| Distance | 131.18 kms | 81.40 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Climbed | 404 meters | 1,325 feet |
| Ride time (hours) | 5.69 | - |
| Avg speed | 14.3 kph | - |
| Avg climb | 2% | - |
| Max grade | 6% | - |
| Distance | 24,538.65 kms | 15,247.82 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Climbed | 258,710 meters | 848,786 feet |
| Ride time (hours) | 1,744.28 | - |
Sunday, March 30th, 2014
81.51
The wind wakes me up a few times during the night. When I unzip the tent I find sand all over my gear, should have closed things up better last night. I can feel the wind coming from the west! I'm in such a rush to get a tailwind that I just have a banana for breakfast and hit the road. The first twenty miles fly by with this ripping tailwind and a slight downhill. The wind gets a little less helpful at times, hitting me at different angles, but almost always is still helping except for a few short stretches.
A big cloud of sand rolls in. Nothing too dramatic but I keep getting stuff in my eyes. There are tons of RV's on the road and trucks towing boats and various other toys. It's Sunday so I guess people are driving back to the cities after their weekend fun. A motorcycle gang passes me, there must be 50 Harleys in a row. A BMW passes me later on, loaded with camping gear. A few miles down the road he is parked in the ruins of an old gas station so I stop to talk. His name is Houston and he has been on the road living the nomadic existence for a long time. We chat for 15 minutes about different places and what it's like to live the dream.
By noon I've already covered 50 miles. Next stop is Vidal Junction, the first store since 29 Palms. I get an ice tea, some water, a snickers bar, and a coffee. I feel slightly ill after I've downed them all too fast... It's an easy 17 miles from there into Parker. 80 miles in for the day and it's only 2:30, time to get a motel and do some chores like take a shower! The pool of water that forms in the bathtub is impressively black. Next I'm off to shop, get on the internet, and watch a bad movie on TV. My room has a microwave so I indulge in a big serving of frozen mac & cheese along with a half a pound of potato salad. I'm feeling almost human again!
