USA Tour Stage 6: Prescott to Cottonwood, AZ (46 Miles)

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As today was another comparatively short day there was a possibility of fitting in a bit of sightseeing en route. Of course, the whole ride is really one massive sightseeing experience but today I might have a chance to get out of the saddle and walk around like a tourist! Waking up I could see that another sunny, cloudless day lay ahead. So after a breakfast of fruit, yoghurt, scrambled eggs on toast, croissant and coffee I was ready to roll down the road by 7:30.

The first part of the ride out of Prescott was very straightforward and although the roads were busy with people going to work it wasn’t too unpleasant. Unfortunately that soon changed when we turned on to Highway 89 where the traffic was pretty intense. It was a vivid reminder of recent days on the California Interstate but today actually seemed busier if that were possible. Fortunately we only had about 7 miles before turning on to State Route 89A and the start of the day’s main event – the ascent of Mingus Mountain. Mingus Mountain, that has a certain ring to it, doesn’t it?

Ahead of me I could see the road stretching towards the ridge of mountains several miles away. Looking just beyond my front wheel the gradient was barely discernible but looking ahead I could tell that the road rose gradually upwards – climbing about 1,300 feet over the next 10 miles. This was a classic false flat. The scale of the landscape here was simply immense and I could see for several miles in every direction. Looking at the elevation reading on my Garmin I was surprised to see that I was already over 5,000 feet above sea level. Unfamiliar heights indeed for Captain Century whose more used to riding below sea level in the Fens of East Anglia. The air around me was incredibly clear and pure – so refreshing. Above me I watched what I think was an eagle (it had a huge wingspan) lazily circling around looking for its next meal. This was one of those special occasions where I felt totally at one with my bike and my surroundings. Man, machine and nature. Bliss! The CV purred along nicely too so I guess it was also pretty content.

Gradually the natural Ponderosa Pine forest got closer and with a gentle turn I was on to the mountain proper. With a light press on my Di2 gear shift I dropped on to the small chain ring, moved down the cassette a couple of cogs and started spinning at a cadence (80-85 rpm) that I hoped I could hold to the top of the climb about 10 miles and 2,000 feet ahead.

With an amazingly smooth surface the road meandered its way up the mountain mostly through gentle curves with a few classic hairpins which brought back happy memories of riding in the Pyrenees a couple of years ago. Interestingly, the gradient on the hairpins tended to be steeper than in Europe where on many climbs the gradient eases off on the hairpins. With relatively few cars on the road I was often able to pick a line towards the centre of the road on right hand curves and cheat the gradient. On left hand curves I stuck to the high side and eased down as I exited thereby both sustaining my cadence and speed. From time to time I slipped up into a higher gear and got out of the saddle to stretch my back and give my legs a little action. Then, easing back into a lower gear I settled back into my rhythm and enjoyed tapping out the miles.

I stopped a couple of times to admire and photograph the views when I could see road I had ridden several hundred feet below me, dotted with other riders also making their way upwards. With relatively little traffic much of the ascent was fairly quiet so I was able to enjoy the sights and smells that I passed through. With the morning sun warming the pines there was a lovely delicate scent in the air which felt really healthy. As I approached the top of the climb I just felt so lucky to be able to enjoy an experience like this.

Creating the summit of Mingus Mountain (7,023 feet) I saw the smiling faces of Mary and Robin which meant that I had arrived at the SAG. Pulling in, my enjoyment was made all the more complete when I spotted a rider with a Celeste Sempre who had just ridden up from the other side with a friend. After snacking on some fruit and posing for the obligatory summit photo I set off on the descent with Dave, Emil and Pete. We seem to have established ourselves as a quartet. Now readers, if you thought that my description of the ascent was engaging I have to say that I am struggling to find the words to describe the descent.

From a riding perspective it was everything the ascent was – smooth surfaces, long straights, sweeping curves with the occasional hairpins which meant that I could sit back in the saddle and let the CV do its work. Picking a line into the corners, leaning over and letting the CV pull me through its natural line. Just the odd touch on the disc brakes which scrubbed off some speed quickly and reassuringly just before the bends.

All of a sudden we burst out of the trees and below me I could see the most magnificent views with the road snaking its way downwards. As this wasn’t enough ahead of me at the bottom of the mountain I could see the landscape stretching away for at least 30 miles with red tinged mountains acting as a sort of frame or reference point for the vista. This is where we will be heading tomorrow and I can’t wait!

As today was a short day we had decided to stop in Jerome, an historic mining town, for lunch. Dave who had been here a couple of weeks before recommended a place to eat.  This was a chance to have my first proper American hamburger and I wasn’t disappointed. I chose the Arizona Special with a side salad and it was delicious. With only a few miles to go to our destination the four of us, together with Emil’s wife, enjoyed a leisurely lunch. (And big thanks Emil for treating us.)

