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[davidbrigstock]

Nov 19 Last Day 🚴

Day 47 Cottonwood AZ to Flagstaff AZ

Miles today : 49

Total cross-USA miles: 3310

Feet of ascent today : 5623

Total cross-USA feet of ascent: 100,323

One of my biggest disappointments missing the first week of the Crossroads ride in May was that I didn’t cycle through Sedona up to Flagstaff, which was pegged as one of the most beautiful parts of the tour as well as featuring one of the more memorable (i.e. difficult) climbs. So the plan today was that Matt and I would accomplish that goal. We had a hearty breakfast at a cafe across the street from the hotel and then set off in about a 45-degree temperature, heading into the sun that was rising into clear blue skies. Our route east on 89A gradually took us into “Red Rock Country”, most obvious as we neared Sedona with its characteristic iron oxide orange-red sandstone formations that create a stunningly beautiful mountain landscape. The wind was very strong as we entered Sedona and it was a bit chilly so we got off our bikes at the Pink Tours Co. in the downtown area to grab a warming cup of coffee and take some pics, including the pink pigs sculpture. Our bikes and our bicycle adventure attracted quite a bit of attention with some of the tourists and I got into a long conversation with a German couple who were thrilled to see we were riding Canyon bikes that are made in Germany.

After that, we cycled into the mountain area, trees in their fall colors lining the road with the red rock reaching vertically towards the blue skies. It was idyllic. Lots of pics were taken as we cycled along the mountain pass, opening up new vistas at every turn.

Today’s ride involved climbing more than 5000 feet and the most significant part of that was a series of back-to-back switchbacks or hairpin loops with a 5-9% gradients that would take us up around 900 ft in less than a mile. It turns out that there was a one-way system along this part of the route as the opposite lane to ours was closed for construction traffic involved in bridge and wall repair. Traffic was being allowed alternately up and down this one way section and we could not possibly get up before the traffic started coming down so we opted to cycle in the closed lane which turned out to be a very safe option and allowed us to proceed at our own slow speed (5mph) and stop to take pics while totally staying out of the way oftraffic going up and down. There was no active construction going on so we didn’t have that to worry about either.

At the summit we caught our breath in a park with a great overlook, from which it was about 12 miles and 600 ft more climbing to reach our hotel. Our final challenge? I got a flat tire about half way along this final stretch. There was no obvious reason for it but the tube replacement didn’t take too long. Matt of course is even more convinced that his tubeless set-up which was flat-free all week is much more superior; it’s an option I have on my bike as well but I just haven’t tried it (yet).

Needless to say we arrived at our downtown Flagstaff hotel (with the wind picking up and a temperature around 40 degrees) around 3pm, cleaned ourselves up, and then walked my bike 3 mins down the road to the Bicycle Revolution bike store where I had pre-arranged for them to box it up and ship it back to Sixpenny.

Matt’s bike is going back with him in the plane to Austin, and his bike bag was waiting for us at the hotel courtesy of FedEx.

There was a great bar next to Revolution so we toasted our accomplishment with a couple of local beers, rested in the hotel, and then went to another bar for dinner.

Our adventure is now over and my mission to cycle across the USA this year came true after all. Matt was instrumental in helping me make this happen and to get through some of the difficulties we encountered. We cycled 523 miles with no “formal” support system and that’s an achievement in itself. The sheer array of landscapes that we encountered in just 7 days is truly amazing and really needs to be experienced first-hand to appreciate.

So to get to this point I cycled 3310 miles while climbing just over 100,000 ft, or 19 miles. I built great friendships in the summer which are still going strong but to be able to complete this adventure with Matt added a dimension to this accomplishment - and to our relationship - that is difficult to put in words.

A Crossroads tradition is for cyclists who did not ride in a support vehicle to receive an EFI certificate ( EFI , every fkn inch, but of course we can’t use that word) from Paula. I technically accomplished that, albeit unavoidably in two long journeys rather than one - so Jim created my own personalized EFI award, shown below using one of the pics he took of me. Thanks Jim !!! It’s illustrative of the comradery that our group collectively built over many weeks and which is still very much a “thing”.

