Short day but good climbing, 6 mile 8% grade into Bisbee. Steep enough that our Nissan Cube had trouble with the climb. Bisbee is high around 6000 feet and the sky is a very dark blue. It is a fun town to visit.
The day stated late and disorganized but the clear dark blue sky and cool temps, 40s for break fast and low 70s during the day, kept our spirits high despite anticipation of today’s climb to Bisbee. My front tire was low and I couldn’t find my wallet. In fact 4 of our 15 riders couldn’t find our wallets this morning. Nothing sinister but sleeping in the cabin threw our routines off. My wallet had fallen into my blue Bubba bag. Gopher was very helpful and pulled my bag from truck so I could search it and find my wallet. Everyone on the crew is so nice.
Then I found my front tire low and decided to pump it up and try to ride anyway. I knew it wouldn’t work but it was already 9:30 and RO and I were way behind everyone else. The ride started with a mile long climb up to Tombstone and slow ride through Tombstone. Then a fast mile long descent with my bike shaking. Time to fix the tire. Finding the cause of the problem and fixing it with RO was actually fun. It turned out to be a small thorn in the tire that was just causing a slow leak in the tube … Took us a long time to find that one.
We are definitely in a different zone now, the sky is dark blue and we are on a high plateau with little to see except distant mountains, barren but beautiful.
We hit the first rest area long behind everyone else, Jerry and Krash were ready to start looking for us. But we were doing fine … Just riding slow because of the grade, late start, and flat tire. Our one accomplishment so far is that RO and U are last to leave every day.
At 17 miles the climb became steep, 8% grade up to tunnel about 6 miles. Then fast descent thru tunnel into Bisbee for lunch. Bob checked on us and then met us before descent into town. He led us to lunch, nice chicken salad sandwich and amazing mocha shake at High Dessert Market.
Campground was at town park just above city hall. A shower, medicinal beer and off to wine and cheese at Bisbee Bike Brothel. Then fun dinner at Roka Cafe. Back to tent by 8 PM and off to sleep.
n
i
</a
In my sleeping bag with cap on and blanket over and under me, expecting another 33 degree night. But I will sleep better than in cabin.
Bisbee is the last town I have been to for quite a while, the unknown lies ahead.
NH Fobb ..... 
Joe,
One of those medals I showed you at Barrio Brewery was for the 66-mile ‘Magic Circle of Cochise’ bike ride I did some years ago there starting in Bisbee. I wanders through that high desert country and around the Dos Cabezas (two heads) mountain range. It was a very inspiring ride – including a little monsoon shower enroute! I was drenched but at 22mph on my bike computer, it didn’t take long to get dry. I remember watching cattle on the other side of the fence munching grass, then looking up and watching me with turned heads and surprised eyes as I was pumping down the roads. I was alone at that point, not another cyclist within view, and I became so thrilled with what I was accomplishing; just the sound of the tires on the road, the whirring chain, and felt so good a chill ran up and down my spine and covered me with goose-bumps. It was enough inspiration to help me create a long poem about it which was later published in the monthly GABA newsletter. It’s been lost for a long time, but I asked the current secretary if she could locate it for me from another member if they still had a copy. It’s wonderful, big country up there, and you’re right about the velvet blue skies…
Keep the shiney-side ‘up!’
~Bob
Thanks Bob