Thursday 28 April 2011

River Deep, Mountain High...Day 4...Wickenburg to Cottonwood...Weds 27/04/11

Up and away again from quaint Wickenburg and into a sporty North wind blowing against us on roads that appeared flat to look at, but that really were bringing us to our first real climb.

There's always someone spoiling the view.


These ascents are not steep at between 6-8% and I actually loved riding up these, which is some admission from a hater of gradients. What made it was the views that actually had you saying "wow", the scent of the pine trees and that everytime you thought you were almost at the summit, there would be another switchback to transport you another couple of hundred feet higher. Just fantastic.

Before all that there was some sound advice...


Find your own pace. Then find that that one isn't fast enough, hah-hah!


Smug feeling inevitable when you look down and see some poor sods below you. Git.


Great flag but it would look even better if the wind was blowing from the other direction. Just a thought, like.


Was it 'Bonznza' or 'The High Chapparal'?


Back into flaming headwinds on our way to the last climb. Still, the sky looks nice.


Actually smells of pine, and not in a car-freshener way either.


With Steve, Manny and Bob on the top of Mount Mingus (named after Charlie? Nah, thought not.), which was the final climb.


What followed was the most beautiful downhill stretch which my wee Canon can never capture: this is spectacular stuff. You'll just have to take it on trust.






Fair to say that apart the super-fit people, everyone else had a tough but remarkable day. Let's not even think about tomorrow just yet.

And here are your daily numbers...RIGHT HERE!