Day+3+Journal

=Colin's Journal= 3 January, 2006 48 Miles Tucson --> Picacho Peak 11 miles run, 37 biked

Stayed with Lyle, Lee's brother-in-law, in Tucson. He is pretty tall, quiet, with silver hair. He was extremely hospitable, and follows a "raw food diet", which he spoke to Bill and Stephen about. He would drink raw milk, which Bill tried, ate raw fruits and veggies, and even raw beef and chicken. He said he cubed chunks of meat, and chewed them as little as possible. It was interesting to hear, even if we didn't agree with it all.

We woke up at 6:45, with Stephen uncharacteristically sleeping through his alarm out on the back porch, and Bill uncharacteristically waking up upon hearing the alarm, then characteristically going back to sleep. We hit the road around 8:30am, with the group getting very spread out almost right away. A runner and a biker were far behind as we rode through Tucson, then on the outskirts we came to an unexpected turn that hadn't been discussed, so Bill and I waited, while the two others kept riding.

While waiting, as we often do, Bill was changing on the side of the road, but there were no convenient trees, so he was doing it in the open. Just then a guy walks by, sees Bill awkwardly standing a bit off the road with his bike on the ground, and asks if he "had a crash or something." I tell him "Yeah, the guy can't stay on his bike." Bill turns and gives the guy an oblivious smile, the guy walks on, and Bill drops his pants before he is much past him.

Corey came by soon and told us that Rogo was changing a flat behind us, so after waiting about ten minutes, I left Bill alone at the corner and rode ahead three miles to find Corey and Stephen waiting at another intersection. I told Corey which way to direct people and rode ahead with Stephen running, until we got to where there was a road on the map, but a fence in real life, where I had told Corey we were going to turn. Stephen ran ahead to finish his run, while I sat in some shade on the side of the road for about fifteen minutes waiting for the others. Luckily, everyone else biked up at once, and we found Stephen at the end of his run. We all had some peanuts and dried fruit while I started running.

I ran through dry farmland, under an interstate, then about five more miles on a frontage road, for about nine miles total, all of it on dirt paths next to the road that farmers used. Then I biked about four miles, before running two more. Soon we pulled off the frontage road at the town of Red Rock, which consists of five houses, and the Red Rock Bar. We were there to meet Mary, the area coordinator of the Anza Trail. We pulled into a dirt area next to a corral, and sat on the porch of a shed to unpack some lunch of granola bars. All of a sudden an old man showed up and says to us "You boys're awfully brave. Some'un might shoot you sitting there."

We had an uneventful conversation with Mary, finished lunch, and patched up a tire before leaving. The tire was flat againin a quarter mile. We took off the tube and found two sizeable thorns sticking in the tire. After pulling these out, we were about to get rolling again, and a policeman drives by. It is about 80 degrees, no other cars on the road, his windows are rolled up. He activates his bullhorn and says "Boys, it is better to be off the road than on it." Nice town, Red Rock.

Grant, Stephen and I now got a nice paceline going down through a brutal headwind to Picacho Peak campground. It is a beautiful place, and $12 got us a campgound, showers, indoor bathroom and potable water. It was a warm beautiful night. We had a dinner of cheese and crackers, then corn tortillas with cheese, refried beans, rice, and carmelized onions. Dessert in the desert was a few squares of a chocolate bar.

Line of the Day: Rogo: "Mary said they have water at the gas station, but her's is better." Bill: "She's just trying to make you buy it." Rogo: "No. It's well water. I think she's giving it to us for free." Corey: "Dave, there are times you should just ignore Bill."

Day 4 Pictures

Day 4 Journal