Day 3 - Tuesday 26th April 2011 – Blythe CA – Wickenberg AZ

It dawned another, fine clear day. We were up just before 6am for breakfast at the hotel. This was again a standard USA hotel continental breakfast but was held in a very small room. With the luggage loaded, we were ready to leave at 6:45am but Patrick thought his front tyre was not quite seated right so adjusted this prior to us leaving. With a mild 23 degree temperature and a gentle cross wind, the day looked to be good.

On the road, the route details were fairly simple with only a few major turns. After 5.5 miles, we crossed the state border into Arizona.

A few more miles down the road and State Trooper Betty ordered us off the I10-E due to roadworks closing the shoulder of the road. This meant we had to be vanned about 5 miles up the road which caused logistical difficulties as the vans carried 10 bikes but only 7 or 8 people and there are two vans and over twenty riders. Patrick and I managed to get in the first van and we drove up the road at 55mph which helped those with GPS data recorders.

The first sag stop was in the town of Brenda. Out in the desert, it looks vaguely similar to the MacKenzie Country – flat, dry and low scrub all around. There is no scenery of any interest. At 55.5 miles, we rode through the town of Hope which has the sign as you leave, “Your now beyond Hope” (sic.)

The road was again mostly gentle rolling country with long false flats as opposed to real climbs. The wind varied in strength and direction but mostly helped us along the way. Lunch was at 61.9 miles with the last sag stop at 89.1 miles. I removed another wire from one of my tyres but again no puncture.

We were again ahead of the luggage van so were in no hurry so we stopped and took a photo of a genuine Arizona cactus in the desert.

The promised 20 mile downhill run into Wickenburg failed to eventuate but the last few miles were downhill and tailwind. Overall the day was warm and I went through another 10 bottles of water.

Arriving at 2:42pm, our hotel key worked and we did not have to wait long for the luggage. With route maps for tomorrow being distributed at 5:30am tomorrow morning at breakfast we had an early dinner at the restaurant across the road.

Numbers for the day:

Departure time: 6:50am
Distance:  110.7 miles (178.1km)
Riding time: 5hrs 55m
Average speed: 18.7mph (30.1km/h)
Maximum speed: 65.7 mph (105.7km/h) – but not correct! – more like 32 mph / 51.5km/h
Vertical climbing: 3,788ft (1,155m)
Temperature: 23-33-29°C
Arrival time: 2:42pm
Weekly (Monday – Sunday mileage) to date: 245.8 miles (395.5km)