Frank’s Coast to Coast Ride for Justin – Day 4, April 29
Editors note: the following is shared from Frank Watson’s blog at: Frank’s Coast to Coast Ride for Justin
BRAWLEY, Calif. – It would be impossible to come up with two days of riding so polar opposite in so many different ways. I got up this morning still hungover from the challenges that yesterday brought. Being so whipped last night I deferred the needed bike maintenance until today. I readjusted the temperamental front brake & then discovered 2 missing attachment bolts from the rear pack rack.
This allowed the rear fender which the fender was attached to fall on & rub the rear tire. Not good. With no spare bolts onboard I resorted to robbing the bolts from one of my bottle cages to fix them.
While performing these repairs a woman approached and introduced herself as a biker from Los Angeles area who was with a group doing a regional ride. The one rider had suffered a broken shifter cable & they were in dire need of a pair of wire cutters. Of course I did. I have everything, including a whole bunch of stuff a “real biker” would laugh at.
I ended up going over to there room and helped with their repair and exchanged stories of the day before. I suspected that my encounter with the decent of the “glass elevator ” the night before was a result of my poor planning and novice biking skills. Turns out not. Their decent came about 1/2 hour after mine. The one ended up with the shivers just like me & found bike control almost impossible. The other walked her bike down the final segment! Yeah it was bad.
We finished the repairs and said our goodbyes and I launched at 9:30 a.m.
Today went good. No, it went great at least the first 40 miles.
I rode like Grant marching through Richmond! Fresh legs sunny skies. I rode through the desert with the stunning background of yesterday’s mountains.
I rode for 40 miles without stopping. My plan for the day was to layup short in Brawley and prep for the long desert stretch to Arizona. The road was rolling, straight and boring. But after yesterday, boring was just what I needed.
Yesterday’s climbs in the fridge rain, I was now riding in the 98 degree desert. It is a dry heat … you know, like an OVEN! But I enjoyed the day.
I ended up in Brawley at the base of the Salton Sea that lies 50 ft. below sea level. I found a hotel with a Restuaurant with COLD Beer! Perfect.
61 miles in today. Tomorrow I should make it to the Colorado River on the Arizona border. Someone asked how Garth was able to run across the country. I tell them he did it 40 miles at a time. Small bites. It’s the only way you can do it and remain sane.
Remember to say a prayer to Justin, & please take time to go to the bone marrow registry site & sign up! Deletebloodcancer.org
Follow this journey on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/frankscoast2coast4justin
And on Instagram at:
coast2coast4mayorkline
Donations may be made by visiting:
https://www.gofundme.com/rideforjustin
For more background information on this effort see our earlier story at: Canton Man Riding Coast-to-Coast for Justin Kline