What next? I’m not sure but my bicycle will likely be in a future plan at some point. Thank you to my family and friends for reading this, following me on Instagram and giving me the support, encouragement, love, and help to make this cross-USA adventure a reality. ❤️ 🔴

https://www.relive.cc/view/v26MroGnX3q

[davidbrigstock]

Nov 18

Day 46 Prescott AZ to Cottonwood AZ

Miles today: 45

Feet of ascent today: 2808

Total cross-USA miles: 3261

Total cross-USA feet of ascent : 94700

With the events of last night behind me and feeling much better overall, I was pretty confident that today would be plain sailing. We had breakfast at a local diner and set off around 10am. We had 44 miles ahead of us that included a very significant mountain climb but we could afford to delay our departure time and relax a little. We headed along Route 89A which for the first several miles was truly a nasty road for cyclists - lots of traffic, many exit/entry ramps, and debris on the shoulder. The road then branched off and became much quieter, delivering us to the foot of Mingus Mtn. Time to shed our long sleeved jackets and get a real workout. The next 4 miles were a steady climb of never-ending 4-6 % gradients. Lots of curves as the road hugged the sides of the mountains and rewarded us with spectacular views in front and behind us. Matt was way way in front of me but I was enjoying the serenity and solitude, just hearing the chain moving around the small ring at the front and the largest gear at the back. Lowest gear most of the way, my spinning legs moving me forward at 5-7 mph. I finally reached the summit, had a quick snack with Matt and then we braced ourselves for the ride down the other side of the mountain, passing through the town of Jerome that was nestled in the rock face. Although we were dressed in our warmest gear, the high speed resulted in a pretty memorable wind chill that we had to endure for the 4-mile/3500-ft descent into Verde Valley and Cottonwood. We stopped briefly to warm up in a cafe and then it was a short 20-min ride to the hotel. Going up and down Mingus were each exhilarating in their own particular way and are spectacularly captured in Relive so check it out below. Tomorrow is the last segment of this ride in which we will be climbing all day, experiencing Sedona Valley and the final push up to Flagstaff.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vKv2QneLWoq

[davidbrigstock]

Nov 17

Day 45 Wickenburg AZ to Prescott AZ

Miles today: 60

Total cross-USA miles: 3216

Feet of ascent today: 5614

Total cross-USA feet of ascent: 91892

After two very difficult days of plowing into unrelenting headwinds, today we were treated to much calmer conditions, notwithstanding the fact that we had a somewhat forboding 6000-feet of ascent to get to Prescott, over a distance of around 60 miles. The first major climb was The Yarnell Pass which was a 5-6% grade for about 5 miles. This was a very different type of “difficult” compared to the unending 1-2% climbs that we had to do the last 2 days and the sheer majesty of these mountains and the views was enough of a distraction to not dwell on the climb itself. Matt went on ahead of me for the entire Yarnell climb and was soon out of sight, reaching the summit about 10 mins before me.

Just before the summit, we passed the Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park which overlooks and pays homage to the 19 members of the 20-man group who died fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire on June 13, 2013. We had unknowingly passed the fatality site several hundred feet down from the park overlook; it is hard to imagine that the tragedy happened in such a beautiful and serene location.

The rest of the ride was a mixture of ups and downs with the emphasis on the ups. So many times on the “ups” my left hand instinctively tapped the gear shifter to find a lower gear only to have no effect because there were no more low gears left…

Eventually we were on the final descent into Prescott - 5 miles zoomed by as we free-wheeled our way down, our reward for doing that crazy climbing for the past 5 hours.

After checking into the hotel I promptly checked myself into the local hospital. I had developed an unnerving and worsening health issue over the past 24 hrs that I was afraid might be symptoms of something quite serious. Although I’m on a cycling mission, I’m not doing it at the price of causing some serious damage to my body. So I (and Matt) was (were) quite relieved to actually arrive in Prescott on two wheels (🚴) rather than four (🚑). The ER at the Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) was very busy but I had no complaints and the various tests I needed were done pretty efficiently. I was relieved to find that the problems I had experienced could be managed with prescriptions and that I was OK to continue cycling. It was so good to have an official medical opinion that it was safe to continue the physical assault on my body! So, the adventure will continue tomorrow. I put poor Matt through so much today. He stayed behind me all the way after the Yarnell Pass. That’s a real sacrifice for someone like him who could have powered up the hills so much faster and with greater efficiency. But by staying on my tail he could tell the rescue/ recovery squad where I’d careened down the rock-face had I collapsed on my bike and tumbled off the road…..

