March 19, 2016

mikebike — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 11:04:23 +0000

March 19, 2016, from my couch in Wisconsin and a long ways from the Pacific ocean . I feel like I gave it my best shot and I’m happy with that. I had a great ride from San Diego to Phoenix. The weather was near perfect and I was blessed with tailwinds almost every day. I met wonderful people and saw our beautiful country at Bicycle speed . And I have a lot of great support from my family and friends who followed me every day on this blog. I am most grateful for my friend Jim and his wife Trish for plucking me out of the desert when my knee decided it was done. The news from the doctor is mostly good. He believes the ligaments and tendons are inflamed big time but not torn or broken. 4 to 6 weeks of anti-inflammatories and a knee brace and the knee should start to respond to the healing process. If not, then they will contemplate a MRI and surgery.
Horse (my bike) is scheduled to arrive back home on Monday via FedEx. I will be off the bike for at least a couple months. So no more attempts at continental crossings for this year. Once again I am reminded that the my best laid plans are subject to a power greater than me. It’s not always easy to accept, but anything else would be insanity on my part. It’s easier just to be grateful for the opportunity and then dream about taking another chance at it someday. I hope you’re dreaming today, and I hope you take that chance when it is offered, whatever it may be. Good bye for now,
May the luck of the Irish shine upon you,
Mike and Horse

March 13, 2016

mikebike — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 16:37:54 +0000

March 13, 2016, Mesa Arizona to sunflower Arizona 35 miles 537 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The day started out great. Had breakfast with my friend Jim and his wife Trish who were kind to hosted me the last couple days. Horse is back in running order after a trip to the bike shop for a new tire and chain cleaning and gear adjustment. The couple days of rest and massage has help my knee. It’s a beautiful morning to climb Usery Mountain Pass. The desert is in full bloom and flowers are everywhere. Within 20 minutes of climbing I stop and take off my warm weather gear. There are beautiful views from the mountain pass of the valley below. It’s full of big cactus standing there looking like centuries guarding the mountain. I turn north onto the beeline Highway and start climbing up Sugarloaf Mountain Pass. My left knee starts to ache then throb and then I hear a pop. I climbed the next pass with one leg and then decide this is really stupid. My knee swells to the size of a grapefruit. It feel like somethings is torn inside the knee cap. I feel disappointed but I need to except that this might be The end of this journey but it has not sunken in yet. At least that is what my body is telling me today. I call my buddy Jim and he comes and rescues me from the desert. I will spend the next couple days packing up horse and finding a flight back to Wisconsin. I want to thank all of you for your good karma and support. I reminded myself that I have nothing to prove and that it’s been a great trip from San Diego to Phoenix. And maybe someday I will be all healed enough to try it again. I have a lot to be grateful for today. Signing off
Freebird and Horse

March 10, 2016

mikebike — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 09:02:41 +0000

March 10, 2016 Sun City Arizona to Mesa Arizona 65 miles 492 miles from the Pacific and another nice day to be on the bike. Horse and I left my friend Tom’s house after a light breakfast. Highway 60 was crowded with cars and trucks and the shoulder sucked. I picked up a nail in the rear tire. Just happen to be in front of the tire shop. A nice guy named Joe let me use the shade in his garage and horse and I were quickly back on the road. We Soon turned off Highway 60 onto the Arizona bike trail that crosses the city of Phoenix following the canal system. It was quiet and beautiful and without traffic and Horse I made good time. I stopped at Subway for lunch and wolfed down a foot-long. About a mile down the road the front tire went flat after I ran over a cactus thorn. I Flip horse on his back, pull out the thorn, and put in a new tube. We are back on the road in about 15 minutes. Then Horse decided to relieve himself on the trail (see picture)? .Oranges are in season so I stop by the roadside and pick some for a delicious snack. Juice run down my face and drips on horse which Adds a layer of stickiness to his multiple layers of sand and dirt. I arrive at my friend Jim’s house just in time for fresh squeezed lemonade and pizza Yum Yum . It’s like staying at the Hilton, only nicer. Here I will spend a couple days of rest. Horse will go to the bike shop for some maintenance and I will get some much needed R and R . I hope you get a chance to take a rest today too.
Take care,
Freebird and Horse

