I will start today's post with what happened last night. I received at phone call from Bob Babbitt. Bob is a co-host of Competitor Radio, which is a weekly podcast you can listen to through ITunes. Bob is the man i met a few days ago near Pine Valley. We talked for awhile and he asked if I was up for an interview. These interviews are taped and put onto a podcast for anyone who subscribes to the Competitor Radio. The real funny thing is that I listen to him every week without fail. They always have the best guests in the endurance world. For example, just recently he interviewed Ryan Hall ( 2:04 marathoner ), Javier Gomez ( silver medalist in the 2012 London Olympics in triathlon ), and Galen Rupp ( silver medalist in the 2012 London Olympics in the 10k on the track ), just to name a few. Now he wants to interview me, really! I just can't believe this is happening. I'am a huge fan of this show and now I am going to be on it. Bob said his staff would call me back in an hour and we would be on live. Sure enough, I got the call and the staff man says ok your on in one minute. Next I hear the intro music to the show that I have heard hundreds of times before, but this time it's me answering the questions. I was so excited, not to mention nervous. Next thing I knew Bob was introducing me to the listens and away we went. I will paste the link to the show as soon as it comes out on podcast, usually a few days.
To say I was up early would be an understatement. I had a wake up call for 3:30am, and I was biking at 3:55am. I am taking this heat serious, because it is. I don't think I will be camping until I get to cooler conditions. I would lose so much time breaking down camp, not to mention that I would be sweating all night. It was a very comfortable 70 degrees for the first 2 hours of biking, which was in almost total darkness. The moonlight did help and my eyes did adjust enough to see. This is the only, and I mean only way that I can continue riding. The afternoon heat can kill you if your not smart. I like it anyway, as I've always got up early. The plan is to be in a town in early afternoon, so I can still get a full day of riding in by leaving early. Once the sun rose at 6am I was treated to the beautiful scenery of the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area. This area is just rolling sand dunes as far as the eye can see. I assume they are formed by the wind. By 9:30am my bike computer read 100 degrees, and I was only halfway into my planned ride. I would have done fewer miles today, but there were no services to stop at closer than I did. That is the reason I left a 4am, as I knew it was going to be a long day. After the dunes, I rode next to the Chocolate Mountain Range for many miles. They are called the Chocolate Mountains due to their dark color. I came across a Border Patrol Station and met two officers on duty. They told me that many Mexicans get caught here with drugs. I hope those Mexicans are carrying water with those drugs in this heat. The guards filled up my water bottles and I bee-lined it for Blythe, CA as the temp read 107 on my bike computer. I was able to stop at Palo Verde which is no more than a ghost town, but they did have a very small market. I grabbed an ice cream and a gallon of water. I poured most of the water over my head and soaked my shirt and sunhat. Do you believe my shirt was bone dry in 5 minutes. I wheeled into town and quickly found a place to stay. I cleaned up but had business to do. I need to lose some gear. I am carrying way to much weight at 90 pounds. I walked the mile to the post office with my arms full of gear. I walked back 9.2 pounds lighter.
Photos: 6am Sunrise - North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area - Chocolate Mountain Range
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