Saturday, May 28, 2011

Dear AZ Dept. of Transportation

Dear ADOT,

Please let me start with your state is beautiful. You've done a spectacular job with the mountains and desert and the cacti. Enough of the niceties though.

1) Thought I told you I was coming through. Please don't tar 25 miles of the road while I'm here. It's just messy and hot and smells. Seriously didn't need that today.

2) When there's 3 feet between the white line and the guard rail, do we really need a 2 foot rumble strip? I think it's going to be too late for the drunkards I keep seeing your warning signs for along the road, they will probably hit the rail. Not good for us bikers.

3) I bet you really do love to blow sh*t up right? So come on use more dynamite and make these damn roads a bit more flat. 30 miles of up and down just gets old and tiring.

4) Probably a different department, but turn the heat down too if you can. Maybe try a little rain to spruce this place up some too.

Thanks
John White

P.S. - You are doing so much better than SPAC in NY. I've seen no locked gates around here after the concert.

Stats - 75.8 miles (576)
Calories - 3930 ( 31,812 )
Time - 5:18 (45:24)
Total Climb - 1696 ( 19,892 ft )

OK up at 5:30, got 4 hours of work in that was long over due and then off for a 75 miler from Globe AZ to Safford AZ ( I know during the heat of the day). I'm going to be adjusting that from now on. Safford's a pretty good size town, there's a Walmart and a movie theater, so I busted it one more day so I can take Sunday off. Going to see Hangover 2 tomorrow and then Walmart to stock up. New episode of Man v. Wild the next 4-5 days of riding. Going to need to camp out and take enough food for a couple nights.

It was 20 miles or so down hill and good speeds. Passed an Indian Casino outside Globe and passed a lady walking along the road with what looked like all her belongings. Then it was about 30 miles of up and down. OK the maps I have are AWESOME, but... there could be some changes. The shades of green to indicate elevations should be shades of tan and the blue stream and river indicators need to just be dry ( what ever color that is). It's messing with my head thinking I'm going to see lush land but it's really the next 30 miles of up and down, up and down. Desert Dips today, 1/2 mile to a mile long of race down race up.

Then I hit the Gila River, there was actually water in this river and quite a bit of green. The last 25 miles actually started getting a little lush and started seeing actual trees. Man it got though, sure glad the wind forecast was pretty much on. Mostly right behind me but swirled into side winds on occasion. Stopped in Pima AZ for a 44 oz chocolate shake from the Taylor Freeze. They had about 15 home made signs along the road starting 3 miles out so I had to reward them for their creativity and to me their landing lights. Just about puked the rest of the way to Safford, 44 oz was a bit much.

Anyway safe in Safford AZ after 8 days of riding. Having a great time and starting to get confidence about the trip and my legs holding out. But I've got about 10,000 vertical feet of climbing to do to get over the Rockies this week.

SMOKEY!!


Yeah I know there's no lines, it's obvious you covered them with tar!!


Too many of these out here. What the hell do people hit, there's nothing here to hit.


Dry river bed again. The maps need to be black instead of blue for these.


I was going to stay here tonight for Karaoke.


Shade along the road, took 60 miles, but finally got it.


A TREE!!!


A gorgeous Western sunset.


2 comments:

  1. Dear AZ Dept. o' Transportation - John's a little grumpy right now. After all, he's cycled some crazy amount of miles over some of America's least pretty land and:

    1) He HATES to get his bike dirty, including the tires. He passed that trait on to our daughter, who came home in tears one day because she had gotten her bike tires dusty.

    2) He doesn't believe in inefficient use of space...rumble strips = inefficient use of space. Don't get me started on what he thinks about inefficient use of time.

    3) While we all love to blow things up (me included - especially dry ice in a Mountain Dew bottle) - I'm sure it's tough to pave a straight, level line of road in a landscape that has absolutely no reference points judging by the pictures...only dirt, dust and an occasional cactus.

    4) He's right, please notify the air conditioning company that they need to up the wattage and cool down AZ. We'd like Johnny back looking like his old self, not a raisin.

    PS SPAC - you still hold the record for ALL TIME worst venue to watch a DMB concert from the lawn.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear John,
    You think this is bad, come back in August.

    Now quit whining and keep peddling.

    Sincerely,

    Arizona Department of Tourism

    P.S. We ordered that sunset just for you. The shake was your own fault.

    ReplyDelete