Miles Today: 127 Total Miles: 225 Ascent: Mild Temp: 93 Time: 9hrs 10 min
We bade farewell to our friendly and generous host, John Jackson, and started for Blythe. More undulating hills and yet again temperatures soared into the mid-90s. We traveled on SR 86 & 78 through the Imperial Valley, a lush agricultural area with massive fields and irrigation systems. These fields quickly gave way to the extensive sand dunes of North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area, near Glamis, CA. The high temps and blustery winds and continuous climbing made this a very difficult day in the saddle. This vast sand pit is play ground for hundreds of dune buggies and sophisticated sand racing vehicles. Not only were the dunes large, but also the prices charged for services. How about $4.50 for a gallon of water and $2.00 for a bathroom visit?! The whole area had the appearance of a ramshackle transit camp with thousands of RVs, trailers, and mobile homes. Obviously, the recession has not reached Glamis!
Glamis, CA
Our destination was outside the town of Blythe. The support car and Don linked up on the outskirts and proceeded to what we thought was a Cyclists B&B. Alas, it proved to be a patch of grass on which to pitch the tent in the middle of half a dozen trailer homes. The shower was a hose, with no place to fix any kind of meal. The main feature was a bait shop and convenience store, with a bar in the back! Our host was very welcoming, but most definitely not a cyclist. Too tired to look for a hotel, we survived without the expected creature comforts.
Yours on the Road,
Don and Penny
No comments:
Post a Comment