Stuart and Dan arrive at San Diego Airport in their Help for Heroes bike shirts.
Their bikes are collapsed and in the big bags.
2 November 2012: The bikes are delivered to Bernie's Bikes in Ocean City to be reassembled, and we walk to the beach where the ride will begin early the next day.
Stuart and Thom at Bernie's Bike Shop.
Stuart, Dan and Thom at Ocean Beach, San Diego, California
DAY 1 (51 miles), 3 November 2012, San Diego to 5 miles west of Pine Valley, California. Up early to load the bikes and go to the start point in San Diego for the first day of the bike ride to Key West, Florida, a total of 3580 miles.
Thom Winkelspecht, Stuart Williams and Dan Williams,
up before light to head to Ocean Beach, California
Daniel, Stuart and Thom at Dog Beach, San Diego, California.
Stuart seems to be thinking about going the long way round to Key West.
Thom, age 59, is from New Jersey and is a retired United States Air Force Master Sergeant.
Thom is raising funds for Wounded Warrior Project.
Stuart, age 51, is married to Sheila's sister Janet, and is a former Royal Air Force officer. He is presently an Air Traffic Controller at Liverpool's John Lennon Airport ("Above Us Only Sky").
Stuart is raising funds for Help for Heroes.
Daniel, who will turn 27 on the bike ride, is Stuart and Janet's son. They live in Prestatyn, on the North Wales coast. The Red Dragon on his shirt is the emblem of the flag of Wales. Dan is a financial advisor, and the grandson of a Dunkirk and Normandy Veteran.
Dan is raising funds for Help for Heroes.
The three will ride the Southern Tier Bike Route from Dog Beach in San Diego to Florida, where they will ride the additional length of Florida to Key West. They'll pass through Melbourne in Brevard County, where Thom and Sheila live.
The tough Welshmen's bikes are now loaded with their panniers for the ride. Note the caution around the bollards, since Stuart's accident was caused by one.
The first day is one of the most difficult of the whole journey. After a ride in heavy traffic through San Diego, Santree and Lakeside, the climb up the mountains starts. They'll go from sea level to over 4,000 feet. One section rises 1,000 feet in just three miles.
Stuart and Dan start the climb into the mountains.
Thom has a problem with his bike chain twisting.
Fortunately, the riders have car support for the first few days to work out any "bugs" and Thom and his bike are taken back three miles to Alpine to the Holy Rollers bike shop that replaces the chain. It is located on the left side of the 76 gas station. The delay puts the riders just short of Pine Valley for the day. Camp is at Boulder Oaks, west of Pine Valley in Cleveland National Forest.
DAY 2 (74 miles), 4 November 2012, 5 miles west of Pine Valley to Seeley, California. The nights are cool and the days are warm, so being up early means bundling up a bit.
Thom and Dan are dressed for the early morning cold, but Stuart is toughing it out. He's thinking of those warming climbs ahead. Have you figured out who is the little groups "ham" yet?
The guys are on the road as the sun comes up, just west of Pine Valley, California
Stuart on Old Highway 80 where it crosses Interstate 8.
The two roads run along side each other all the way to El Centro, California, the Day 2 destination.
The riders crest the summit at 4055 feet.
Stuart and Thom stop for a photo at the Mexico border fence by Jacumba, California.
Car driver Sheila can't resist a photo with the border fence. Thom and Sheila's son Lee, a former archealogist, worked along the border checking the land for artifacts before the fence was constructed.
Stuart and Dan ride on Old Highway 80,
running parallel to the Mexico border fence in the Jacumba area
The riders have to ride on Interstate 8 to Ocotilla, and there are some long climbs;
Stuart is glad to see the descent ahead.
Back on Old Highway 80 the road is in disrepair and has stretches with no bike lane...
but there is no complaining if the road heads downhill!
Thom, Dan and Stu started from just west of Pine Valley and rode through the "one horse" towns of Pine Valley, Live Oak Springs on the fringe of La Posta Indian Reservation, Boulevard, Jacumba, Ocotillo, Plaster City, Seeley, and arrive at El Centro 70 miles later. Thom had had more trouble with the new bike chain, the rivet had come loose where it had been joined, but Daniel fixed it with a chain riveter. Thanks, Dan! Camp is at Sunbeam Lake RV Park, Seeley, south on Drew Road and very close to the bike route.
Day 3 (70 miles), 5 November 2012, Seeley to 20 miles south of Palo Verde. Today the riders will peddle through Imperial Sand Dunes Recreational Area in 93 degree weather, and then tackle the dips in the road through the Chocolate Mountains.
