The Perfect Day

Day 4 - Wickenburg to Prescott, AZ - 60 Miles

Throughout our ride, it seemed as though the day we were experiencing was absolutely perfect.  Getting on the road at a comfortable 9 AM, we felt rested and prepared.  The first leg out of Wickenburg to Congress was hot & hilly, but we figured out how to cool ourselves pretty well and eventually paused at the only gas station of this small hick town for a stretch break.  Knowing we would need to replenish our electrolytes, we set about to purchase the largest, but most cost effective bottle of Gatorade available.  The result was a 64 oz. cup of the ice cold Lemon Lime sports drink from the soda fountain station.  We drank most of it, ate some peaches, which are fairly inexpensive in June, and turned to the most challening leg of our ride.

 

Fuel-up

The 9 mile climb to Yarnel was painful, until we settled into a relaxed, almost effortless, unconcious stride. Yarnel was cute, fun, amazingly cooler, with a strong tailwind and downhill grade.  

Lunch was quite frugal and filling - baked bean & potato bread sandwiches. Then came Peeple's Valley, which was cycling paradise.  The panarama view alone was completely worth the climb. The town had large ranches, horses and deciduous trees. It was an enigma in Arizona. 

The entire panorama shared this scene.

We found huge leafy trees near the road, stopped for a break and rested for an hour and a half. The wind blew hard, we saw a snake, read East of Eden and napped. It was remarkable. We laughed hard and frequently. 

Shady and Comfortable

As the second half of our trip began, we came out of the Valley and unwittingly started up a shallow, but agonizingly long uphill grade to Wilhoit. The "Country Corner Grocer" was the only place that looked like it could provide us with rehydration. It did, but it also gave us hearty laughter, a breezy shaded porch, a thought provoking people-watching perch and free ice. Everyone that entered the store walked out with a case of beer. It was the staple of Wilhoit. 

Small Town, indeed.

Finally, we were left with the 15 mile, switch-backed climb to Prescott (which apparently is pronounced "Priskit," not "Press-scott"). The climb was arduous, but was somehow more manageable than the earlier incline to Yarnell. After a few hours, the cactus and sage brush yeilded to pine trees, sprinkled with civilization, and we found ourselves in "Everybody's Hometown," Prescott, Arizona. And this place really was (except for one man that complained about getting kicked out of the city when I read the town motto aloud to Aaron, out of sheer excitement for actually arriving in this beautiful, quaint town). 

The rear view of our entire climb.

Just before settling down for dinner, a fellow cyclist pulled up along side of us and asked us for our story. The 30 second sound bite, which Aaron and I have now fully mastered, was all he needed to hear. The man, in this early 30's, who we'll call Harry (because we forgot his name...and he was pretty hairy) spent the next half hour showing us around the city and introducing us to his cycling friends. One of whom, Mark, is heading to Virginia by bicycle on Thursday. 

Then we came to a park that surrounds the main courthouse (a beautiful building) and made our first dinner using the stove. It was delucious and filling - vegetable, and ham pasta alfredo.  

Our first 'stove cooked' dinner

The park boasted a live swing band and a dance floor, which I took advantage of as soon as I had eaten enough.  As night progressed, we found a discreet spot to set up the tent, just out side of the city park, covered and locked our bikes and drifted uncomfortably off to bed. We wouldn't change a thing.