After a rainy night that provided only wet clothes the morning was pretty rough. We didn’t have a lot of water so decided to just eat the fruit we had instead of cooking breakfast or coffee. The nearest food and water source was still 30 miles away do we hit the road early headed towards Phoenix. There were lots of climbs and descents coming out of the White Mountains but I felt no joy in riding quick. My mind was unable to really focus or get out of the funk I was in due to my physical discomfort.
After about two hours we finally found some breakfast and water which helped turn my mood around. Our day was relatively short with only 60 miles of riding, we had a couchsurf lined up in the Phoenix area so most of the day was spent restocking, running errands, and planning the route to the beach. I started to remember how much I like this area and by time we met our host, Chris, I was in a good mood.
Chris is a great guy who took us out to a pub trivia at an Irish bar in Scottsdale. We had a lot of great talks, some beer, and just a good time. Chris also allowed us to use his washer and dryer for the nasty wet clothes. It was a welcome break from the road, probably the last one before we finish the ride next week. My time in Phoenix was great as always and I look forward to returning.
It’s kind of crazy to think I’m in my final week of the ride. It looks like I’ll be getting to Santa Monica on Monday and jumping in that big beautiful ocean sometime mid-afternoon. I find myself noticing “lasts”… Last couchsurf, etc. it is bittersweet but it’s been amazing and I know there is still a lot of reflection and adventures still ahead.
Wandering Oak 