Grand Canyon State

Howdy from Prescott , Arizona, a beautiful mountain town at 5,300 feet, which is decidedly not what I had previously pictured Arizona to be like. The Jojoba bushes and Cacti have given way to Ponderosa Pine forests with a sprinkling deciduous trees for some variety, and the temperatures are far from the scorching highs of the low desert, residing comfortably in the mid 60's or 70's

Since we departed 29 Palms, the riding has become pretty interesting. The 100 mile stretch of desert without services that we had so feared in the previous days proved to be some of the best riding conditions of the entire trip. A stern tailwind and gentle grades allowed Jon and I to spin along at a brisk 16.2 miles per hour (average) as we traversed the entire Mojave, crossing the mighty Colorado river and pushing well into Arizona in a single 110 mile day.

The following day proved to be a little more challenging, however, as we spent the entire day ascending a slight grade towards Prescott, in fact we didn't have a descent the entire 85 mile day! However, the endless climb did make it possible for us to stay at one of the most beautiful campsites we have had in a while. We were able to place our tent at the crest of a small hill with a commanding 360 degree view of the desert. To the north, we could see the steep climbs that lay ahead of us on our way to Prescott, while to the south, the slowly sloping desert, dotted with enormous cacti, slid off into a mountain lined horizon. Jon and I cooked dinner atop a small rocky hill, awed by the beauty that surrounded us. Arizona had beaten my wildest expectations, and it seems that each day is better than the last, and I couldn't be enjoying myself more.

-Erik