Day 3 - April 22, 2014

Today, the boys form Pa. joined up with two ex-patriot Germans (One has lived in Pa., near Allentown since 1981 and is an authentic Pennsylvania Dutchman, the other lives in Houston).  We rode as a group of 5 from hotel to hotel, arriving ahead of everyone by at least an hour.  I told the tour staff they should have a new rule that only allows one German per pace-line, and not because of a communication barrier, but because the two worked with the efficiency of a well oil machine and gave at least me everything I could handle (and the most stronger of the two is 62; the Pa. Dutchman).  Post Script, his college buddy and lifelong friend is the one that crashed.  He's flying home tonight from Phoenix.  He has a concussion and a hairline fracture of his femur.
The first 30 miles of today's ride was along interstate 10.  We crossed into Arizona and crossed the Colorado  River  5 miles out of the hotel.  After we got off the interstate we heading east by north east on Highway 60, very straight and very boring.  We had wind either out of the SW or S, so we had help making good time.  The temperature rose briefly to 103, before settling back into the 90s.  After our last rest stop, 25 miles from town, the wind really picked-up, directly from our left.  For a couple of miles we were dodging tumbleweeds; Jere was up front with one of the Germans, giddy with the challenge of dodging them.  It reminded him of the 80s video game Alien Invaders.  I was broadsided by a giant one, that disintegrated upon impact with my bike.
  Dave had the first flat tire, about 20 miles into the ride; he couldn't avoid interstate road junk.  He limped to an underpass to change the tire in the shade.  Fortunately, one of the staff support vans was on the off ramp and saw us changing the tire and offered Dave a pump and new tube (the "new" tube Dave tried to install, also had a hole in it, so technically, he had two flats).
  The Jere-ism of the day.  After three days of over 100 mile days, everybody is experiencing saddle / backside issues.  After Jere's shower, he self medicated by accidentally applying toothpaste to his nether region instead of Cortazone cream; his now minty fresh for tomorrow's ride.
   Tomorrow is the climbing day, with the most elevation to be gained in the trip.  We've been losing more and more people to the van for either a ride all the way in or a hop scotch further up the road; the climbing may spread out the field even more.  Jere, the 140lb waif, said he'll stay with me, the 197lb tubby;  Dave is the guy I have to reign in, he wants to go-go-go.  I have to be his self-control, so he doesn't wear himself and me out.
  I think we figured away to get the daily digital Garmin map/ride summary into the Blog.  I'll e-mail time the http: address and each morning after the ride, he'll add it as a link.