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!

I Fought The Law...Day 3...Blythe to Wickenburg...Tues 26/04/11

After yesterday's late-doors implosion the plan for today was to, quite frankly, hide. Recovery and conservation to the fore because tomorrow will be bad. Fact.

So we kicked-off early again and headed back onto our beloved I-10 (note to self: next time you're on here make sure you're in a car) and headed across into Arizona.

Oh really? Is that all?

 Lame photo op.. That's never stopped me before though.

After a couple of miles on the Freeway we saw flashing blue lights up ahead: yep, a police car with some of our group. Well, it was only a matter of time as some of the guys do look like absentees from Folsolm, hah-hah!

Turns out that Officer Manly (and she was a bit...well, judge for yourselves) said that we couldn't continue because of recently completed road repairs that hadn't cured yet.
Somebody rang Mike (tour leader) and he duly arrived as did the second support van: they put the bikes on the roof and we squeezed ourselves in to be ferried the five miles to safety. Mind you, a couple of our speed merchants had caned it through this section earlier without any bother.

The rest of the day was spent on an arrow-straight road with just an incessant drying crosswind for company. Nice. This is a tough and unrelenting landscape...stark but beautiful.

So, so nearly the tailwind I was praying for! We got help a little bit towards the end to be honest, and I was plenty glad of it.

One of several cactii around, I believe.

Always a good sight- the 100 mile marker means Wickenburg is only another 10 miles over the crest. Hello Best Western, hello McDonalds, hello handwashing. Did I really take that much of the desert with me?

Stats...the tale of the tape!

Shattered...Day 2...Palm Springs to Blythe...Mon 25/04/11

Away by 0630 and we make our way through manicured Palm Springs: 135 miles? Should be ok...

Great to see The Chairman Of The Board accorded some respect around here...

Rare shot of me leading things: no turns required, thankfully.

And our first unscheduled p-stop, which isn't surprising give how much you drink. Some of the chaps are taking a chance out there with the wildlife...

And what this season's well-dressed Stones fan is wearing. Take note of the relatively kempt appearance after 40 miles...

A fantastic, sweeping climb to take us through to luncheon. A privilege to be doing this.

And this is beside our lunch stop- The MacArthur Museum. Nah, we didn't nip in.

So to I-10: we stayed on here for about 60 miles, or so...it was reasonably clement for this time of year, or so I was reliably informed.

I felt good until 105 miles and then the motor died and it was a bit of a struggle to keep concentration and all that...anyway, finish we did.
Compare and contrast the well-and-truly finished article...

And no, I don't think I would fit inside that bin. Oh yeah, and who says Americans have no taste and refinement? They loved that jersey. Mind you, the state it's in right now they are welcome to it, hah-hah!
An early night? You better believe it.

You want stats? I'll give you stats!

Surfin' Safari...Day 1...Costa Mesa to Palm Springs...Sunday 24/04/11

In all honesty, that was about as pleasant as 110 miles on a bike can ever be, with 'champagne cycling' for thirty miles until the first stop. Obviously everybody was a tad excited, if not giddy at having finally started this madness!

The twenty or so of us set off from the hotel about 0730 and made our way down to Huntington Beach where tradition was observed i.e. you got your feet wet in The Pacific and dipped your back wheel in. No, me neither!

As you can probably see we a bit lucky with the overcast conditions- thankfully it wasn't baking-hot, hah-hah! Our luck held all the way until about 30 miles from the end: well, the sun has to shine in Palm Springs...it's the law.

Random landmark no.1...Anaheim Stadium, home of The Angels.

Plenty of that below... 

 When you see the turbines you know that Palm Springs isn't too far away. Well, that plus the road sign said so.

 Our Tour Leader, Mike, had told us that we could expect an insanely easy finish for the last 15 miles: the man wasn't lying. The speedo says 39 mph near enough (and I for one believe it)...and that was on the flat!

So we did indeed showboat-it big time to the hotel. Tomorrow though is gonna be quite a bit tougher so the preparation (H) starts as soon as I've stopped typing this rubbish. Cheers!

Stats...always with the stats...What Garmin reckons!

I go cycling, so Prince goes cycling...

