{"id":19154,"date":"2016-04-25T22:55:19","date_gmt":"2016-04-26T02:55:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=19154"},"modified":"2016-04-28T10:05:09","modified_gmt":"2016-04-28T14:05:09","slug":"day-3-monday-april-25-ocotillo-to-brawley-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=19154","title":{"rendered":"Day 3. Monday, April 25 – Ocotillo to Brawley, California"},"content":{"rendered":"

We woke to a howling wind, the tattered fencing banging hard against it’s post and palms bending mercilessly in the wind driven sand. \u00a0But the direction was out of the west and we were heading due east; time to enjoy the ride. \u00a0First however, we had to backtrack westward to get on course. \u00a0We attempted to pedal it, but the wind kept blowing us the other way; the only choice was to walk our bikes (or get blown over). \u00a0It was a slow push, but soon we were facing east and coasting with the wind. \"DSCN9918\"<\/a>\u00a0Even at 7:00 a.m. it\u00a0was a comfortable 60\u00b0, as we began\u00a0our ride without breakfast. \u00a0The only place in town didn’t open until eight, so we choose to head out early and get our first meal\u00a0in the next town. \u00a0The desert was a flat,\"IMG_1847\"<\/a> dry dust bowl\"DSCN9926\"<\/a> silhouetted by the Coyote Mountains to the north\"DSCN9920\"<\/a> and a very rough road beneath our tires. \u00a0Had we not had the non-stop speed bumps of the under maintained road, we could have managed\u00a020 mph\u00a0while barely pedaling; small price to pay, though, for the incredible tailwind. \u00a0We passed Plaster City; \"DSCN9934\"<\/a>no city just a manufacturing plant for plasterboard.<\/p>\n

An hour later the dry sand turned green,\"DSCN9943\"<\/a>as we biked through miles of agricultural fields.\"DSCN9951\"<\/a>\u00a0 It took us just over an hour and a half to reach\u00a025 miles and\u00a0breakfast at a local diner,\"DSCN9957\"<\/a> great choice.<\/p>\n

Thoroughly stuffed, we continued our ride; little did\u00a0“I”<\/em> know our course would slowly turn north. \u00a0The pretty farmland framed by palm trees \"DSCN9963\"<\/a>turned back to sand; the horizon hidden by the blowing sand. \"DSCN9964\"<\/a>\u00a0We now paid for the tailwind gift\"DSCN9960\"<\/a> we’d been granted on the first half. \u00a0Our last ten\u00a0miles was a\u00a0struggle against the broadside wind,\"DSCN9968\"<\/a> often stopping in an effort not to be blown over; it took us 20 minutes to go the last mile and a half. \u00a0But the day had remained cool; by the time we checked in, it was still in the 70’s \u00a0The short 42 miles today was an effort to rest for tomorrow’s long ride; not sure the 17 miles fighting the wind helped.<\/p>\n

The winds were still howling at 30 mph when we walked across the parking lot to\u00a0the best restaurant choice in town.\"DSCN9976\"<\/a>Today was a Fabulous<\/em> culinary delight; between the delicious breakfast and the perfect dinner, we did not even miss not having lunch.<\/p>\n\n\t\t