day 31 (updated - 09/13/2006)

it was a surprisingly nice ride to phoenix via sedona, at least until i hit the 110 degree heat on the highways around phoenix. i am staying with my college roomate brett. i only have limited internet access so i will update this later.

updated - 09/12/2006

per brett's recommendation, i headed down to phoenix via sedona. i had never heard of that area before, but i found several references on-line saying it was a nice place to visit. it started out with some very twisty roads down through oak creek canyon and into slide rock state park. at first i thought all of the signs for slide rock were warnings about rock slides, but then i realized that was the name of the park. it turns out that there were signs for both. all of the recent rain in the area had caused many rock slides in the park and along the main road. i got a few pictures (will post later) but not as many as i would have liked as all of the turn offs from the road were closed due to the rock slides. you could see where the rock, gravel, and sand had covered the road just days before, leaving debris well onto the other side of the road. it started raining as i entered the town of sedona, but i was able to find shelter is the dozens of t-shirt and trinket stores before getting soaked.

it was already getting pretty hot and i knew it would only be getting hotter as i approached phoenix. i stopped for some water and pie (jack daniels pecan - very good) at the rock springs cafe before braving the heat. as the signs ticked off the elevation, 5000, 4000, 3000, i could feel the heat building. by the time i got to the freeway around phoenix, the keychain thermometer i keep on my tank bag was reading about 110. normally when it is hot i crack open the visor on my helmet, but he hot dry air combined with all of the added heat and exhaust from the cars only made it worse. at least keeping the visor closed kept in some of the moisture, but at times it felt like my eyeballs were being poached. generally the rest of my body was ok, as long as traffic was moving, which normally it wasn't.

after finally meeting up with brett and lynn, we went to four peaks in tempe near the asu campus. they had very good beer and the sandwiches made with beer bread were delicious. brett and i had a chance to catch up, reminisce about our time at nd, and discuss our current lives.

updated - 09/12/2006

here are some pictures from the days ride.


oak creek canyon, az - 09/11/2006


oak creek canyon, az - 09/11/2006


slide rock state park, az - 09/11/2006


sedona, az - 09/11/2006