March 9, 2016

mikebike — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 21:39:53 +0000

March 9, 2016. Aguila Arizona to Sun City Arizona 61 miles 427 miles from the Pacific Ocean. I awoke to a beautiful sunrise over the Aguila Valley. The cold air from last night quickly warms as the sun peaks over the Vulture mountain range. I Pack up camp happy and have a camp breakfast of yesterday’s leftover burrito. Horse is ready to run, but my sore left knee slows or progress . We climb over Vulture mountain pass and then enjoy a nice downhill run into Wickenburg for a lunch of hot dogs and ice cream . I pull into Into a dollar store and I buy some Aleve for my knee. Within a couple hours it’s feeling much better. It was a great day to be on the bike. Horse and I were blessed with relatively cool temperatures and sunny skies and a small tailwind. I must sound like a broken record. Late in the afternoon I arrived at my friend Tom’s house who is host ing me for the night . Safe travels, Freebird and Horse

March 8, 2016

mikebike — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 21:09:48 +0000

March 8, 2016 Quartzsite Arizona to Aguila Arizona 67 miles 360 miles from the Pacific Ocean. It was 39° when ours and I started up the Guadalupe Mountains passed this morning. Once over the mountain we stopped in the little town of Brenda for a second breakfast. And then another long climb up the granite wash pass. Cool temperatures and a nice tailwind made it a perfect day to be on the bike in the desert. Big Sonora cactus look like they’re standing guard along the road. Prickly Pear cactus and butterfly flowers are in full bloom in the valley. Just before entering town horse and I are hit by a huge dust storm. Camp happy is set up in the little park next to the fire station. We are within striking distance of Phoenix tomorrow.
It’s time to zip up camp Happy for the night. Good night sleep tight and may God bless all of you like he has blessed me today. Freebird and Horse

March 7, 2016

mikebike — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 19:22:50 +0000

March 7, 2016, Palo Verda CA to Quartzsite Arizona 44 miles, 295 miles from the Pacific ocean and another wonderful day to be touring on two wheels under pedal power. A short day today as I try to recover my energy from the long Desert Crossing yesterday. I heard voices in my head from my family and friends saying “it’s not a race” , “dial it down”and “easy does it”. So that’s what I’m doing today. I packed up camp happy and watch the sunrise over the Dome rock-mountains. Made a Camp breakfast and then headed down the road. I stopped in Blythe for another breakfast of biscuits and gravy. I seem to be hungry and unless I’m eating or sleeping. I am grateful for theTailwinds and cool temperatures today as I climbed over the mountain pass. Seems like every day has a desert and mountain pass or two. Crossing the Colorado River into Arizona was a big event for me, and I celebrated with a Yahoo and through my fist into the air like I was the first to climb Mount Everest. On the way into town I saw a desert junkyard. There are a few things Horse and I don’t pass up, fruit stands historical markers, and junkyards. That’s where I met Bill and his wife in his 2016 Prius. He was looking at an old helicopter and I was looking at the Voltswagon’s. Turns out he is a captain for American airlines and flight is the new 787 ‘s out of LAX. We talked about the new Prius’s, junk cars, and helicopters. He has a Bell helicopter back home in LA. He will be following me on e blog. As I ride into town I smile in amazement at the people I meet every day just by chance. After all, life is more about taking that chance. I hope you took at least one today. I am staying at the court site Quartzite yacht club tonight ((motel). It sounds fancy but it’s really a old trailer park in the desert. But it qualifies because it has a bed and a hot shower,is not part of any national chain, and it’s cheap. Take care
Freebird and Horse