After lunch we rode a couple of miles further downhill to visit the Jerome Historic State Park. This commemorates the town’s copper mining heritage and we had a look around the visitor centre which has an interesting collection of mining artefacts and photographs as well as a fascinating film telling the story of Jerome. The mining industry took off in the early 1880’s when William A Clarke bought out the existing mining interests, constructed a narrow gauge railway link to the main network and developed the operation to new levels of production. The Audrey Shaft, completed in 1918, descends some 1,900 feet. With the water table sitting at 1,300 feet, pumping water was a major consideration. Mining operations continued here until 1953. Since that time Jerome has reinvented itself as a popular tourist destination and achieved National Historic Landscape Status in 1967. The throngs of people in the large assortment of gift shops show that this has been entirely successful.

After a good look around we continued down the descent for a further five miles arriving at our overnight destination, Cottonwood, unusually early at 2:30pm. We all agreed that today we have had an excellent day at the office with a good working lunch! And the new shoes which I bought yesterday seemed to have done the job – no sore and swollen feet!

USA Tour Stage 5: Wickenburg to Prescott, AZ (60 Miles)

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Thus far the tour has been pretty flat. And by that I mean flat in terms of the terrain, not in terms of interest. Well today that all changed. The GPS track promised nearly 60 miles with just over 6,000 feet of climbing and a maximum gradient of 16%. The route profile showed two climbs, at 20 miles and again at 35 miles. They route notes also mentioned a succession of false flats and false summits along the way. So after the largely pan-flat and straight roads of the past few days I was looking forward to a different type of riding.

The four of us (Dave, Emil, Pete and myself) rolled out of Wickenburg along a beautifully smooth highway – described as a scenic route. Another hot day under cloudless blue skies beckoned. Even the wind seemed to be co-operating. In the far distance I could see the range of hills that we were heading towards. Judging from the roadside billboards and signs that we passed this was very definitely Republican territory. Putting politics to one side I had my first sighting of one of those iconic American freight trains – a tanker train which was parked in a siding. I counted 62 long black tankers as I rode by.

Now thus far I have been pretty impressed with the consideration of the motorists, car drivers and truckers that we are sharing the tarmac with. Most give us a wide berth when overtaking and often a friendly toot on the horn as they pass us by. Even when they have had to slow because of oncoming traffic the majority are very patient, waiting their moment to pass safely. A very small minority are pushy, blasting their horns and overtaking with a minuscule gap. Unfortunately today we experienced a spot of road rage when one driver passed me, blasted his horn, slowed down and shouted “Get the f**k of the road”. By all accounts, I got off lightly. A mile or so ahead of me, Emil was virtually run off the road and several other riders appeared to suffer a similar fate to me. In my case, it was only verbal abuse and as regular readers will know, my response is to wave at the passing motorist as if they are my new best friend. As long as my physical safety isn’t threatened, life is just too short to get overly wound up.

At 16 miles, as it was warming up we stopped for a cold drink and it was here that several of us realised that we had each been road raged. Dena, Paula’s husband phoned the Highway Patrol to alert them and they said they would step up their patrols on the road. Undaunted we set off again to begin the first climb of the day, a 7 mile ascent to Yarnell Pass. With a long straight approach I could see the challenge that lay ahead. As I tapped it I out on the pedals a sign caught my eye – a turning to Stanton. This confused me momentarily as I thought I was back home in Stanton, Suffolk.

Gradually the road ascended and I could see it rising up the hillside ahead of me. Gaining height through a series of hairpins I was reminded of some of the climbs of the Pyrenees. Long and gradual with spectacular views downhill. I stopped a couple of times to take some photographs and have posted a selection on my Instagram. When I get home I plan to produce another of my photo album complications. If you’d like to know more then have a look at the films tab at the top of this page. My Strava stats show that the segment was 8.3 miles, rose 1900 feet to 4,850 feet with an average gradient of 4.2%. I completed it in 54 minutes. Not quick, but then I did stop to take those pictures.

Cresting the summit at Yarnell I arrived at the first SAG to find the cheery faces of the support team cheering us in. This was a welcome halt as I had been drinking copious amounts of water and needed to refill my bottles. Yarnell achieved tragic notoriety in 2013 when 19 firefighters, the Granite Mountain Hotshots, were killed whilst fighting a bushfire started by lightening. The fire devastated over 8,000 acres of land in the area. The tragedy has been captured in the film ‘Only the Brave’, released in 2017, with a cast including Miles Teller, Josh Brolin, Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Connolly.






As we descended, the character of the countryside change dramatically. Gone was the arid scrub of the desert, replaced for a few miles at least by a more pastoral, farmed landscape with horses grazing under shady groves of trees. I noticed that several of the properties had signs for Maughan Ranches which I subsequently discovered owns over 500,000 acres of land in Arizona divided across 15 individual ranching units. That is one big operation! After returning to the desert landscape for a while we passed through the graphically named Skull Valley to reach a store set in what felt like the middle of nowhere. With the final climb ahead of us this was the ideal time to recharge batteries with cold drinks and ice cream. Despite being in a fairly isolated location there was a steady trickle of local people calling in to get their essential supplies. The proprietor looked as if she had won the lottery serving the hungry and thirsty cyclists. I’m guessing that her turnover for May has shown a substantial upturn. So yes, cycling is good for the local economy.

