A Gorgeous 66° morning, but first let’s get some breakfast.  Love to start the morning with an omelet filled with a slab of bacon and a pound of cheese!

Okay, now we are ready to start to bike.  The forecasted 4 mph winds were starting off with at least a 15 mph push at our backs; the wind and slight downhill start was a perfect start!  Though the strong tailwind remained for over an hour, our gradual climb began within the first half an hour, just about the same time the farmland yielded to desert framed by the Harcuvar and Harquahala Mountains.  We enjoyed the various cactus….……Ouchand out-of-place palm trees.Shortly after ten with over 25 miles complete (thank you, wind), we took a saddle and refreshment break at our only available stop of the day.  As we munched on muffins and oranges gusts of wind blew in as a storm was collecting strength.  During our 20 minute stop, the clouds had gathered and the wind had switched directly to our side; no more wind assist ride.  Back on the road, we watched as rain fell in the distance.  Slowly, the sky became totally overcast, the breeze turned cold and the temperature dropped to 59°; we figured it was only a matter of time before we got hit by a downpour.  Thankfully, our steady climb kept us warm as the thermometer crept to 62° and the rain never hit us.  The beautiful desert flowers were in such opposition to the cool weather; we were loving it.  Amazing how prettier everything looks, when you are not expiring from the heat.

Our downhill turn into town began much sooner than expected, but then we didn’t expect the wind to be blowing Up the hill we were descending, either.  It took us close to an hour to give back the 1000 foot climb we had just completed.  The town stretched for miles as we became surrounded by trailwagons and memories of yester-year.  Too early to check-in, so we stopped for a bowl of delicious homemade chili to warm up.

A relaxing afternoon (for a change) and time to catch up and make room for dinner.  We swaggered (cowboy talk) down the street, finally getting close to one of the colossal cactus, to a local saloon.We enjoyed an amazing salad and Roast Pork on a bed of stuffing and fixins’.  Not sure we burned that much in our 53 mile day, but we sure did enjoy it!