Grand Canyon to Cameron (Day 2)
Date: Thursday, May 27, 2010
Time: 8:30am-12:45 pm
Route: From the Grand Canyon South Rim Visitors Center to Cameron, AZ via Highway 64.
Weather: Very strong winds, gusting; headwind to direct crosswind. 57 degrees at start; 91 degrees at finish. Intense sunshine at the end.
Riding Surface: Essentially no shoulder along the South Rim on the Park road (definitely riding in the road, light to moderate traffic, most of them giving a wide berth). Great, smooth shoulder from Grand Canyon National Park boundary to Cameron; traffic not a factor. Best riding surface of the entire two day trip.
Miles: 53.8 miles (22.5 miles to Desert View/Watchtower, 36 miles to end of pavement on Highway 64 at Cameron).
Duration: 3 hours, 44 minutes.
My speeds: Average 14.4 mph, maximum 42.5 mph.
The Story:
Day 2 of the Arizona Highway 64 Adventure (Williams to Grand Canyon to Cameron) starting from where I left off yesterday, at the South Rim Visitor Center. It's cool but refreshing. Luke got up to watch the sunrise of the Canyon, so we have a decent start this morning.
I really feel the altitude and the fact that my body has not yet woken up. I find myself panting for the first few miles. The first 15 miles or so along the Rim route is in the pines. The morning sun provides ample shade and keeps the air chilly. The road rolls up and down along the edge of the Canyon, which can't be seen very well from the road, except at the overlooks. There is a series of steep but short drops, followed by challenging inclines. On one downhill stretch I reach 40 miles per hour, only to face a 4 mile an hour uphill climb. I am hoping to see some wildlife, but alas I am disappointed. Luke saw three elk earlier this morning--one was a stag! After about 10 miles it seems like my body is warmed up and I begin to enjoy the ride more. The forest still has a green, meadowy floor and is quite peaceful. The air is very clear and fresh, though the breeze is blowing moderately in my face at this point. Going uphill into the wind just doesn't seem fair!
About mile 15 the taller pine forest turns into smaller junipers. The shade disappears. But the absence of the ponderosa groves gives way to pretty spectacular vistas of mountains and cliffs in the distance and across the Canyon. The grandeur of this place comes alive. The best views of the Canyon from the road are around Navajo Point, just before I arrive at Desert View.
After a Power Bar and G-2, I head on the second part of today's journey, leaving Grand Canyon National Park (elevation about 7,000 feet above sea level) for the end of AZ Highway 64 at Cameron (elevation 4,200 ASL). The wind is picking velocity. A flag flying looks like its a solid billboard. As I start out on the gentle slope at the beginning, I find myself having to pedal downhill against the gale to keep up a decent speed. Sometimes I am leaning exaggeratingly into the wind just to stay on the shoulder of the highway. Once again, the terrain is undulating, and the gains made on the downhill portions are compromised by the headwinds.
There are no more pine forests, but some absolutely amazing vistas. I can see the snow-capped San Francisco Peaks (elevation over 12,000 feet) rise above the ridge the runs just south of the highway. As I descend, the bluff covers the peaks just as the entire width of the Painted Desert--with it's pinks and oranges and tans--comes into view. It is truly breathtaking... even if one isn't pedaling!
About this point, the road drops precipitously. Fortunately, the shoulder is wide and smooth. I pick up speed very quickly and begin flying down the hill. My body senses that I am going faster than I ever have on a bike. The thrill combines insane speed and fear of crashing. The tires feel as if they are barely touching the ground. Nevertheless, the Cannondale soars smoothly down the descent. My fear takes over and I begin to apply the brakes sporadically. At the end of my ride, my bike computer reads a maximum speed of forty two and a half miles an hour.
After the steep grade, the road again settles into a pattern of long rollers. It's getting hot, and I feel the intensity of the sun for the first time on this trip. Near the finish, there are some very unusual and large rock formations on either side of the Little Colorado River Gorge. On the last bridge, about a mile from the intersection of Highways 64 and 89 where my route ends, I hear a rapid "pst pst pst pst" which hiss more slowly as I decelerate. I've gone 110 miles in two days, and NOW I get a flat tire! The tube change goes fairly quickly, and I cruise to the Cameron Visitors Center, where Luke is waiting with the vehicle.
Today's ride is perhaps the most scenic of all the rides I've taken in Arizona. I highly recommended it.