March 6 2016

mikebike — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 20:20:42 +0000

March 6, 2016
Brawley CA to Palo Verde CA 71 miles, 241 miles from the Pacific. A great day to be crossing the desert. Strong tailwinds and reasonable temperatures had me feeling grateful all day. I stop for lunch in Glamis and resting in the shade, the only shade in 75 miles unless you count the bushes that I stopped at (see-picture). The desert is in full bloom and pretty flowers are everywhere . Along with the wind came in A lot of sand in the air . I watched Big doing buggies made their way through the desert as I passed the Algodones dunes wilderness area. Camp Happy is set up next to the Colorado River in a quiet little campground. The desert wind is still howling as the sunset. I am hoping it calms down soon. It’s been a long day so I think I’ll Climbin to the tent and rest my body for the night. I am living like a gypsy and enjoying every minute. Hope you are enjoying your day. Love
Freebird

March 5 2016

mikebike — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 19:16:10 +0000

March 5, 2016, Ocotillo California to Brawley California, 55 miles 178 Miles from the Pacific ocean and another great day to be traveling by bicycle. Started out this morning as the sun rose over the eastern horizon. I mounted horse and put him in galloping gear for the ride through the Yuha Desert. The first 20 miles flew by with very little effort on my part because of the big tailwind . I stopped in Seely for a big as you head breakfast Barito and watched the blue Angels practice their Ariel stunts at a nearby navy base. Way cool! And way loud. After breakfast I turned horse north into the Imperial Valley. Irrigation from the Colorado River provides water to make the desert turn green with just about every vegetable do you can think of,but no corn and soybeans here. But they have plenty of cows. I’m staying at a county park just north of town near a lake (more like a big pond ). The water was cool and felt good after a long day on the bike. Someone in the campground has burgers cooking on the grill. I think I need to go make some new friends:). Later taters
Freebird

March 4 2016

mikebike — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 20:00:58 +0000

March 4, 2016. Alpine California to Ocotillo California 58 miles, 123 miles from the Pacific. It was a great day to be on the bike. Sunny skies and a light breeze from behind. The morning started out cool in the low 30s, I packed up camp happy and made a camp breakfast oatmeal and a tortilla with peanut butter and a blood orange. Once the sun popped over the mountain the temperature began to rise. I stop for breakfast in a pretty little town called Pine Valley and took a picture of the blooming crap trees. The air was filled with flowery smells . After breakfast I began to climb and climb and climb. I reach the top of the pass about 2:30 PM and the temp was well over 90°. I took a picture of the fence that separates the US and Mexico as I was passed by several order patrol vehicles . I wanted to yell, Mr. Gorbachev tear down that wall, but decided against it . I stopped often and watered up and rested in the shade of some large trees when I could find them . It is spring in the desert and just about every plant is in bloom . Once over the pass it was a wild 15 mile ride down the mountain from 4000 feet to the desert floor . When I got off Horse at 4:30 it was over 100°. I named my bike Horse, cuz I could and I like the name. There is a lot of time to think about things like this when you’re a bike up a mountain at just over turtle speed. I’m staying in old hotel built about 100 years ago and remodeled about 100 times. But it’s the only place in town and it has a shower and air-conditioning and a bed to rest my head.
Sending love to my family and friends and feeling grateful for getting a chance to do another continental crossing. Cheers,
Freebird

March 3, 2016

mikebike — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 19:14:14 +0000

March 4, 2016, San Diego to Alpine California 62 miles from the Pacific.
I arrived in San Diego yesterday assemble my bike and then went to the Fablab. This morning my friend Paul mauer met me at Mission Beach for the tired dip. It was more like a baptism then a dip as an unexpected wave caught me off-guard. So I started the ride with wet shoes and socks. It was a beautiful ride up the canyon at just over turtle speed. The road was good but it goes straight up the mountain for about 90 miles. So much for starting out easy. Camp happy is set up at a little campground just outside Alpine California. It is beautiful here in the high country. Today was hot with a nice little breeze at my back. As the sun sets it really cools off. Might have to put my longjohns on tonight. Take care
Love
Freebird