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A few reflections from the ride
Mar. 30th, 2009 06:03 pm-I don't know if I'd want to go on any long solo touring trips. It really is nice to have other people to share the stories with, as J also mentioned when telling me about his trip across the country.
-The Gila River Indian Reservation was incredibly peaceful and quiet, between the moments when cars rushed past. People using motorized vehicles rarely realize how much they miss.
-That was a long trip, 75 miles the first day, 71 miles the second. The longest bike-touring trip I've ever done. I can see why most tourers limit themselves to that kind of mileage.
-I need to get my act together with respect to tools to carry on such expeditions. In the very least, some spare spokes and a spoke wrench are called for. For peace of mind, if nothing else.
-I was extremely grateful for all that I have learned about taking care of bikes recently. That definitely contributes to peace of mind.
-Coolidge was extremely dusty, which is hard on moving bike parts.
Casa Grande Monument: It was strange to see the remnants of a society from over 700 years ago. Apparently, at the time, the water table was only 12 feet below the surface of the earth, so mesquite trees could grow all across the vast tracts of the Sonoran desert (their tap roots can extend down 40 feet). When I learned that, I began to see the desert differently, and noticed dead tree trunks I hadn't noticed before. It made me a bit sad about the land on the Res--although the blooming hedgehog cacti were gorgeous (and also not noticeable by the zooming motorists), they seemed like vestiges of an ancient desert forest, remnants that will soon wither and blow away as well. It's no wonder that most of central Arizona is now creosote flats. Even where the United States has left land to native Americans, it still reaches out and underneath and takes the life out of that land.
-The Gila River Indian Reservation was incredibly peaceful and quiet, between the moments when cars rushed past. People using motorized vehicles rarely realize how much they miss.
-That was a long trip, 75 miles the first day, 71 miles the second. The longest bike-touring trip I've ever done. I can see why most tourers limit themselves to that kind of mileage.
-I need to get my act together with respect to tools to carry on such expeditions. In the very least, some spare spokes and a spoke wrench are called for. For peace of mind, if nothing else.
-I was extremely grateful for all that I have learned about taking care of bikes recently. That definitely contributes to peace of mind.
-Coolidge was extremely dusty, which is hard on moving bike parts.
Casa Grande Monument: It was strange to see the remnants of a society from over 700 years ago. Apparently, at the time, the water table was only 12 feet below the surface of the earth, so mesquite trees could grow all across the vast tracts of the Sonoran desert (their tap roots can extend down 40 feet). When I learned that, I began to see the desert differently, and noticed dead tree trunks I hadn't noticed before. It made me a bit sad about the land on the Res--although the blooming hedgehog cacti were gorgeous (and also not noticeable by the zooming motorists), they seemed like vestiges of an ancient desert forest, remnants that will soon wither and blow away as well. It's no wonder that most of central Arizona is now creosote flats. Even where the United States has left land to native Americans, it still reaches out and underneath and takes the life out of that land.