Resisting the temptation to linger we set off on the final climb of the day, 11.7 miles ascending over 1,000 feet at an average of 1.7%. This was quite a different climb to the one to Yarnell. Much gentler with many more curves and hairpins broken up by some false summits. The other main difference was that we were now amongst a forest of Ponderosa Pines. In the heat of the afternoon sun, the air was filled with the scent of pine oils. And talking about the air, the higher we got the clearer and cleaner it seemed. Quite a contrast that of smog laden LA at the start of the week. This was a climb that I really enjoyed and almost didn’t want it to end. But all good things must come to an end so cresting the final ridge I was greeted the magnificent sight of a fast smooth road snaking its way downhill.

I put the CV in to its highest gear and let rip. The CV responded to the challenge and led me downhill and effortlessly through a succession of sweeping curves. I could see the mileage to the end point rapidly falling away from the Garmin in front of my eyes. All to soon I was into Prescott and at my hotel. And let me share a little secret with you. Arriving at my hotel I joined the Mile High Club. No, not that one – tut, tut for thinking such thoughts readers! Founded in 1864 and lying at an altitude of 5,400 feet Prescott markets itself as Arizona’s Mile High City! So on that note I think I’ll pop out to see what delights the city has to offer the weary cyclist.

I’d like to add a little footnote, literally to today’s stage report. With the heat of the day I have found that my feet have been swelling rather more than I’m used to. Consequently by early to mid afternoon my riding shoes, particularly the left one, have become quite cramped. So harnessing the power of the Interweb I did a spot of Giggling and discovered that just up the road from the hotel was the High Gear Bicycle Shop. Co-owner Cindy Alward, a delightful person, was on hand to fit me up with a new larger pair of shoes. She was even happy to measure and fit my cleats. The shop is a great place to visit and has an interesting display of old, steel-framed bikes. So if you happen to be passing by I recommend that you drop in. And on that foot(note) dinner beckons…

USA Tour Stage 4: Blythe, CA to Wickenburg, AZ (116 Miles)

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Today started where yesterday ended. Well obviously I stepped out of the same hotel which I had arrived at yesterday evening. But we were back on the Interstate (I-10) for another stint of riding alongside the trucks whilst dodging the potentially tyre shredding debris that lies on the hard shoulder. Once again, most of the truckers moved to the outside lane to avoid battering us with their tail drafts. I can vividly remember doing time trials in the 1970’s on the A1 in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. Then it was deemed good tactics to ride as close to the carriageway as you dared in order to benefit from the suction effect of the air as the trucks passed by. Over a ‘25’ it was reckoned that you could gain a few precious seconds.

We reached a significant point today after only 5 miles and left California and crossed into Arizona. Only another 13 States to go…. Our entry into Arizona was also heralded with the start of a 7-mile climb. In fact most of today’s stage would be uphill, gently uphill. As I climbed I could feel the sun doing its work and the air temperature was steadily rising. (According to my Garmin it peaked at around 35C/95F.) This was going to be one long hot day. At 22 miles we swung off the Interstate and into a service station to nab a cold drink. The local Burger King outlet was on hand to provide our fare. I snagged what I thought was a banana milkshake from the fridge but after opening it I realised that I was actually holding a small bottle of skimmed milk! Oh well, it’s all protein.

Heading out of the service area and back onto the Interstate we could see the road stretching ahead of us for miles and miles. This was to be the defining feature of today’s ride – long, straight roads. After a couple of miles the Route Notes announced “Begin 10 mile climb” so it was back into a low gear and spin away. To be sure I’m not misleading you, the climbs here are very gradual and rarely above 3 or 4 percent. Most of the time they rise at around 1% with the occasional kick upwards. Ahead of us as we moved along I spotted a couple of riders on touring bikes complete with front and rear panniers. As we drew alongside we slowed for a brief chat – one of the benefits of riding on such a wide shoulder. It transpired that one of the pair had set off from Halifax, Nova Scotia earlier this year and had already traversed the US and was now heading for Argentina. Yes, you read that right – Argentina! As I wished him well and bade him farewell I have to say that I felt rather feeble. My own attempt to cross the US of A seemed rather trivial by comparison. As I reflected on what such a huge tour would entail I started dreaming of perhaps the ultimate end to end ride: Alaska to Argentina (Terra de Fuego) tour. Well, let’s get to Boston first.