Time: 8:30am-12:45 pm
Route: From the Grand Canyon South Rim Visitors Center to Cameron, AZ via Highway 64.
Weather: Very strong winds, gusting; headwind to direct crosswind. 57 degrees at start; 91 degrees at finish. Intense sunshine at the end.
Riding Surface: Essentially no shoulder along the South Rim on the Park road (definitely riding in the road, light to moderate traffic, most of them giving a wide berth). Great, smooth shoulder from Grand Canyon National Park boundary to Cameron; traffic not a factor. Best riding surface of the entire two day trip.
Miles: 53.8 miles (22.5 miles to Desert View/Watchtower, 36 miles to end of pavement on Highway 64 at Cameron).
Duration: 3 hours, 44 minutes.
My speeds: Average 14.4 mph, maximum 42.5 mph.
The Story:
Day 2 of the Arizona Highway 64 Adventure (Williams to Grand Canyon to Cameron) starting from where I left off yesterday, at the South Rim Visitor Center. It's cool but refreshing. Luke got up to watch the sunrise of the Canyon, so we have a decent start this morning.
I really feel the altitude and the fact that my body has not yet woken up. I find myself panting for the first few miles. The first 15 miles or so along the Rim route is in the pines. The morning sun provides ample shade and keeps the air chilly. The road rolls up and down along the edge of the Canyon, which can't be seen very well from the road, except at the overlooks. There is a series of steep but short drops, followed by challenging inclines. On one downhill stretch I reach 40 miles per hour, only to face a 4 mile an hour uphill climb. I am hoping to see some wildlife, but alas I am disappointed. Luke saw three elk earlier this morning--one was a stag! After about 10 miles it seems like my body is warmed up and I begin to enjoy the ride more. The forest still has a green, meadowy floor and is quite peaceful. The air is very clear and fresh, though the breeze is blowing moderately in my face at this point. Going uphill into the wind just doesn't seem fair!
About mile 15 the taller pine forest turns into smaller junipers. The shade disappears. But the absence of the ponderosa groves gives way to pretty spectacular vistas of mountains and cliffs in the distance and across the Canyon. The grandeur of this place comes alive. The best views of the Canyon from the road are around Navajo Point, just before I arrive at Desert View.
After a Power Bar and G-2, I head on the second part of today's journey, leaving Grand Canyon National Park (elevation about 7,000 feet above sea level) for the end of AZ Highway 64 at Cameron (elevation 4,200 ASL). The wind is picking velocity. A flag flying looks like its a solid billboard. As I start out on the gentle slope at the beginning, I find myself having to pedal downhill against the gale to keep up a decent speed. Sometimes I am leaning exaggeratingly into the wind just to stay on the shoulder of the highway. Once again, the terrain is undulating, and the gains made on the downhill portions are compromised by the headwinds.
There are no more pine forests, but some absolutely amazing vistas. I can see the snow-capped San Francisco Peaks (elevation over 12,000 feet) rise above the ridge the runs just south of the highway. As I descend, the bluff covers the peaks just as the entire width of the Painted Desert--with it's pinks and oranges and tans--comes into view. It is truly breathtaking... even if one isn't pedaling!
About this point, the road drops precipitously. Fortunately, the shoulder is wide and smooth. I pick up speed very quickly and begin flying down the hill. My body senses that I am going faster than I ever have on a bike. The thrill combines insane speed and fear of crashing. The tires feel as if they are barely touching the ground. Nevertheless, the Cannondale soars smoothly down the descent. My fear takes over and I begin to apply the brakes sporadically. At the end of my ride, my bike computer reads a maximum speed of forty two and a half miles an hour.
After the steep grade, the road again settles into a pattern of long rollers. It's getting hot, and I feel the intensity of the sun for the first time on this trip. Near the finish, there are some very unusual and large rock formations on either side of the Little Colorado River Gorge. On the last bridge, about a mile from the intersection of Highways 64 and 89 where my route ends, I hear a rapid "pst pst pst pst" which hiss more slowly as I decelerate. I've gone 110 miles in two days, and NOW I get a flat tire! The tube change goes fairly quickly, and I cruise to the Cameron Visitors Center, where Luke is waiting with the vehicle.
Today's ride is perhaps the most scenic of all the rides I've taken in Arizona. I highly recommended it.
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