Day 9 - Rest Day in Flagstaff, AZ - 0 mi

This is our rest day in Flagstaff. I'm also getting caught up on stuff. After shipping some unused items home yesterday, I repacked my bags this morning. I won't have to struggle to get the zippers closed each morning. That will be a relief.


My Army friend from Sedona, Bob Herring, drove up in his roadster to spend a few hours with me. He had also spotted me coasting down to Jerome two days ago. We were both stationed in Augsburg, Germany, in 1970 and did some motorcycle touring through the Swiss Alps on his BMW. We have kept in touch over the years. He bought a BMW motorcycle from me in 1997 and flew back to Iowa to ride it home to Arizona. He still has it. Kim and I visited him and his wife, Annie, while on an auto trip through the Sedona area last year. It is an entirely different experience seeing the sights from a bicycle this year.



Bob took me out for lunch at Oregano's Pizza Bistro, a quaint little place with a 50's atmospere. The salads and pizza were out of this world.



After lunch, we drove up to the ski area on the San Francisco Peaks north of Flagstaff. We spotted several local cyclists who had driven up to the base of the mountain, cycled seven miles up and then coasted down. It was a beautiful drive with very little traffic.

Tomorrow we head for Holbrook, riding on Route 66 and passing through Winslow on the way.

I may at times not have time to post daily so don't be concerned. If it gets to be several days, better send out a search party.

Bye for now and thanks for the comments.

Day 8 - Cottonwood, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ - 46 mi - 6600 feet climbing

Riding from Cottonwood to Sedona on a beautifully smooth highway. This is the first morning that we have not had headwinds.

The Pink Jeep Tours and Restaurant in Sedona.


Heading up Oak Creek Canyon from Sedona towards Flagstaff.


The 2.2 mile steep climb up out of Oak Creek Canyon. This is probably the steepest grade of our tour. I don't know the % grade and it's probably best if I don't know. It was a hot climb.


Here is George, our 72 year-old from England, taking a short break at 1.1 mile point of the 2.2 mile climb. You're half-way up George!


Looking back down upon the 2.2 miles climb route. Did I really just pedal up there?


Another view of the Oak Creek Canyon climb.



Flagstaff at last and just in time as the headwind is starting to pick up. That's the San Francisco Peaks north of Flagstaff in the background - just to the right of my head. There is snow on them.


Time to clean up. Our bags are placed in our rooms and the a/c is turned on before we arrive - can't beat that! We have to get everything we own in those two bags, including computers - except for what we are wearing and carrying on the bike. The two bags cannot weigh over 30 lbs total.

Rest day tomorrow in Flagstaff. Actually this is rest day and I'm catching up on my blog - so the posting dates do not always correspond to the ride date.

Day 7 - Prescott, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ - 43 mi - 4600 feet climbing

Damien, a math teacher from Ireland. Damien left his wife and five children at home, ages 12 to 24. He is one of the strongest cyclists and is often the first one to complete the day's ride. He lives in the mountains so knows what it takes to grind up these climbs.


Jeff a mt. bike camper from Prescott - not one of our riders. Jeff put us to shame by passing us with that loaded bike.

North of Prescott checking out the false flats on the approach to the Mingus Mt. climb. This turned out to be another one of those days with gusty headwinds putting us in low gear on what looked like flat going.


Achim and Alex from Germany on their unique tandem - easy to talk to one another and the front guy can take pictures without stopping. They trade positions periodically.

The summit of Mingus Mt. That's me on the left with a few of the women on the tour. The women put us old guys to shame.

Looking down on Jerome, an old copper mining town that dwindled down to a population of 40 and then regrew into an artistic community.

Cottonwood, our goal for today, is in the distance on the Verde Valley floor. Sedona is far on the horizon. This was a ten mile coast down to Cottonwood with a stop in Jerome for lunch - a welcome reprieve after climbing all morning. This was a very delightful afternoon.

My Army friend, Bob Herring and his wife Annie, drove up to see me in Jerome. They live near Sedona. Bob will drive up to Flagstaff on Sunday for our rest day.

On to Flagstaff tomorrow - our 2nd biggest climbing day of the tour.

Bye for now and thanks for the comments.

Bob