Climbing, Climbing and Screaming Descent

Wickenberg to Cottonwood AZ. Today we had route rap at breakfast. Luggage load is at 6:30. The wind is going to be fairly light today but in the mountain passes it still gets compressed and accelerated. It is in the 40's and will stay cool in the higher elevations. The cue sheet has instructions 18.4 miles climb to 24.4 miles. So there is going to be up and down all day with 4 major climbs. The first climb is a optical illusion as it looks like you are descending early on but are going really slow. When you look behind you you can tell just how much you have come up. I am riding with Conrad and Tom they are fairly strong riders but as the road kicks up a notch they start to fall behind. Next I pass the couple on the tandem. They loaded their luggage before breakfast in order to get an early start as the tandems do not climb as well as a single bike. I'm sweating like a pig and have my jersey and wind vest unzipped. With my arm warmers pulled down. Just after the summit the van is having an unofficial SAG. As I go by Barbara asks if I'm OK, I give her the hand signal that let's her know I'm fine. She signals back. Now I'm full into the descent doing about 30 mph. Now I'm cold and damp. So I'm zipping up my jersey, zipping up my wind vest and pulling up the arm warmers. Just a beautiful day rolling along. I'm at a point where if I went off the road I would tumble down the hill forever, there is no guard rail. I look out over this valley and I see a really big hawk or a golden eagle. As I get closer to the first official SAG which is lunch at 10 am, I keep thinking the Brits will be overtaking me any minute now. I'm first to lunch Pat is next and others arrive singly and in small groups including the Brits. After everyone left this morning they went for an espresso. Sounds like Sat at Larios. As I am leaving the SAG Barbara stops me and says that she can't make the next SAG before I'll get there so get my refills on my own and go all the way to the motel. She said it was nice to see some one climbing so well. I'm climbing again and stop for pics and soon after Pat catches me. We ride through Prescott stopping for gatorade. While there I think Andrew passes us. We are now headed for the last climb of the day. This is going to take us to 7000'. I see a sign no trucks over 50'. Above 6500' there is an 18 wheeler jammed up against the guard rail in a hair pin turn blocking traffic. We are able to get up to the truck and walk our bikes around. This is definitely a photo op. Some cars finally start passing us near the summit. We see James on the road below us and as we stop for a picture at the top James catches up. We start down and Pat just disappears as I slow down to zip up. James and I stay together keeping our speed down(under 35) on this highly technical and bumpy descent. Andrew later tells us he was doing 50, Pat's speedo shows a max of 45. The views are awesome but brief. Finally a scenic overlook to stop at for pics. We come into Jerome an old mining town now an artist village. Pat finds a place to take a break there but we miss his bike. James stops for more photos. I go rocketing down to Cottonwood by myself. Even with stopping to flip over my cue sheet and check the directions I arrive at the motel alone. Bill my roommate has gotten in the van after lunch. The van arrives much earlier than I expected. The second van must have taken the last SAG stop. We all pitch in to unload the luggage and make short work of it. Then off to some nice hot showers. Some of the slower riders are over 3 hours behind the early finishers. Since there are so many choices for dinner we go off in small groups. I have an enjoyable evening with the Brits. Then dashing off the blog and now to much deserved sleep.