Enjoy Relive. The terrain is pretty incredible. Most of the pics were taken by Matt. I had other things on my mind…..including a “large”mountain lion. See pic posted below.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vKv2QnAZG4q

[davidbrigstock]

Nov 16.

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Day 44. Blythe CA to Wickenburg AZ

Miles today: 116

Feet of Ascent today: 3156

Total cross-USA miles: 3168

Total cross-USA feet of ascent: 86278

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I’m Alive . That’s all I have to say right now. Relive will be posted below but I’m in severe recovery mode and unlikely to add much to todays blog. Perhaps “winds from hell” is a good summary. Our mission changed from a tour to a race as we battled the headwinds trying to beat sunset at 5.30pm-ish We switched off our lights during the day to be sure they had power for cycling in the dark. It was a pretty unpleasant feeling as we raced the entire day, starting at 7am, barely able to maintain 14mph. We arrived as darkness fell and I was totally shattered.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vZqN71QKyGv

[davidbrigstock]

Nov 15

Day 43. Brawley CA to Blythe CA

Miles today : 87

Total cross-country miles: 3062

Feet of ascent today: 2165

Total cross-country feet of ascent: 83122

My friends in this years Crossroads cycling group will likely all agree that our ride into Texas was a truly miserable experience and possibly the worst of all the “bad” days. The weather was lousy with cold winds, rain and a headwind that just unendingly slammed into us. Today, in my opinion, was even worse than that. Although the temperature was pretty reasonable (40s getting into high 60s), the headwind from the east and north was brutal. We knew this was going to be the case but I didn’t realize that this would test my physical endurance to almost breaking point. The first 25 miles were great despite the wind and I’ll let the Relive video do the talking other than to say I reached 3000 total cross-USA miles during this section so I was on a high. Shortly thereafter, there was long climb directly into 15-20 mph headwinds which gradually sapped my energy as I watched my speed drop to 6-8mph. It was brutal, demoralizing, and totally draining. Even the downward slope after about 50 miles wasn’t very enjoyable as the wind just kept hitting me in the face. At one point I reached 27mph during a very steep downhill but that was short-lived and is kind of misleading when you see it on Relive.

At about 70 miles i was feeling very very weak and we were fortunate to find a gas station 3 miles down the road (the first stopping place in well over 35 miles) where we could replenish our liquids and eat some sugary carbs. Even so I did not feel great and a few miles later almost 🤮. Matt was obviously very concerned about his Dad and I am very very glad he was with me as he knows a lot about this kind of stuff from his Ironman experiences. I gradually began to feel a bit better and more confident so we gingerly set off to complete the longest (slowest) 15 miles I’ve ever done. The headwinds were still doing their thing but somehow I battled through in no small part to Matt who I know could have been much faster but stuck it out with me instead. But I made it. Just. A little under 90 miles in 9hrs (7am - 4pm). A dubious accomplishment for sure.

The evening saw us eating Pizza in bed and preparing a box containing 10 pounds of my not-needed bike gear that UPS will be delivering back home. Thanks to my new friend Brad for helping to make that happen. The major “mod” will be no front bag and a lighter rear bag. Matt will be carrying my 4 spare inner tubes in his back pack to help reduce my weight even more.

Tomorrow is the 112 mile ride to Wickenberg and the damn winds will be back. I will do my best but on paper it will be worse than today. Watch this space.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vdvm3JrgWx6

[davidbrigstock]

Nov 14

Day 42: Julian CA to Brawley CA

Miles today : 76 miles

Feet of Ascent today : 650

Total cross country miles : 2975

Total cross country feet of ascent : 80957

Last night’s rest was just what the Dr (dokta) ordered and I was glad I could actually move my legs when I woke up! We had breakfast at 7am at a cute cafe down the street, expecting that we would soon be well on our way despite the 39 degree temperature. Not so. We experienced a “wardrobe malfunction” that delayed us by an hour: the overnight hotel laundry service failed to materialize (no I’m not lazy; there were no machines for guests to use themselves which was very annoying) but they did it for free first thing in the morning and gave us a discount on the room which was nice of them. So we were finally on our way just after 9am - a late start for most cyclists but the day’s ride was not pegged as being particularly arduous so we were ok and it was a tad warmer to boot.

What goes up must go down and omg the downhill run out of Julian was truly unbelievable, with incredible winding roads, steep gradients, and awesome views. Since we had to descend more than 4000 ft, the vistas just kept coming, one bend after another. I thoroughly recommend this ride to anyone who has the grit to pedal up to Julian first.

