Bike and Hike in the Desert - Adversity Leads to A Great Training Experience

I have been training lately on a 13.5 mile out and back course in the remote desert of Arizona.  Salome Road Training Course  Literally no traffic.  Minimal climbing (flat).  And great road surface (smooth).  A great location on which to train, make numerous adjustments to the bike and measure the effect of those adjustments.  Of course, also a great course on which to note performance changes (improvements) in training and fitness. 

 

Recognizing that this road is very lightly travelled I park my car midway on the course, at the 7 mile point.  That way, if I have an unrecoverable mechanical problem I would never be more than 7 miles away. 

 

My plan, yesterday, was to do the 13.5 mile distance on this course 8 times, for a total of 108 miles.  Didn't happen.

 

After 75 miles I stopped to make a small adjustment (shorten the tiller by about an inch).  The tiller tubes are connected by a small seat clamp.  When I retightened the seat clamp it simply broke.  Without this clamp I could not steer, i.e., the front wheel would just float left and right.  So, finally, I had my `unrecoverable mechanical problem.' 

 

I was 6.5 miles from my car. 

 

So, I stashed the bike off behind some scrub bushes in the desert and started walking.  (My Garmin recorded the end of the ride and my trek into the desert.  Drill down to the red arrow location on this LINK ) 

 

And there I was.  In the middle of the desert.  100F+ temperature.  Decked out in my cycling lycra.  White arm coolers and white leg coolers.  A day glo orange jersey and black shorts.  Carrying my helmet and walking in my clipless sandals.  I certainly looked like an alien. 

 

Every ten or 15 minutes a vehicle would come by and I would stop and hold out my thumb.  Would you stop to pick up a space alien in Area 51?!

 

Finally, after walking for 2.5 miles a big crew cab pickup truck stopped.  The nice couple offered me a place in the bed of the pickup.  I clambered in and noted lots of fishing gear and big case of Coors beer.  (Tempting).  They dropped me off at my car and I drove back to get my bike. 

 

Although I didn't accomplish my full training goal ... I know that I achieved something even more important.  An enormously satisfying and meaningful experience in the natural world, with kind and decent people, confronted with a real adversity. 

 

A welcome `problem.' 

 

The only people without problems ... are dead.