Dan, Thom, and Stuart ready for their third day of riding, leaving Sunbeam Lake RV Campground
Dan has a puncture first thing, and Stuart checks to see he has everything he needs to fix it.
This is an area of intense agriculture, made possible by the "canal" system of irrigation.
The riders have to keep hydrated too, and here Stuart and Daniel refill their water bottles.
They need to lather up with sunblock, and fuel up with food. The riders are burning 8,000 calories a day, so although they've had a big breakfast they are ready for brunch in Brawley.
The riders welcome the flat, straight roads to and out of Brawley.
This dairy farm has solar panels to either operate the farm's equipment,
or to make efficient use of dead space to make an extra income.
Dan has trouble with his tyre, but his father Stuart mustn't think it is too serious.
Dan will have had the last laugh after seeing his Dad lather up with sunblock ready for Imperial Sand Dunes ahead.
Cyclists from the opposite direction share some information with Daniel and Stuart.
Daniel and Stuart on the fringe of Imperial Sand Dunes Recreational Area. The wayside shrubs are becoming scarcer.
Dan wants it documented that he was in such a place, in 93 degrees, and survived the ride, the heat...
... and the traffic!
Sheila waits at a lookout point to get a photo of the riders to go by on Rt. 78 through Imperial Sand Dunes.
Dan is in the lead, just ahead of the shadow.
It's not flat on this "beach" - lots of hills.
The riders enter Glamis for a much needed rest.
Glamis is in the middle of Imperial Sand Dunes, a town that is just a store and buggy rental place. Since they have heard about the inflated prices, Thom, Dan and Stuart have enough water with them to get them through the day.
This is why it is called Imperial Sand Dunes Recreational Area!
The sand dunes recede and Stuart leads the way into the Chocolate Mountains.
Thom took this great photograph of his shadow as evening comes on.
Camp for the night is at Campbell Road Campground, 10 miles south of Palo Verde.
Day 4 (65 miles), 6 November 2012, 20 miles south of Palo Verde, California, to Quartzsite, Arizona.
Thom and Stuart ready to go on Day 4. Stuart remembers the heat of yesterday and is on his way while Dan makes an adjustment to his bike.
Little Road, Big Trucks
Dan and Thom, Chocolate Mountains, start of Day 4.
Dan and Stuart, happy after a hearty brunch in Palo Verde.
The riders travel through miles of cotton fields.
Dan and Stuart check their Adventure Cycling Association southern tier bike route map; the riders are close to the California/Arizona border.
Bicycle riders are directed to use the pedestrian bridge over the Colorado River. Thom sets the timer on the camera and gets a group picture.
Daniel crosses into Arizona; the riders are ahead of schedule.
Stuart leaves California behind.
Breakfast, Brunch, now Lunch at the border truckstop
Dan in his "Desperate Dan" shirt and Thom, ready to peddle through Arizona.
Dan and his father Stuart
Stuart rides through the Arizona landscape to Quartzsite...
where Desert Gardens RV Park is home for the night. So this is what "Dry Camping" means.
Day 5 (72 miles), 7 November 2012, Quartzsite to 10 miles east of Aguila, Arizona. Highway 78 is flat and straight, not a lot of traffic. Great conditions for the riders, and even though Dan has another puncture and they stop to smell the roses and the food along the way, they cover 72 miles.
Pleased at their progress, Dan, Thom and Stuart are happy to pose by an Arizona landmark at the start of Day 5 in Quartzsite.
Thom's ahead because Dan has another flat tire, so he is killing time taking photos of himself on the ride along Interstate 10.
Stuart's brunch at Kofa's Cafe in Salome. He arrived in the USA a week ago at 185 lb and has put on three pounds despite cycling all day! Dan came in at 190 lbs and Thom at 163 lbs.
Daniel and Stuart at the petroglyphs just "beyond Hope," Arizona
9/11 Memorial in Salome, Arizona
Thom takes another great picture of his shadow
A melon field is the back drop for this photo of Daniel and another tire puncture
But it's time to call it a day anyway, the first cloud of the trip is red with the sunset. The Fairview RV Park that was marked on the bike map has shut down, so alternate arrangements had to be made.
The town of Gladden, south of Aquila, is made up of an RV Park, RV Storage, some kitchenette apartments that are nicer inside than out, and ...
a field of goats, a cow, a donkey, hens and a rooster.
Day 6 (100 miles!!!), 8 November 2012, 5 miles south of Aguila to Mesa: The rooster assured an early start for this long day into Phoenix. Day 6 was to end in Surprise, but the riders are ahead of schedule and want to push to be a complete day ahead of schedule. When they finish 50 miles by noon, they press on and when they reach 80 miles they decide to go for a 100 mile day. It puts them at Country Club and 6th Street, and "camp" tonight is the comfortable home of Thom and Sheila's nephew's family, Damon and Julie Porter, in Gilbert, Arizona.