After about 36 miles we finally said goodbye to I-60. And yes, I did say goodby, and good riddance. Well, actually I shouted ‘Goodbye and Good Riddance’. I can’t say that I especially enjoyed the experience of riding the Interstate but I do appreciate the pragmatism as it’s the only way to travel east hereabouts without adding  significantly extra miles.  Swinging on to State Route 60 was a delight. Mostly a well surfaced road (one stretch was pretty rough with tar filled frost cracks) and with virtually no traffic I was able to spend more time looking at the surrounding landscape. By the time we reached the first SAG in the hamlet of Brenda at 44 miles I was cooking. The sun was beating down and the desert landscape stretched for miles in every direction. Diving into the gas station I emerged with a Double Caramel Magnum ice cream. Quite simply the perfect coolant on what was now an exceptionally hot day. As we still had over 70 miles to go, we watered up, signed out and headed back down the road.

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As I was riding along I tried to describe the landscape to myself. I’m going to try and share this with you. It is a landscape that I have seen a thousand times before, but only on tv or in the cinema. Close up there is sand, lots of sand which is covered in small scrubby bushes. As we headed east I noticed that the proportion of cactus trees was increasing – the classic multi limbed type that appear in almost every western. The land was largely devoid of animal life, just the occasional lizards scurrying for cover and a few birds of prey  circling lazily above us like vultures waiting to swoop should we fall. The air was remarkably clear so visibility was excellent. In the far distance and on either side were a series of bluffs and low hills with higher mountains even further away. In the distance we saw a couple of dust devils – sand bearing whirlwinds. Fortunately they were moving away from us.

 It was incredibly hard to judge distances. At one stage I could see the road stretching out in front of me in a straight line and I picked out a point which I guessed was about 5 miles away. After riding at an average speed of 18mph for 20 minutes I seemed to be no nearer. In fact it took me about 50 minutes to reach the point I had selected. The scale of the landscape here is simply breathtaking. Riding through it on a bicycle brings home the enormity of the country. Later on, when looking at a wall map of Arizona and the route we had traversed, it was pretty sobering to discover that we had made a minor scratch on the side of the state. Humbling is probably the best word to describe my feelings. I feel quite incapable of accurately describing what I saw and felt today. All I can say is come and see it for yourselves. And at the risk of piling superlative upon superlative, what I saw today was but one small part of this enormous country. There is more to see – much, much more as I hope to discover in the days ahead.

So far I have only had limited opportunities to interact with people in the places we’ve passed through. Mostly in our hotels, the gas stations and roadside shops where we refuel. Everyone seems really polite and sincere. Well, today my faith in humanity was given a real boost. Sometime around midday after riding another long, long straight the route notes told us that we were approaching Hope which had a store. The perfect place and time for a quick stop for a cold drink. I could almost smell a coke coming on.

Well, unfortunately the shop was closed. There were quite a few of us hoping for a drink stop so the air of disappointment was palpable. Then from around the corner a couple appeared with their dog. They had stopped in their rv to meet their parents for an alfresco lunch. Before you could say ‘Froomedog’ they dived into the rv and emerged bearing a large case of water bottles which they set down in front of us and told us to get stuck in. Over the course of the next several minutes we chatted with them about our tour and they told us about their holiday and quest for a new home. They were really cheery and no sooner had the water bottles been poured down our throats and over our heads and arms then another pack was produced. Despite our best efforts, the couple refused any form of payment saying that their reward would be greater in heaven! What nice people. As we rode away I smiled at the sign reading ‘You’re Now Beyond Hope’.

Most of the rest of the day continued in this vein. Hot, hot temperatures and long, long roads. With 9 miles to go, relief came in the form of a nice fast downhill run into Wickenburg, our overnight base. Although I was hot and frazzled, once I had my shower, washed my kit and headed to a local saloon bar for dinner (a superb steak). I felt pretty good and looked back on a hard, challenging day’s riding but a day that was simply outstanding. Today was the longest day of the tour. I had completed my first ever century ride in the US of A. And, readers I can say without any doubt that Captain Century is feeling pretty pleased with himself. Apologies if I’m gloating a bit!

USA Tour Stage 3, Indio to Blythe, CA (97 Miles)

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Ready for the desert!

Today was a first for me on several fronts. The major feature of the day was that it was the first full stage in the desert. And we rode it on the Interstate (I-10). Imagine UK readers, riding along the hard shoulder of the M1 for about 80 miles! The only difference was that there was much less traffic. With temperatures in the mid-thirties/mid-nineties, keeping cool and staying hydrated were the keys to surviving. For the first time in my cycling life I wore a pair of Factor 50 arm coolers. Back home if I cover my arms with anything other than jersey sleeves then I wear arm warmers – to keep warm! On the hydration front, in addition to the two water bottles that I normally carry I was also wearing a Camelback with an extra 2 litres of water. This was a Christmas present from my daughter Megan. I also made sure that I had a copious supply of Factor 30 to slap on and protect my skin from burning. At this juncture readers, I would just like to report that my tan lines are progressing nicely and the pasty white skin that I feared might be the source of some merriment for the other riders, is rapidly disappearing.

