day 5 - into flagstaff, 05.19

Oy, what a day.  but a reassuring one in that challenges were overcome.  everything worked out in the end.

there was no way this day was going to be anything but drudgery.  80+ miles to flagstaff, all on interstate shoulder, into the wind, with nothing to look at but flat, semi-arid land.  just something you have to do to get to point 'b'.  my plan was to take 2 days, doing as much as possible today.  the forecast was for mild wind in the morning, building to 15-20 mph in afternoon.  tomorrow was going to start at 13 and build to 20-25 with gusts above 30.  the same the following day.

and the shower, meal and rest at the KOA campground did me good.  i was off by 6:15 with a pint of chocolate milk.  wind stayed mild and i was 'standing on a corner in winslow, arizona' by 9:00. actually, i was in a coffee house talking with steve, the owner, and petting hope, guiness' stand in.  i should mention that arizona does not recognize DST, so time is funny here, the sun rises early.

another 2 hours found me battling a steadily increasing headwind.  the one bright spot was the appearance of humphrys peak in the distance, with snow on the top.  what a stark change, rising out of the desert.  

a beacon of hope, as long as i didn't have to climb any part of it.  which i don't.  

i fought the headwind, heading to a rest area, the first interstate rest area on my trip, oh excitement!  i figured i would rest there for an hour or so and contemplate the remaining 35 mi. to flagstaff. possibly even spend the night there.  yes, or so i figured.  as fate would have it, the rest area was closed, under construction. no water, even.  i actually walked for half a mile or so and seriously cosidered hitchhiking into flagstaff.  the wind wasn't going to get any better and i was starting to have trouble with my rear wheel.  i realized the noise i was hearing was the tire rubbing against the frame. fortunately, the exit for meteor crater national landmark was only 2 miles down the road and there was a gas station and rv park there.  and water.

when i got there, i found out i was screwed.  the wheel was wobbling on the axle, wearing a spot on the tire against the frame.  i had no fix for that.  i needed a ride into a bike shop in flagstaff.

long and the short, i got lucky, hadn't used up all my accumulated kharma, yet.  the kid at the counter for the gas/rv park asked a coworker if he'd drive me in, even before i told him i'd pay.  kevin, the maintenance guy, drove me 35 mi. into a bike shop.  the bike shop jumped on it and i was all fixed, with a new wheel, and over to my motel before 3:30.  (hey, o'kane, i even got my rear brake cable replaced and adjusted!) and, fortunately, motel du beau had a room available.  i was a day early, my reservation wasn't till the following two nights.  so i ended up with another night and day here in flagstaff, which will get me through the worst of the wind.  though it will continue most of next week.

anyway, got checked in, took a nice hot shower, went out and had some chips, chicken with green chili and a negro modela.  then i was so tired, i skipped the microbreweries, came back to my room and slept.