As we descended, it became much warmer and the land leveled out so the pedaling started and the cold weather gear was shed in stages. Soon we were in desert - think sand, dune buggies, RV parks, and possibly even Walter White wanna be’s.

I knew in advance that there were very few stores (for drinks and snacks) for at least 50 miles across the desert and I’d done my homework so I confidently led Matt down a turn-off to THE store about 1/2 mile down the road . We arrived and … it was closed. Google’s fault, not mine as I’d checked the hours carefully. Problem - Matt was out of liquids and I was running low and there were no open stores for at least 30 miles ahead of us.

We wandered over to a seemingly deserted bar so I walked around the back and miraculously found the owner in the yard. He immediately befriended us, wanted to know how he could help, and guided us into the empty building where he invited us to restock our water bottles. He even had Gatorade ! Evidently this is a well known destination for miles around and I’m sure it’s a hive of activity at other times but at that precise time, he literally saved us from a crisis. Shad at the Iron Door Bar in Ocotillo Wells. Remember that. He may help you too one day. You’ll surely find him if you are dune buggying in the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area.

Now rehydrated and nourished from the energy snacks that we always carry with us, it was a straight shot across the desert heading east and then turning to the south and soon passing by Salton Sea on our left (Read about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salton_Sea) Also by this time we were 200 feet below sea level - amazing to think we were at a lower elevation than we’d been at in San Diego just yesterday.

About 12 miles from the end of the ride, my front wheel hit a small rock which immediately caused the tube to burst but without damaging the wheel or tire. I’m a pro at dealing with flats (lol) and, conveniently, this happened on a bridge so the concrete walls made a convenient work station and lean-to for both bikes. We were back on the road in about 10 mins.

The area became very green and agricultural as we neared our destination of Brawley; it’s pretty amazing to think of the diversity of landscapes that we experienced today. We stopped at a Subway to get some food in us and then checked in at the Best Western, all in the fine “Crossroads tradition” that I became very much accustomed to earlier this year. Dinner was at Inferno’s, one of very few restaurants in Brawley but it was very good and helped us fuel up for tomorrows 80-mile ride to Blythe for which we will have headwinds in the 15+ mph range. Not too happy about that.

Todays Relive is a “good un” !!

https://www.relive.cc/view/vmqXB3Zx5oO

[davidbrigstock]

Nov 13

Day 41 San Diego CA to Julian CA

Miles today : 60

Feet of ascent today : 5700

Total cross country miles : 2899

Total cross country feet of ascent : 80307

Instagram @davidbrigstock

This morning we said farewell to Townhouse Suites in San Diego after enjoying some nice Marriott hospitality for the last 2 nights. I had some mild concern about the sheer weight of all my bags which added up at least 30 pounds. Considering the huge climb ahead of us today I was a little nervous how my body would deal with the extra weight.

We tracked north out of San Diego and I was relieved that the weight was very stable. As we started the uphill climbs to the east, I was in much lower gears than I am generally used to so I knew that weight was having an effect.

That said, I was enjoying the mountain vistas ahead of us. We were treated to sunny skies and perfect cycling temperatures in the high 50’s.

We did not have a “serious” stop until the 38-mile mark by which time the altitude was causing a noticeable drop in temperature and there were some ominous clouds appearing. Thank you Dunkin Donuts for appearing at just the right time. Coffee and some snacks really hit the spot. We added warmer clothing before venturing outside but very soon the sun was shining and the long uphill rides meant that we were generating lots of heat so that extra clothing came off. This process repeated itself a few times during the rest of the day.

The last 20 miles were very challenging, with long unending grades of 5-8% and I had no more low gears so I just had to grin and bear it. It was not uncommon to be moving at just 5-6mph with the road ahead just going up up up.

I was getting very tired but was determined to just keep pedaling until by some miracle I reached the road marker for 4000 ft altitude with just a mile or two left. To get to this point, we had cycled 5700 feet of ascent due to the “up and down” nature of mountain roads. And the temperature had dropped significantly - just 38 degrees

Needless to say, Matt - carrying a mere 15 pounds of gear - was way ahead of his Dad up the hills but he’d always wait to make sure I’d caught up and hadn’t taken my last gasp further down the hill. Our destination - Julian - is a famous hiker destination for the Pacific Crest Trail and for day-trippers from San Diego.