When the Wee Man Prince announced this run of shows at the L.A. Forum and I realised that at least one would coincide with me being in the neighbourhood (well, 40-odd miles away) then there was a better-than-even-money chance that I would try to attend. The clincher was his decision to sell most of the tickets for $25. Er, that's not even £20...there are probably Prince tributes out there who charge as much!

Anyway, after paying almost as much to park the car I just about made it to my seat to see the house lights dim and of course hear the 17000 punters go berserk and then...the lights go back on again...and then off...cue pandemonium...then back on...the Wee Man was clearly loving teasing his people and when he did make his entrance through the trap-door/lift in the middle of the stage you must've heard the roar back in Blighty!

Here is the setlist: I only knew about three of the songs, not that I cared a jot as it was a joy to hear these people play...

Beginning Endlessly

Laydown

Endorphinemachine

She's Always In My Hair

Future Soul Song

Take Me With U

Raspberry Beret

Cream

Cool/Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

Let's Work (mostly instrumental, played in the dark)

Hollywood Swingin'

U Got The Look

Misty Blue (Shelby vox)

How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore (with Alicia Keys)

When Doves Cry/Nasty Girl/Sign O' The Times/TMBGITW/Darling Nikki

If I Was Your Girlfriend

Encore 1:

DMSR

Controversy/a few lines from Housequake

Encore 2:

Purple Rain

The Wee Man was in a guitar-mood for sure and he alternated between two Teles. When he slung it behind him a la Bruce I did wonder if they had more in common than you think...both prolific songwriters, both love shredding solos, both play whatever the bloody hell they want for as long as they want...er, that's about it really. Alright maybe they aren't related but they are cut from the same cloth. At least that's my take on it!

He did make one comment early-doors about how he never cared if he never got his songs played on the radio again, he just loved music. Of course this was greeted with hysteria: if he had have said that he loved pickled onion Monster Munch then there would have been an outbreak of "hell yeahs". And he would have been right, of course.

There were two curveballs thrown by him last night: the first was the brevity of the show at 'only' 90 minutes but of course this was a weapons-grade 90 minutes: anyone who complains about that show ($25 or not) needs their ears tested and then a good shoeing.

This was musicianship and choreography of the highest calibre...we've all heard of performers having charisma, presence or dare I say the X- factor, well this guy is the real deal.

He usually delights in fetching some folks out of the audience to dance with him and last night we had the spectacle of Rosario Dawson and Cuba Gooding Jr. onstage...the latter went for it big time and was almost worth the $25 by himself!

The only moment that I didn't particularly love was when he was joined by Alicia Keys to duet; obviously her voice was good but not a patch on Prince's own cohort, Shelby.

After a stellar 'Purple Rain' he disappeared and that really was it save for the second curveball...after about ten muntes he appeared on a bicycle and rode around the arena floor! No, I'm not making this up. Well, if it's good enough for Prince...

Don't suppose he'll be down at Huntington Beach early tomorrow though...

Frágil! Manejar con cuidado. Gracias!

A 24 hour transit day from sunny Wesham to er, sunny Costa Mesa. Against all the odds there were no cock-ups: B.A. were cool about the bike, but more importantly so were the baggage handlers as it seemed to be fairly unscathed. I say 'seemed' as I haven't actually unpacked it fully yet, ahem.

At T5 it was safe to say that Olympic fever hadn't quite taken hold...yet.

...and it was heartening to see some sort of public profile for Macmillan, not to mention Johnny Foreigner lobbing in his coins.

And one for the road. Honest.

The Obama-mobile aka Airforce One was parked at LAX when I arrived: he was in town trying to raise some shekels for his re-election coffers. Wonder if he gets the same old line from Clooney as I get from T.T.P., "It's on my to-do list mate...remind me later."? Only joking Timothy...I know you'll cough eventually.

Pick up the hire motor no problem and have Easter-mental traffic all the 40-odd miles to Costa Mesa. Motel is fine and I'm pleased to see that the America By Bike company really does exist!

Head out for a steak and some top local brews- it's when you see this you remember that you're in that America alright...

Finally found these tasteful items waiting for me..."Well alriiiight...how you doin' L.A.? Keef, keep pedallin'! Well awriight!"

Blessed are the baggage-handlers!

More nonsense to come. Bet on it.