One of the features of extended tours like this is that time is very precious. Unless we are staying right in the middle of our overnight base I don’t usually get a chance to explore. All I can tell you is that Indio sits on the edge of the desert and has a casino. How do I know this? Well, last night I had dinner in the casino! It was quite an eye-opener to me as I strolled past the rows and rows of slot machines and various gaming tables. I have no interest in gambling. My only experience of it was many years ago when a friend took me to a casino in Leeds. After exchanging £10 for some chips I sat down at one of the tables and laid my chips out. The croupier, who as I remember was very enticing, did what to me seemed like a fancy card trick, leaned forward and swept my chips away. At this point it dawned on me that I had lost! So realising that for me at least, this was a mugs game I have stayed away from gambling ever since. Of course, like many others I have had a flutter on the lottery or taken part in the office Grand National sweepstake.

My goodness, will you look at that. Yet again I seem to have drifted off the subject with another little diversion. So let’s get back to the main event. After leaving Indio apparently we crossed over the San Andreas fault line. I’m not exactly sure where as the earth certainly didn’t move for me. Then it was on to the only climb of the day a nice long, steady 12-mile ascent. This wasn’t especially steep and once again it was a case of getting in the right gear and tapping out a steady rhythm. From time to time I got out of the saddle to stretch my back and do a little dance on the pedals – a brisk foxtrot if you will! The main challenge was the heat as I was riding directly into the sun so I sweated quite profusely and every 10 minutes or so took a couple of swigs of water from my Camelback. It took me around one hour to reach the summit where the landscape opened out dramatically. Although we were still climbing I could see the desert stretching for miles ahead and on either side. We were riding along a broad valley, several miles wide and flanked on either side by rock bluffs. Look at the ride flyby above if you’d like to get a better sense of the scale of the landscape.

Ahead, the road stretched as far as the eye could see. As we rode along, I really did feel quite insignificant in such a big landscape. A glance at the map told me that we were riding along the southern edge of the Joshua Tree National Park – celebrated in the eponymous album of the same name by Irish rockers U2. A road sign caught my eye – if I left the Interstate I could either go north to the Park or south to Mecca – what a choice! I carried straight on eventually reaching the first SAG where I gladly, no gleefully, refilled my water containers. I had already drunk nearly two litres and we were still in the ‘cool’ part of the day. Alongside the rest area was a tank museum dedicated to General George Patton of WWII fame (he was born in California).

How many cyclists does it take to change a tube?

We (Pete, Dave, Emil and me) headed back onto the Interstate and with a tail wind and a gentle downhill profile organised ourselves with a spot of through and off, each taking it in turns to lead for about a mile before peeling off and tucking in at the back of the line. Riding at around 25mph mean that we had to keep a careful lookout for debris, mainly the remains of truck tyres that had blown out, which if hit could cause serious damage. The real challenge though was that the blow outs left small metal fragments (think staples) which embedded themselves in our tyres leading to punctures. Pete, Emil and I each had a rear wheel puncture as a consequence. And let me tell you, replacing a tube in the middle of the desert in the middle of the day is not a lot of fun! I was in luck as I discovered my puncture at the final SAG so at least I had the benefit of both some shade and a track pump with pressure gauge to inflate the new tube.

Riding along the Interstate wasn’t anything like as bad as I had feared. Most of the truck drivers pulled over to the outside lane when it was clear, giving us an extra berth. Quite a few gave us a friendly toot on their horns. I suspect that they must have thought we were quite mad when they passed us. There was one stretch which was very rough due to frost cracks so we christened it ‘The California Cobbles’ and imagined that we were riding Paris-Roubaix. There’s an irony for me here since the CV I am riding was originally designed by Bianchi specifically for the Paris-Roubaix. (It surpassed itself, incidentally.)

The long distance views and the straights were incredible. I will no longer complain about boredom again when riding in the Fens back at home. Compared to the Interstate, the Fenland roads are nothing. As we rode on I could feel the temperature rising to its peak at around 35C. I was getting through my water at a fast rate – both drinking it and also spraying it on my head and arm coolers. At our final SAG Paula had provided a cool box containing stockings filled with ice to wrap around our necks as an additional coolant. And very cool they were too!

That iconic photo!

Eventually we left the Interstate after riding on it for nearly 90 miles! By now, the combination of copious amounts of sun screen and road/desert dust on my skin meant that I looked like a tramp. But I felt pretty good. Tired and worn out, yes. But exhilarated too. I had survived the desert! The ride had one final delight in store for me. As we approached Blythe, Pete commented that the view ahead would make an iconic photograph so I obliged and pulled over to get the camera out. Pete carried on shouting over his shoulder that I would soon catch up with him. Iconic photo snapped, I got black on the CV only to discover that I had a front wheel puncture (another of those metal fragments). What bad luck, just 3 miles from the finish. As I was pumping up the tyre another rider, Ichiro who comes from San Francisco and who I haven’t seen much of so far, caught up with me. So we rode in together and had a nice little chat.