After a long hot shower at our hotel, a snack of apple pie (a Julian “tradition”; there are orchards all around), and dinner at the local Italian restaurant, I was re-energized and hopefully I will be ready for tomorrow after a good nights sleep. Tomorrow is all downhill. How bad can it be? Lol

Click the Relive link to see lots of pics and the unending uphill route. Two other days on this trip will be at least as challenging as todays’ 🫤.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vDqger2pmGO

[davidbrigstock]

Nov 12.

Today we had a nice hotel breakfast and then walked a few blocks to the FedEx store where we found that a golf club box was the perfect size for shipping Matt’s bike bag. It will arrive at our Flagstaff hotel by mid-week - well ahead of our arrival on Saturday.

We then took a leisurely bike ride to La Jolla using a combination of roads, bike paths and board walks. At times it was a little slow as some of the paths were jam-packed with other cyclists, skateboarders, pedestrians and tourists, especially at the beach areas which were very busy during the mid-day hours. Even so it was fun to cycle with the Pacific Ocean to our left under clear blue sunny skies. We went a little further north passing by some of the UCSD campus and then headed south using an inland route back to the hotel. Check the Relive video linked below to see our ride through this beautiful part of the USA.

The beaches at La Jolla were accessible only by stairways and too risky to go up/down with our bikes so we did the “rear wheel dip” at Mission Bay Beach instead where we found a boat ramp that meant we could avoid the hassle of sand getting in all the wrong places. Those of you who followed me this summer will recall that my front wheel was dipped into the Atlantic Ocean at Revere Beach so today’s rear wheel dip was part of the full cross-country experience.

Dinner was at a steak restaurant downtown and we spent the evening preparing for tomorrow’s ride. Matt learnt that an ironing board makes a great bike stand. Tomorrow we head to Julian, high in the mountains and 60 miles to the east.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vPOp3DWYARv

[davidbrigstock]

Nov 11

Much of my day was spent in freezing airline cabins and being bumped around in turbulence so I was glad to land in San Diego and meet up with Matt who landed 2 minutes after me. His bike was shipped with him as checked luggage using his very nifty bike bag for a grand carriage cost of $30. After an Uber ride to the hotel and 5-min reassembly of his bike, we walked a few blocks to the San Diego Bike Store to collect my bike which had been shipped there via UPS from my local bike store. Total cost for tear-down, shipping, and reassembly of my bike ? $500. 😂. And I have to go thorough the process again at the end of the week while Matt will just pop his bike into his bag (which we are sending by FedEx to our final hotel) and he’ll take it back home with him. Time for me to think about buying a bike bag I think….

Anyhow both bikes are in good shape and, at the end of the day that’s all that matters. We had dinner in the Old Town part of downtown San Diego and talked politics and lottery jackpots. We may cycle north to La Jolla tomorrow morning - a round trip of around 30 miles which is nice and modest but enough to get my legs moving after a 2-week hiatus.

The weather details below show the projected temps at our approximate arrival and departure times at each town where will have an overnight stay. Some early mornings will be chilly but that’s no surprise in November. Essentially no rain/snow is forecast for the entire week, at least for now.

The bike pic shows my Canyon Endurace on the left and Matts Canyon Aeroad on the right. They are very similar road bikes with slightly different geometries but somewhat similar technical specs. As their names imply, the Aeroad is more “aero” and built for speed while the Endurance is built for endurance, being less aggressive and more comfortable. I just hope Matt can keep up with me and won’t slow me down …. 🚴

[davidbrigstock]

Nov 10

Tomorrow I’m heading to San Diego so that I can spend next week completing the first part of the ride from the West coast that I missed earlier this year. It will be an unsupported ride of 500 miles but I’ll be joined by my son Matt so hopefully that’s all the support I’ll need. We will start from San Diego on Sunday and arrive in Flagstaff the following Saturday. Check back for daily updates.

[davidbrigstock]

June 24

Tour Day 48. My Day 40 - FINAL DAY!

Burlington MA to Revere Beach MA

Miles today 17

Feet of ascent today 436

Grand total:

MILES 2,839

FEET CLIMBED 74,607

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED !

What can I say? There was a lump in my throat as all 33 riders cycled the final 17 miles together. For the last 3 miles we had the two white SAG vans with us, one in front leading the way at 16mph and one at the rear with the cyclists in between. We were all experiencing some profound emotions that are hard to put into words. For me, it was the culmination of 6 weeks of doing something that I was unsure I could actually achieve despite months of physical and mental preparation beforehand. Since I’d missed the “wheel dip” in CA I had wondered a few days ago whether I’d want to do it today but I walked on to Revere Beach with as much purpose as the other riders and reveled in my - and everyone else’s - personal and collective achievements.

In the coming days there will be lots of numbers pulled from my wahoo to mull over, most of which I haven’t reported here - eg power metrics, cadence, gear selections, average speed, etc. But the mind-boggling numbers are the distance of 2800 miles and the vertical ascent of 74,000 feet (that’s 14 miles!). The only way we could accomplish this was to tackle it day by day in smaller parts: a mile at a time, a hill at a time. And believe it or not I tried not to look at the mileage too much each day; the miles seemed to pass by much faster when my eyes were not on the odometer.

I will never forget this experience - and I would not be surprised if I give myself a similar challenge in the future.

The “back story” for several cyclists was truly inspirational - age and/or illness did not deter them and showed that with the right attitude you can dig deep to keep your body and mind working.

There is one item of unfinished business. At some point I need to cycle the first 600 miles from Los Angeles to Flagstaff that Covid prevented me from doing at the beginning of this tour. The details will need to be sorted out in the coming months but I now have new cycling friends on the West coast to provide help and guidance.

Thank you to my family and friends for following me and supporting me during this journey. Follow your dreams - anything is possible !!!

https://www.relive.cc/view/vmqXN4Md5LO

[davidbrigstock]

June 23

Tour Day 47. My Day 39

Brattleboro VT to Burlington MA

Miles today 91

Feet of ascent today 5067

Totals so far

Total miles 2822

Total feet of ascent 74171

Todays ride involved crossing two state lines - New Hampshire and Massachusetts - and climbing more than 5000 feet over a distance of about 90 miles. The weather cooperated for the most part but there was of course a slight headwind. Within a couple of miles of leaving the hotel in Vermont, we crossed the Connecticut River and were in New Hampshire with the river tracking alongside the road for the first 10 miles. There was no big sign to show we had crossed into a different state so I had to make do with a highway adoption sign which looks ridiculous but it was the best I could do. We then started a big climb for the next 15 miles after which we reached a plateau with it own ups and downs for the next 30 miles. It was hard work. My chain came off at one point but it went back on with no issue. When we weren’t being annoyed by inconsiderate New England drivers, the air was filled with the sound of chains flipping down the cassettes and from big to small ring as rider’s legs spun in rapid circles and our lungs heaved as we gasped for breath. Not a pretty sight (and of course Jim was at the top of the hill with his camera) but somehow we all got to where we needed to be. The temperature was in the high 60s and the sun broke through the clouds from time to time. Lots of majestic scenery - forests, rolling countryside, creeks and rivers - as the road wound its way up and down and from one curve to the next. We crossed into Massachusetts at about the 45th mile. The latter part of the ride took us on steep descents alongside state parks but the poor road condition meant a measured approach was needed to get down safely. The last 20 miles or so took us though fascinating forested areas with secluded high-end homes (we were in the Boston commuter belt). Then before I knew it, there were dark clouds above us and suddenly it was pouring with rain. But not for long - maybe 5-10 mins - though I got pretty wet as a result. After that, the sun came out and dried up the roads and my clothes. At the end of the ride I almost turned left on to the entrance ramp to I-90 but realized my error just in time and was able to make a correction that put me in the proper lane for the left turn to the hotel. There were several family members of various riders waiting at the entrance - including Gail - to cheer the riders as they arrived.

Tonight we had a banquet to recognize all of our achievements and to thank the crew for their hard work. Tomorrow we will cycle our final 18 miles to the east where will say hi to the Atlantic Ocean. Thumbs up ! 👍

https://www.relive.cc/view/vQvxnR4d296

[davidbrigstock]

