Miles today - 101
Total number of Tumble weeds found in the middle of the highway - 1
Well we had a little pep talk from Paul as he was leaving on Saturday to return back to Dallas and he wanted to give us some encouragement to keep the faith and some pointers on how to help the bikers each day. We needed to work a little harder since we were loosing 2 folks and gaining 1. We talked about some difficult situations that had to be resolved and that it was important that we keep to a prompt morning start time. Paul was Paul.
Glenn left at 5am to drive Paul, John and Joy out to the Flagstaff airport and he was back at the hotel room by 5:35am. I was helping him load up the gear. I also got him breakfast as he was loading stuff up.
The plan was to all drive to the bike shop where Neil had his flat tire repaired and leave from there. Neil did have a conversation with Sahsa, one of the employees at the hotel. After his 20 minute interview and conversation, we quickly helped Jon and James load up the Pathfinder with all the camera equipment. We were down the road not too late.
Once we arrived at the Absolute Bike Shop, he photographers did a shot of Caroline, Wes and Neil. And off they went.
When we started off in Flagstaff it was gorgeous. Pine trees and a snowcap mountain in the back ground. The weather was cool. A one point, Caroline had to stop and adjust her seat. Then about 10 miles east of Flagstaff, it suddenly turned desert. Long straight road. Hot Hot Hot.
They did not want to travel the popular road of I40 which is also Route 66, so Wes and Jeff looked at an alternate route which took them up through a Navajo Indian Reservations. We made a "pit stop" and the bicyclists continued on. They stumbled on a "Flea-Market".
We were at the Flea-Market for a good 2 hours. Here we made a picnic sandwich. WE really have to eat on the fly and in a hurry. Sometimes the cyclists will sit inside the air-conditioned van to cool off. After a quick lunch, Neil struck up a conversation with several folks. One couple, the wife didn't want to be on camera, but her husband spoke. He shared about life on the reservations. Neil had a conversation with another gentleman who son has served 2 terms in Iraq. I know. Neil had another conversation, but I'm not aware of the details. For a hot, sunny and windy day, it was good to even meet up with these folks on the reservation. Wes, Caroline and Neil continued on. I mean it was hot. Very Windy.
Around 5pm, Neil and Wes finished after going 102 miles for the day. The back drop was beautiful with a brown red mountain. I would say they traveled up hill and into the wind most of the day. Right at the end, we put the bikes on the back of the van and rode into Holbrook where we are staying. KOA.
Yes, KOA. I have never been at a KOA! The configuration here is 2 cabins that have 4 bed and 1 cabin that has 3 bed. The ladies are together and the men are devided.
Neil and Wes were starving, so we quickly unloaded the gear into the cabin so we could go to the Cowboy Chuckwagon where they serve hamburgers, steak, chicken. It was very good. Glenn and I split a chicken meal. While we were eating we all sat around the picnic table and discussed about the day. Neil asks us three Questions. What Inspired you? (Now I can't remember the other 2 questions, something along this line). My thought for the day, was summarized in how the scenery had changed as we putt putted across the barren land. We started off with pine trees and slightly rolling hills and then it dropped off into the baron land, and hot hot hot. We crossed the Navajo reservation where we saw lots of red rocks, and then ended up here in Holbrook off of I40 where there was color and green. We are near the Petrified forest.
After dinner while walking back to the "Girl's cabin", I bought 2 ice cream bars for dessert. After some more "cleaning out the Van", Glenn and I visited with Una while she was organizing the food boxes.
It was a long hot day. We have a new driver, as Una is driving the camera car and Jeff is sitting co-pilot. And I moved up to "first class", no just the passenger up front and Vela has the 2nd seat to herself.
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