After having my clothes and body shower and the Route Rap for tomorrow we all gathered together for dinner. This was a rather different affair as Itchytoo had got some outside caterers to lay on a very tasty range of barbecue delights. With the addition of a can of cold beer I was one happy rider! And guess what …

… we’re going to do it all again tomorrow. Yaay!

USA Tour Stage 2: Riverside to Indio, CA (93 Miles)

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One of the most important pieces of information we are given is the cue sheet for each day’s riding. This provides a mile by mile, turn by turn set of instructions with additional information on any significant route and safety points. The evening before each stage, the route sheet forms the agenda for the core of the Route Rap and Paula talks us through it. Although I also have the route loaded on my Garmin, the technology is not infallible, as regular readers will know from past events. So the cue sheets provide an additional level of assurance.

Pete and Emil leaving Riverside at full gas

Two things caught my eye on today’s cue sheet. At 1.5 miles “begin 3-mile climb” and then at 31.4 miles “begin 6-mile climb”. So the early part of today after leaving Riverside was going to be largely uphill. But first, let me share a morsel of Riverside’s history with you. The city was founded in the early 1870’s and it was here that the Californian citrus fruit industry was started in 1871 when Eliza Tibet’s received three navel orange trees from Bahia in Brazil. Two of the trees survived – the  other was apparently trampled by a cow! One of the survivors was subsequently transplanted, in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt. To cut a long story short, cuttings taken from the trees were hugely successful and some would say, led to the second Californian Gold Rush. So there you are. Now, let’s get back to the ride.

Nearly at the top!

I was soon onto the first hill which was fairly gentle (by European standards) and as I spun my way upwards I was amused by the sight of slow moving queues of cars with people going to work as I was going to ‘play’. While waiting at one of the many traffic lights on the climb I heard the whir of an electric window winding down followed by a voice asking “Where are you going?” “Boston” was my reply. A considered pause and then “Man, you’re shittin’ me” before the window wound up and my neighbour drove off, no doubt in air-conditioned comfort. Three cheers for the long distance cyclist!

After reaching the top a small group of us formed up and we headed along to the first SAG stop at 23 miles on the forecourt of a gas station. After refuelling we set off heading for the next climb up to Beaumont. With a long ascent ahead of me I got into a lower gear and tapped out a rhythm to get to the top. Ahead of me in the distance I could see, another rider Cathy, who hails from San Francisco, in her distinctive white jersey. I have learnt through bitter experience to resist the temptation to up the pace and chase. I just carried on spinning at a cadence of about 90rpm and keeping my heart rate at about 130bpm. These are the two numbers that matter to me when climbing steady ascents like this one. Slowly but surely I could see that the gap was closing and over the next 3-4 miles I got to within about 300 yards of her. But that was the last I saw of her all day as, looking back over my shoulder I realised that I had to stop to get a photo. I should add that Cathy is a strong rider and she would probably have gapped me anyway, once she reached the top.

By now the temperature was rising so I pulled over at a gas station for a cold bottle of Coke and Pete and David, who’s from Maine, joined me to cool off. We then headed over to Beaumont, linked up with Emil and turned east. With a gentle downhill profile, a strong tailwind, and a good surface, we whizzed along at a cracking rate eating up the miles. This was riding at it’s easiest. My average speed for the first 10 miles was 15mph; my average over miles 50-60 was 25mph. (For the record, my average for the whole day worked out at 17.6mph.)

We rode along beside and sometimes on the Interstate (I-10) which was a totally new experience for me since apart from a couple of closed road events I have never ridden on a motorway. Apparently the low density of roads in California means that cycling on the Interstate is legal. (We have a lot of Interstate riding tomorrow so I will be interested to see how we interact with the motorists.) Although we were making excellent speed I could feel the temperature rising (it eventually peaked at 34C/93F) and I was glad of the breeze in my face as I cut through the air.  Approaching Palm Springs we passed by a massive series of wind farms. Compared to the wind farms off the North Sea which I am familiar with from my coastal rides back home, these farms were GINORMOUS!

Palm Springs

Our route took us round the edge of Palm Springs. Since the early 1900’s this has been a resort city – initially for health seekers benefitting from the dry climate and subsequently for more sporting and artistic pursuits. Palm Springs is also the place where the ‘Desert Modern’ style of high-end architecture originated – open-designs, wall to wall carpeting, air-conditioning, big plate glass windows and not forgetting the swimming pools. As we passed the city I was reminded of an oasis in the desert, which of course it is!

From Palm Springs we continued on the final 10-mile leg to our destination at Indio. As we rode along I was struck by the billboards lining the roadside advertising seemingly every consumer product or service imaginable. I even spotted one with the face of Mr Permatan himself (Donald Duck Trump to you readers). He seemed to be hustling some sort of property deal – there’s a surprise. Talking of billboards, indulge me as I make a small diversion in today’s story. If you haven’t seen the film “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” then you simply must. Frances McDormand who plays the lead alongside Woody Harrelson, won a richly deserved Best Actress Oscar. Now, whenever I see a billboard I automatically think of Frances and the wonderful, yet tragic, story she tells.