June 22

Tour Day 46. My Day38

Troy NY to Brattleboro VT

Miles today 90

Feet of ascent today 6191

Totals so far

Total miles 2731

Total feet of ascent 69104

Vermont - I was looking forward to fabulous mountain views, breathtaking vistas spanning many miles, the sun shining over the rolling countryside. We got none of that. The day started out well enough . Temperatures in the low 60s and some challenging hills on the way through New York’s countryside - good practice for the hills to come in Vermont. I passed the state line and was the first at the SAG in beautiful Burlington VT but only because Jason mistakenly cycled right by it. Right after the SAG, the climb began - we were heading up Hog Back Mountain which had several distinct hills along the way but all were very challenging. As I got higher, the cloud cover became very heavy and the temperature dropped to just the mid 40s. The combination of low temps and moisture in the air - which eventually became full fledged rain - made for a pretty uncomfortable ride but thankfully I had my rain/wind jacket with me so I was able to adjust and tolerate the deteriorating conditions. The last push up the last hill was tougher than it might have been because the road was ripped up for resurfacing so the loose material and rough surface were a real PITA. I was one of the first to reach the “summit” only to be told that the way down (you know, the highly anticipated part of the route that I could fly down with no effort) was too treacherous for cyclists because of the road construction, debris and mud on the road, and weather conditions. Thank goodness there was a gift shop at this point where I was able to get a cup of coffee and warm up and where the cashier (a “local”) was able to give very clear directions on what the alternative route needed to be. As the rest of the cyclists gradually arrived, the tour organizers tried to figure out what the options were for alternative routes and for some reason that took almost 2 hours, not least because they left in one of the sag vehicles to scout out the area. That left 30 damp hungry chilly cyclists hanging around in the gift shop. Eventually Paula announced what the alternative route needed to be and lo and behold it was what the cashier had suggested to some of us 2 hours earlier. Randy and I were the first out of there and bombed our way along that route which added an extra 15 miles. I arrived at the hotel 8 1/2 hours after I had set out in the morning but with only 6 1/4 hrs moving time (info provided courtesy of my Wahoo). Very frustrating that this road issue was not known ahead of time. I was pleased with my riding performance including a max speed of 44mph (might have been faster but for slick conditions) but the poor visibility and lousy riding conditions at the higher elevations were a bit of a disappointment. But I finished safely which at this point in the ride is somewhat important since the finish line is getting very close. By the end of the day I’d climbed more than 6000 feet and 90 miles - a good day’s work-out. Just to cap it off, I ended up a flat tire within the last 100 ft of the ride. Back tire of course. Go figure. That’s #10 ! It was fixed by Dana after dinner - one of the real benefits of being in a fully supported ride.

And last but not least - Happy Birthday Matt ! 🎂🎈🎁

https://www.relive.cc/view/vMq5EYJ8WQq

[davidbrigstock]

June 21

Tour Day 45. My Day 37

Utica NY to Troy NY

Miles today 101

Feet of ascent today : 2669

Totals so far

Total miles 2641

Total feet of ascent 62913

The day started out startlingly when the presta valve on my front inner tube decided to explode before the tire inflator had even been attached to it. That tube was original to the bike. It served me well and technically never got a puncture. Dana said we could reassemble the valve and continue using the tube but I didn’t want to risk it and into the garbage it went.

Moving on .. those of you in the rest of the country (world) probably have a hard time believing that it was cold enough in Utica this morning that most cyclists started the day dressed in multiple layers including windbreakers, rain jackets and gloves with full fingers! It was a damp chilly morning - we started out with a temp of 48 F and the average for the day was just 54 F. We had to contend with a little headwind also - maybe 5-10 mph; it was from the south east and wasn’t helpful in any way. Our route was mainly on NY 5 which followed the Mohawk River with train tracks alongside and the New York State Thruway visible through the trees across the river. It was a relatively flat route (emphasis on relatively - we climbed 2600 ft lol) but the inclement conditions made it harder work than it might have been. By the 20th mile I was sweating like crazy and off came the outer jacket and gloves. Much better and certainly easier to handle my phone during the ride. After the 2nd SAG at around 56 miles, it began to rain - but it didnt detract or last too long. After about 85 miles we left the road and took the Mohawk Hudson Bike Trail all the way into Troy, which is located just to the east of Albany on the Hudson River. Overall it was a good ride. I averaged around 17mph for 100 miles. Not too shabby and helped by cycling with Fred, Barry and Bob O for much of the time. And no flats 🙂.

