Stage Four – Blythe, CA to Wickenburg, AZ

Wickenburg, AZ

Another humbling day in the heat..

After yesterday, I thought that I had things figured out.?And, on paper, today looked not that bad – 116 miles, with three not too steep climbs, and a temperature at the finish of ‘only’ 102 degrees.

Well, as usual, things did not go as planned.?The ride started ok, I stayed with a small group as we rode the shoulder on I-10, and crossed into Arizona at mile number 5.?At mile 17, as I pulled onto the exit ramp, I got a flat tire.?I managed to change it with no assistance, and get enough air in it to get to the first stop at 20 miles – but the extra 20 minutes spent in the sun not moving, clearly affected me.

I still felt ok at the second stop at mile 41, taking on lots of electrolytes, reapplying sunscreen and filling my trusty ice sock for around my neck – I rolled out confident that I could get to the next break at mile 62 and maybe even gain enough time to catch the group I was riding with by lunch at mile 83.

As they say, the best laid plans… despite my best efforts to hydrate, by mile 56, I had all the early warning signs of heat stroke: nausea, dizziness and extreme muscle fatigue.?Most of the next 6 miles was slightly uphill, and it felt like I had never gone slower on a bike. I found out later that while it was officially 102 degrees in Wickenburg, it reached 111 in the valley I had just ridden through!

I turned into the rest stop at 62 miles, sure that I was done for the day.?I rode in the support van to the lunch stop at mile 83.?After a few minutes in the shade, some nutrition and lots of fluids, I seriously toyed with the idea of getting back on the bike and trying to make it to the finish.?At that point, however, I noticed that the van carrying my bike, helmet and cell phone had pulled out of the lunch stop and I wouldn’t see it again until I got the motel!

In retrospect, this was probably a blessing in disguise – I think pushing myself any harder would only hurt my chances of actually showing up tomorrow.

So, a quick meal at an old west tavern in Wickenburg and an early night’s sleep – hopefully, I’ll feel well enough to continue.

Reflections:?

We have now covered about 388 miles from the coast (of which I have ridden 329), which means that we have 2,542 miles to Tybee Island and the finish.?It will gradually get cooler, but tomorrow will still be in the high 90’s and there is more climbing.

Also, I can't help thinking about the significance of this day - the twentieth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. It is a good reminder of what really matters, especially since 20 years ago today, my friend Tim Laseter (who is riding this tour as well), and I were at a Booz-Allen worldwide partners meeting at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. I remember having a beer with Tim on the night of September 10th, and thinking that the biggest thing we had to worry about was getting fired.

Obviously, the events of the next morning gave us a whole different perspective on what is really important, as we thought about the thousands of people who would never see their loved ones again. I have tried to carry that perspective with me - even the worst day on the bike is a good day, as long as you finish on two wheels.

Quick fundraising update: through your continued generosity, we have now raised over $7,200 for Fred’s kids, and that alone should keep me going. Tomorrow is a new day, and I've learned that nothing on this trip is predictable.

For you convenience, here is a link to my first post with more detail on why I am riding for Fred: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/riding-fred-jeff-bennett/ and here is the direct link to the go fund me page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fred-dillemuth-memorial-fund

Thank you for your continued support and good thoughts.?More tomorrow.