High-tailing It in High Gear

Our original plan was to stay in Phoenix for one more day to explore all the city had to offer, but after one full day off and another easy day, we were anxious to get back on the road. The idea of possibly finishing a day early and having extra time in San Diego was very appealing. So we left Phoenix on a series of bike paths that kept us off the roads for most of the city. Around Surprise, AZ we got on US 60 which took us all the way to Wickenburg. Once we were really out of the metropolitan area, traffic wasn’t too bad, and we made good time. We stopped for a late lunch in town and had time to visit the Desert Caballeros Western Museum, which had several original Remington paintings and sculptures, as well as other western art. The campground we were going to stay in was right on the highway, so once again we opted for lodging. It seems Arizona campgrounds are not big on “getting away from it all.” The next day was going to be a killer- over 90 miles to Quartzsite. We weren’t sure we could do it. We had a backup plan to camp in a small town around 75 miles if necessary. We got an early start and headed through the town. That’s when Kelley’s gear cable snapped. Bruce spent about an hour trying to rig it, while a local couple offered useless advice, but there was no fixing the cable. Kelley was stuck in high gear for the next 225 miles to the next bike shop. We could only hope for flat roads! After a series of hills we did have a slight downhill for many miles, but the headwind kept it challenging. We were moving slowly. No way we would make Quartzsite at this pace. We enjoyed a beautiful, long downhill as the sun was setting. With our lights on, we headed to the town of Brenda, and the campground there. It was pitch dark when we arrived. Once again the campground was on the highway, and it was expensive, and loud. It was obvious they don’t cater to tent campers. After sitting for a few minutes and weighing our options, we decided to forge ahead the final 18 miles to Quartzsite. We had one final hill to climb, then it really was downhill into town. We stayed at the Quartzsite Yacht Club. Yes, Quartzsite is in the desert. No, there’s no river, lake or ocean anywhere close. But the club reportedly has one of the largest memberships of any yacht club. It was a hoot! Total cycling mileage: 58+95=153 Total hiking mileage: 1.5+1.5=3