As we move into the last couple of days we will have some serious tests of our endurance as we tackle some very challenging terrain in New England.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vRO7gA7WAyO

[davidbrigstock]

June 20

Tour Day 44. My Day 36

Syracuse NY to Utica NY

Miles today 59

Feet of ascent today 1300

Totals so far

Total miles 2540

Total feet ascended 60244

Todays ride was just under 60 miles. Compared to many other rides over the last few weeks, that distance seemed almost trivial and certainly not onerous as there were just modest climbs and the weather was close to perfect except for that annoying northwesterly wind. With temps in the high 60s, and fresh cool air it was a good day to be on a bike. Our route took us roughly tracking the New York State Thruway, which we crossed over or under 6 times! We were also close to the Erie Canal which we picked up for several miles in Canastota and again in Utica. I cycled with Jeannine for the last 20 miles or so, something I haven’t done in a little while. When we arrived at the Holiday Inn in Utica it turned out that the hotel had given away all of our rooms due to a double booking issue. So I was one of 11 people to be given one of the remaining vacant rooms at that hotel while the remaining 25 riders were by some good fortune able to be accommodated at the Doubletree sister hotel a mile up the street. Also for the first time in 6 weeks I spotted a Macan (white no less) making me grin and think how I haven’t really missed the porsha at all! Funny how new experiences causes one’s perspectives to change over time…

https://www.relive.cc/view/vYvrLRzGNx6

[davidbrigstock]

June 19

Tour Day 43. My Day 35

Victor NY to Syracuse NY

Miles today : 88

Feet of ascent today : 3143

Totals so far;

Total miles 2481

Total feet ascended : 58944

Today was a good day. First off it’s hard to believe we are dealing with cool temperatures while much of the country is getting baked. It’s probably better that we are not getting hit with those record highs. So the day started at 50 F and the average temp for the ride was 57 F. My Wahoo app tells me this (and much much more) when the ride is over. But the day started with sunny blue skies so it was much better for the psyche than yesterday. I didn’t wear leggings or the red jacket and was very comfortable for the entire ride. My wind vest and arm coverings helped keep the chill off . The intense shades of green in the fields, an abundance of creeks and rivers, and the numerous small towns all added a lot of interest. Our ride took us to the finger lake region. We stopped off at Lake Seneca and were within a stones throw of the two other lakes. After Lake Seneca I had flat #9 (yes, the rear tire again!) thanks to glass fragments spread over the road surface. A quick fix and I was on my way again (tonight I put the front tire on the back and vice versa as the front tire is less worn; this should help reduce the chance of flats at the rear - in theory…..). We stopped off at the Erie Canal later in the day which added a nice point of interest. The wind, coming from the NW, was still problematic when we headed north - which seemed like a lot of the time. We much preferred heading east with the wind somewhat behind us and less troublesome. All in all I enjoyed the ride very muchand to cap it off there was a nice Fathers Day treat waiting in my room from Matt and Nicolle. Too much for me to eat so I shared it with the other cyclists at dinner. The Relive below does a good job of telling todays ride story. We are now in the last few days of this cross country odyssey and tomorrow I will surpass 2500 miles. https://www.relive.cc/view/v36APnPPnZO

[davidbrigstock]

June 18

Tour Day 42. My Day 34

Buffalo NY to Victor NY

Miles today 80

Feet of ascent today 3301

Totals so far

Total miles 2393

Total feet ascended 55801

What a difference a day makes. We still had a wind from the north west but temperatures had dropped significantly . We started out at a chilly 46 F - and that didn’t include the wind chill - meaning that we were in arm and leg coverings as well as jerseys plus jackets. It was pretty unpleasant for the first few hours and it was hard to believe this was the middle of June. We were cycling north east so every left turn (to the north) put us battling a blustery headwind while every right turn (to the east) bought us some welcome relief with the wind somewhat behind us. And the scenery was, shall we say, unremarkable and the roads were fairly long and straight so there was not too much to distract us from the weather conditions. Gradually there were breaks in the clouds and it warmed up a little but I never felt inclined to not be bundled up. The average temperature for the ride was just 53 F, with the max of 66 F unsurprisingly coinciding with clear blue skies at the end of the ride. All in all it was a generally forgettable day, at least for me. Not so for the the other members of the group because today they reached 3000 miles - congrats to my fellow cyclists on an amazing achievement ! I was glad to get in the hotel and take a long hot shower to warm up. Dinner tonight was at Chile’s. Good food- I had chicken fajitas on top of a chicken chicken sandwich that I’d picked up from Wendy’s (plus fries, Diet Coke and frosty desert) a few hours earlier. Yes. I’m still eating vast amounts of food !

https://www.relive.cc/view/vdORMXrgwrv