Cross-Country Ramble 9: Trying to Get Out of California

We seem to be hung up here in Brawley.

One our first morning in Brawley, we woke up, looked at each other and one of us said, "I think we're going to stay here today." The other said, "I think you're right." So we did. Later that day, after our naps, we decided that having pedaled 54 and 55 miles the previous two days had something to do with our decision to rest a day. Even later that day, we concluded that the fact that it's 66 miles across desert and sand dunes to the next place to stay with nothing in between also had something to do with our decision. Apparently we are not yet completely fearless.

This morning, rested and well stocked with water, soft drinks and food, we left Brawley. But at 8 miles out, my front tire went flat. It turned out to be an unpatchable leak at the valve stem. "Darn!" I said, as the realization dawned on me that this is probably the reason that many tourers carry extra tubes. My assumption that I could patch any flat we might get had proven unfounded. The sun really was glaring down like some "I-told-you-so" authority figure now.

By the time Carol had gone back into town to find a tube and had brought it out to where I was broiling, it was too late to proceed, so we went back to Brawley and checked back into the motel we'd just left. Carol put on 32 miles going nowhere four times up and down that same stretch of road. By the time I'd gone to a real bike shop in El Centro to get a complete set of spare tubes, I'd pedaled 45 miles going nowhere.

Tomorrow, we attack that 66-miles stretch of nothing again. This time, we will not fail! Well, I hope not anyway.

Ken

PS: Here are some statistics after two weeks on tour.

• Average daily distance ridden on days when we rode: 35.8 miles
• Average daily increase in distance: 1.0 mile

If you believe that the past predicts the future, then you'd bet that we'll be doing 100 miles per day by the time we get to Florida. I'd cover that bet!

Ramble 10: People Never Cease to Amaze.