Dan, Stuart and Thom, ready to roll on Day 6
Dan and Stuart stop in Wickenburg at the memorial to a stagecoach massacre.
The traffic picks up in Suprise and gets heavier the rest of the day.
Dan and Stuart are anxious to check out all types of restaurants along the way.
A pleasant ride along the canal out of the Phoenix traffic.
The bike route goes for 9 miles along the canal.
It's been a long day...
The riders stop at dark after peddling 100 miles to the intersection of Country Club and 6th Street in Tempe, Arizona. Their hosts for two nights are Damon and Julie Porter in Mesa, AZ. Damon is one of eight children of Sheila's sister Val, who lives in Heber Arizona.
Day 7, 9 November 2012: Today is a rest day in Mesa, Arizona. It is Dan's 27th birthday. His father buys him a Marathon tyre to celebrate, and hopes it will prevent Dan's proneness to punctures. The riders spend the day sorting their panniers, unloading items they can do without, but then loading their bags bag up with newly purchased items they will need for the trip now that they lose their support car and the cooking equipment it held.
Rest day gives the riders a chance to whittle down their pannier luggage to absolute necessities.
Stuart goes to update the riders' blog but the crazyguyonabike website is down.
Dan contacts Warmshower.com hosts in Superior and Safford, Arizona. The three riders would welcome more hosts along the Southern Route Tier as they head east.
Thom is nowhere to be found. He's gone for a mid-morning nap.
Thom, Dan, and Stuart with nephews/cousins Tim (middle) and Damon (right)
at Barro's Pizza that evening to celebrate Dan's 27th birthday.
Most of Val's family were there and came back to Damon's for cake and ice cream.
Unfortunately, a dozen of her family member's weren't able to be there... they were missed!
Parker wants to join the riders, but he's heading the wrong way.
Day 8: 10 November 2012: The riders set out from Tempe to arrive at 11 am to have lunch with the Jensen family in Mesa. From there, they head for the hills beyond Apache Junction and Florence Junction. They will go up through Gonzalez Pass to Superior, where they have a Warmshowers host for the night. It is a shorter mileage day due to the climb today, and the even tougher climb the next day.
Stuart, Thom and Dan get ready to leave the Jensen's home
Day 9: 11 November 2012: The riders reached the Apache Reservation Casino and stayed the evening in an inexpensive hotel and had a free buffet dinner because it was Veterans Day. It had been a difficult climb.
Day 10: 12 November 2012: The riders had a difficult day against strong headwinds, and the "flat" looking stretch on the map profile turned out to be very hilly. Their host came for them a few miles short of Safford, and was most helpful to them. Stuart, Thom and Dan were his 150th set of WarmShower guests in two years! They were having family night, and it wasn't long before Stuart was nominated the guest speaker.
Day 11: 13 November 2012: The riders are just east of the New Mexican border, fending for themselves tonight and hoping their sleeping bags truly are comfortable down to 15F. All this talk of cold weather has Sheila knitting winter caps - Lee has had 28 inches of snow in Bountiful, Utah; he drove past his home because it was difficult to recognize! She has also been meeting with her home schooled nephews and nieces and they have sewn four pillowcases, five pinnies (aprons) and mended their clothing. Here is what we will be doing tomorrow, along with learning family history and how to index historical records:
Sheila made this set of finger puppets for granddaughter Jax.
Day 12: 14 November 2012: Turns out the riders found a campground last night, and built a big fire. Some fellow campers had two extra sleeping bags and an extra blanket that they loaned them, though Thom was okay in his down to 15F sleeping bag. Today they rode over the Continental Divide and are spending the night in a motel in Silver City. Well deserved after a cold ride. Just think, a week ago it was 93F!
FOR A COMPLETE STORY AND PLENTY OF PICTURES OF THE BICYCLE RIDE, PLEASE SEE THE RIDERS' BLOG AT www.is.gd/KbVUzb. Thom has the camera with him.
FOR A COMPLETE STORY AND PLENTY OF PICTURES OF THE BICYCLE RIDE, PLEASE SEE THE RIDERS' BLOG AT www.is.gd/KbVUzb. Thom has the camera with him.
Dan, Thom and Stuart ready to roll on Day 12.
Dan keeping warm in his "sock" monkey hat in Mule Creek, New Mexico
Stuart and Thom in Texas.
Daniel, Stuart and Thom in Louisiana
Thom, Stuart and Dan arrive in Mississippi
Daniel, Stuart and Thom at the end of their bike ride in Key West, Florida, 21 December 2012.