With the temperature reaching the afternoon peak and the possibility that my Gatorade drink was approaching boiling point I was glad to make the final turn into our hotel for the evening. This was a fast day. This was a hot day. But most of all this was a thoroughly enjoyable day. I’ve been teasing Paula with a range of slightly eccentric English expressions. So the expression for today is “Spiffing”. Look it up.

USA Tour Stage 1: Los Angeles to Riverside, CA (79 Miles)

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It’s 5:30 am and breakfast time in the hotel in El Segundo. Everything I could want is available at the buffet. I settle for some orange juice, scrambled eggs and bacon, a bagel with strawberry jam and coffee. I’ve spent a few moments listening in to the chatter in the room. I wasn’t eavesdropping on other peoples’ conversations but instead testing the temperature and sizing up the mood music. What I heard was lots of happiness; people who like me, were ready to ride. Interestingly what I heard and saw from the body language was a mixture of eagerness with a trace of uncertainty, For all of us, and I suspect even those who have previously competed what I am about to attempt, nothing is totally certain about what lies ahead over the next 44 days. Each of us is going through our own pre-ride preparations – some quite obviously so; other rather more nonchalantly. For many, including me, we are on the threshold of what will be the adventure of our lives.

Suitably fuelled up I returned to my room to don the lycra, including the tour jersey, for today’s ride and to finish packing my bags. Each of us has been provided with two kit bags and Paula has told us that we are limited to a maximum weight of 30 lbs. That’s in total; not per bag. It was quite a struggle to zip up the bags containing all the kit and caboodle required for a seven week trip. After a certain amount of shoving a squeezing I was quite satisfied with my efforts and my bags were done up tighter than I thought possible, Feeling pleased with myself I have a final look around the room and to my horror I spot my trainers and a pair of shorts. So it’s back to opening up the bags again. Eventually I manage to squeeze everything in and take the bags down to reception to be loaded by Itchytoo (I’ll explain another time) into the support van. Then I return to my room to collect my bike.

We are soon all ready to go and Paula gives us some final instructions on getting down to Manhattan beach for the official start. We ride the 2-3 miles there in convoy and then it’s time for the traditional wheel dipping ceremony and photographs before we’re ready to set off. Mary, one of the tour crew takes an interest in my damaged left knee, even taking some photographs. I may have to keep an eye on her! We immediately head due east and inland along a succession of long straight and generally smooth roads. It takes a while for smaller groups to form. At the start of any tour riders go through an introductory process as they discover who is similar to them – in terms of riding ability and temperament. Gradually the groups form through a sort of natural selection process.


The ride out of LA is largely through a never ending succession of business parks and industrial estates interspersed with small, budget type shopping areas and low cost, densely packed housing. From what I can see as I ride along it all looks fairly random and is quite different from the more planned approach to development that I am familiar with in the UK. Today is Mother’s Day so on many of the street corners, flower sellers are busy trying to win the attentions of passing motorists. The traffic seems to ebb and flow as we progress. We pass over dozens of crossroads where traffic from every direction has to stop and then following what to me is an unfathomable code, moves off. It seems to happen quite naturally and with good grace. That doesn’t stop me making hard eye contact with any motorist who might cross my path. It amuses me to think that back in the UK we have developed a rather more precise solution – roundabouts!

In what seems like no time at all we arrive at the first SAG (Support and Gear) stop. Paula and her team have a great selection of fruit, drinks and snacks ready and waiting for us. We are required to sign in and out at each SAG so that the support team know who is on the road. Leaving the SAG I like up with Pete and two other riders, Robert and Emil. Robert is one of the support team and lives in Riverside, today’s destination. Emil is from Switzerland. We make good progress until I am late signalling a pothole causing Pete to ride straight into it and suffer a rear wheel puncture. (That’s going to cost me a beer this evening.) Following a tube change we were soon rolling again.

We continue to  pass through a succession of districts (I missed the point where we left Los Angeles County, the density of business premises and housing reduces. The properties offices and industrial units are also newer so there is an atmosphere of greater affluence. In the distance I can see some hills which are gradually getting closer. They are dissected by numerous ravines, gullies and small canyons – scenery that I have seen before but only in films. We ride parallel to Route 91, sometimes passing over and under it on a fabulously smooth tarmac surface. The highway is incredibly busy with every lane full of traffic – mostly heading past us towards LA.


As we enter the hills we turn on to the Santa Ana Bike trail, another wonderfully surfaced route, and gradually head upwards to the second SAG. With the sun now shining brightly and the air gradually warming it proves to be just the spot to grab some fruit and top up my water bottles. I’m wearing a pair of brightly coloured socks which match the tour jersey and they catch Paula’s eye. In a moment of weakness I promise to give them (washed of course) to Paula at the end of the tour. Me and my big mouth ….

