6-14-08 Friday Durango: Made it this far in the trip, one mile stone down only 300 miles to go.

6-15-08 Sunday - Kaynta AZ, Not a very exciting day across the desert 76 miles of more heat and dry Navajo land.

6-16 Monday - Bluff AZ 4340', picture was in Monument Valley AZ 105°. Beautiful tall red mountains. Miles of Forest Gump type roads, long, straight, and hot. 71 miles today.

6-17 Tuesday - Ute Casino 5752'; road 50 Miles across hot windy roads with NO services at all available to stop. Visited 4 corners, then press on in to the wind. total for today 79 miles, 852 miles to the next ocean.

6-18 Wed- Mesa Verta @ 7850' - only 31 miles today then camped in the park.

6-19 Thursday - Durango 6700' I biked out to Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, then on to Durango. Total 81 miles today 966 for the trip. This place is beautiful.

Later, Steve

Last 3 days Prescott to Tuba City

6-14-08 Saturday Tuba City AZ;
** 6-12-08 Prescott to Sedona: After a day off in prescott, started a 12 mile climb from 5300' to 7030' then down into beutifull Jerome, an old mining town. Road with a very friendly member of the Luxenburg team for about 5 miles, he wore me out. Right behind him came Bob of the Lancaster team #414, well that lasted about 3 secounds till he went flat out. Camped in the Sedona hills. 80 mile day
** 6-13-08 Sedona to Flagstaff: 8:15 left the camp site with no breakfast and climbed to 6400', finally at 11:00 breakfast in Flagstaff. Short 34 mile day followed by a 3 mile hike over looking Flagstaff. Camped in a KOA.
** 6-14-08 Flagstaff to Tuba City: Huge breakfast lasted all day. 78 miles over several climbs over a few 7000' hills. Very beutiful, colorful desearts, finish with 2 hard hills.

Later,

Day off in Prescott

6-11-08 Prescott AZ- Last three days from Blythe to Prescott:
** 6-8 Blythe - Salome- 65 miles hi lites 20 miles on I-10 in AZ riding with 75 MPH trucks we were mostly fast to Quartsite then 15 miles of straight, flat, hot, 106°.
** 6-9 Salome - Congress - 60 miles: Meet up with RAAM riders, road with the Brazilian rider for about 20 miles, very friendly crew. 40 miles of straight, flat, hot. Also meet a rider from Australian ( Daniel ), he is riding from San Fransisco to Canada. He is still traveling with us and will leave us in Flagstaff.
** 6-10 Congress - Prescott- 46 miles: Left the RAAM time station ( manned by the Bull Shifters Bike Club ), 7 mile climb @ 7%, followed by a 10 mile climb to 6100'. Ended the day in Prescott 5600'. It's hard to breathe, will spend day here the get more use to this altitude.

You can view all of my pictures from Oceanside to Prescott from the below link

http://picasaweb.google.com/2geezers/StartOfUSATrip

I'll enjoy the day off and send you more later,
Steve & Joe

CA desert

6-7-08 Blythe CA - 247 miles so far - Started our trip at 5:10pm on 6-5-08 from Oceanside CA after visiting the RAAM headquarters. Set out on the 13 mile RAAM that followed the parade route then ended in Escendido CA 30 mile. Spent the night with my brother Jim's friends. ** Friday 6-6 to Westmoreland CA 113 miles, up 4000' to Julian then back down to 300' in 95 Degs. Beautiful desert, great vistas, 6 MPH uphill, 45 MPH down hills. *Saturday 6-7-08 to Blythe CA 100 miles very flat 'cept for the sand dunes, most of the ride was around 100 Degs. We needed more than the 2 gallons of water available. My brother Jim was our crew, and a life saver ( yea really ) by following and supplying water as needed. We learn something new everyday. The desert is not to be taken lightly, and is not forgiving. But we made it this far. More later, Steve & Joe

6-4-08 In Phoenix. Assembled bikes and went for a 50 mile ride in the desert heat (100°). Tomorrow we're off to Oceanside CA, to start our trip East.

1 day to go

6-4-08 In Phoenix after a 50 mile shake down ride. Leaving for Oceanside CA tomorrow morning. Will leave from there to head East, see you as we pass by

New Start @ RAAM

6-2-08 Flying out tomorrow, Tuesday, The start of our ride will be changing to the start of the RAAM ride That's Race Across America. It's a bike race starting in Oceanside CA, only 25 miles north of San Diego, our original starting spot. I met with the team from Lancaster PA on last Saturday. We start our trip on Friday the 6th they will start on Wednesday the 11th. Hope to see a flash of them as they fly past.
More later, Steve