Approaching Riverside

Resisting the temptation to linger in the sunshine we head off again on the final leg of the stage. This proves to be the best part of the day. We roll gradually downhill and onto another long straight avenue. This time we are amongst some lovely houses. The avenue is lined with mature palm trees. For miles and miles, beautifully coloured roses mark the central reservation. In places I spot orange groves, heavy with their brightly coloured fruit. What a wonderful way to end a great first day! As we near our destination Robert takes on the mantle of tour guide and shares a few snippets about Riverside.

Arriving at the hotel, anther Marriott Courtyard Inn, check-in is a breeze. I take my bike to my room to find my two bags are already there. (Thanks, Itchytoo – you are a ‘top man’.) Then in true pro-rider style I jump into the shower, fully clothed to wash my riding gear. Once I’ve peeled off the lycra it’s time to wash me. Then after wringing out the lycra, rolling it in a towel and hanging it up to dry overnight I search out a milkshake and a slice of lemon drizzle cake to complete my end of ride refuelling. Within an hour of arriving Pete and I are sitting round the hotel’s pool in the sunshine, enjoying a refreshing a bottle of beer and reflecting on our first stage. I have a sneaky feeling that, based on today, this tour is going to be a blast. Laters, readers!

Redondo Beach and Back with Brunch and The First Tour Meeting (21 Miles) (LGD -1 Day)

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Here we are on the eve of the big event. All being well, this time tomorrow I should be somewhere east of Los Angeles having finished the first stage of the tour. I am quite excited. Well, no – I am VERY, VERY excited. And I am a tad apprehensive. This tour has been a long time in the planning so it is a bit of a relief to be about to set off. I originally booked my place in March 2017. Regular readers will know that I have been counting down the days to Le Grand Depart (LGD) ever since. I started at LGD –423 days and a now it’s LGD –1 day.

Over the last few days the tour members have been assembling. Everyone seems pretty friendly and we have been introducing ourselves to each other. Having met so many new people in such a short time I am finding it quite difficult to link names and faces. I’m hoping that as we progress that will get easier. Rather amusingly each of our bikes has a name badge affixed to it – to signify that the bike has passed muster from the tour organisers – my CV was inspected yesterday.

With one more day to go before we leave I was in no doubt about what to do – go for a last LA ride with Pete Wilson. After a quick coffee at the hotel we headed to the coast cycle route and turned south. Our plan was to ride to the end of the route and enjoy a spot of brunch somewhere along the way. As we headed out, the sky turned grey and sure enough light rain started to fall. Fortunately the rain stopped within 5 minutes. This was California making me feel right at home; I would have much preferred some of California’s legendary sunshine though.

Riding along parallel to the beach was completely enthralling. Saturday morning was a 5-star opportunity for a bit of people watching. As we rolled along the ‘Beautiful People’ were out in force partaking of every activity and form of exercise imaginable. Apart from hundreds of riders, runners and walkers I saw people playing beach volleyball, surfers, divers, footballers (American and soccer) and softball. There were people practising martial arts, yoga, tai-chi and countless other types of exercise. And the greatest thing was that people of all ages, from parents with babies in buggies to seniors, were enjoying themselves. And if the sights on the seaward side weren’t enough Pete commented that any of the properties on the land side could have featured in an episode of Grand Designs. Was that Kevin McCloud I saw lurking in the shadows? Without wishing to sound overly evangelical I couldn’t help feeling that life doesn’t get much better than this!

Reaching the end of the cycle route we turned around and headed back to Hermosa for brunch at The Rockerfeller. I opted for scrambled eggs, bacon, country potatoes with peppers and onions and brioche toast. I did hesitate over the Pork Belly Benedict but decided that would be a step too far. We sat at a table on the sidewalk and watched street life pass us by. Suitably refuelled we headed back to El Segundo for a shower before going to the pre-tour briefing.

I spent part of this afternoon at the first meeting of the tour. It’s was great to finally meet everyone – riders and tour support crew. They seem to be a great bunch of folk and I am really looking forward to getting to know them better as the tour evolves. We each had to introduce ourselves which has heightened my appetite to get chatting. Most of the riders come from all over the US – and they seem to share similar aspirations for the tour. Quite a few people, more than I expected, have ridden the tour before – some several times which bodes well. A few are leaving the tour part way along and others will be joining us as we progress. There was lots of laughter and happiness in the room so the dynamics feel very comfortable.

Paula Farmer, the tour leader gave us great safety briefing and shared several important messages based on her experience. One detail that I am going to have to work at are the various hand signals, some of which have different meanings in the US of A to back home in the UK. Good communication between riders moving in a group is essential for everyone’s safety. I must remember to point my arm downwards when I intend to stop – back home I am used to sticking my arm straight up in their air! Having covered all the essential bases we had our first Route Rap. This is when Paula discusses key features of the following day’s ride covering the route, potential hazards, feeding points (SAG Stops), timings and so on. And while on the subject of timings we have an early start tomorrow – breakfast at 5:30am; wheels up by 6:30. On that note and as Zebedee of Magic Roundabout fame used to say – “Time for Bed”. Goodnight readers.