Follow the blue line in the map above.
That's our next adventure.
We start this Sunday.
Just like every good movie deserves a good Pre-Show, so does every good cycling adventure.
So here's the Pre-Show for the Kicking Route 66 Shelley Brothers Cycling Adventure March 2014.
Barstow, California, across the Mohave Desert to Needles, California.
But wait! There's more!
Once we reach Needles (or more specifically, Pirate Cove Resort just south of Needles) we will have completed cycling the entire stretch of Old Route 66 from Ashfork, Arizona, to Santa Monica (Los Angeles), California.
So there we will be next Tuesday night, sitting on the banks of the Colorado River with no more Route 66 to pedal (at the moment).
What's a fanatic to do? We pedal on.
Specifically, we will pedal south.
Following the general curves of the mighty Colorado, we will spin our way through Lake Havasu, then on to Parker, and finally conclude our journey in beautiful Blythe, California.
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| Ignore the 18 hr, 3 min trip time by bike. Ain't going to happen. The Google Bike must be turbo charged or something. |
All this adventure in a mere span of six days and 305.1 miles (494.3 km).
Our average daily distance will be 48 miles (78 km).
Two days will torture our butts for 61 miles (99 km).
Our shortest day will be an easy 31 miles (50.2 km).
We might stay in a motel the first night. Or we might camp out. I'm unclear on Bro Mark's plans at this point.
The other nights we will enjoy some primitive camping. (For one night there just isn't anywhere but the desert to stay. The rattle snakes will just need to scoot over for us.)
We will also camp in a resort, a state park, and an RV park.
Let's take an armchair sneak preview of some sights along our route, a true bird's eye view, courtesy of Google Maps.
This map (above) is our route.
This route was selected for its lush greenery and abundant water supplies. Not!
Nor was it selected for its abundance of convenience stores that sell lots of ice cold water.
Nor was it selected for its abundance of air conditioned motels.
In reality, we will be hauling a lot of our water as well as camping out among the scorpions for a few nights.
We will begin our trip from Barstow. This is the top of our inexpensive motel:
On the Sunday Morning of March 9, we pedal east towards our first day destination of Ludlow. About 51 miles or 82 km.
Once again, Google Maps gives us that deception-ally cool water blue line across the desert:
Don't believe the "Interstate 40" distraction on the map. We're not following Interstate 40. Interstate 40 is following us, sometimes nearby, sometimes not, as we pedal Old Route 66, which was around a long time before the Interstate. But Interstate 40, a rather insecure highway, doesn't diverge too far from its Route 66 roots.
All 10 residents (according to the 2010 census) of Ludlow will share their settlement with us our first night out. This place started way way way back as a water stop for steam locomotives. Until the 1960's it was a popular stop for motorists on Route 66. Ludlow is now called a Ghost Town. Spooky. Brother Mark thinks there is a motel there we can stay at. (Should I be worried?) At any rate, we can find some food and some water here at the Chevron Gas Station.
Our second day on the road takes us to Essex. This is one of our longer days (61 miles/99 km).
Another Googlized View:
Google Map says 4 hours and 50 minutes of riding time. Ha! Like that's going to happen! It will be closer to 10 hours. Wanna bet?
Essex is home to somewhere between 8 and 89 people. Probably closer to 8.
Four businesses dominate the skyline: Garage; Post Office; cafe; school. Maybe. If they haven't closed.
Brother Mark's trip notes say there is no water or food here for us. Hhhhmmm. Looks like we pack it in like camels.
Before reaching Essex, we pass Bagdad. Not that one. The one in California.
The Bagdad Cafe here inspired a movie.
Actually the movie Bagdad Cafe was filmed at a Cafe in Newberry Springs, a short distance from here. But the Newberry cafe, smartly, changed the name of their cafe to the Bagdad Cafe, understandably riding on the notoriety of the movie.
I know. Kind of confusing. But maybe the movie isn't. I haven't seen it. Yet I hear it is pretty good.
Bagdad appears sparsely populated, if at all.
On our second day of riding, before arriving at Essex, we along pass by the Amboy Crater. But not a hole in the earth blasted out by a meteor leading to the extinction of dinosaurs and honest lawyers. Nope. An inverted half cone shaped geological structure left over from the core of a volcano that erupted here about 10,000 years ago.
I understand that the volcano stopped erupting because the desert got hotter than it was. Or something like that. I don't know if we are going to stop and climb 250 ft to look down into it.
Back before the Interstate stole the show, this Crater was a cool attraction.
Also on our second day of riding, still on our way to Essex, we pass Roy's Motel and Cafe.
This is full blown Route 66 Vintage stuff.
We stopped at Roy's last March, in our car, on our way home from our ride last year.
It was hanging on.
The internet says the El Pollo Loco has purchased the place and plans to refurbish it.
That would be awesome. It will be a refreshing place to cool down and hydrate.
And finally, Essex.
We will spend the night, somewhere, here.
Essex to Needles/Pirate Cove.
The following route map of Day 3 is pathetic.
But Google wouldn't let me take our bikes on our exact route.
But this gives you a good idea.
Our route actually turns right onto Goffs Road and then down to Needles.
Anything north of Goffs Road isn't us.
This is another long day: About 61 miles (98 km). I feel my bum hurting already.
We go through Fenner (below).
Has reputation for a nice little store that sells cold water, snacks and stuff.
Goffs (below) has a similar reputation.
And somewhere between Goffs and Needles we pass by the once booming Camp Ibis.
A World War Two training facility.
Not sure what is there now.
Just south of Needles we arrive at our well earned destination: Pirate Cove (below).
This is where we ended a previous trip when heading west on Route 66 from Ashfork, Arizona.
I don't care if it only got a 3.8. I'm giving it a 5 sight unseen.
The next day we ride out heading south along the Colorado River corridor.
Just to give our trip a classy international flavour (spelled properly British), we will cross the London Bridge in Lake Havasu.
And since we seem so bent on the joys of Lunar Landscapes, we will spend the night at Cattail Cove State Park. Bring your own shade.
Next day, rolling, rolling, rolling down the river.
We eagerly anticipate our night at the renowned Big River RV Park.
(Have you ever seen the movie, "RV," starring Robin Williams. It is one of my all time favs!)
Interesting name for a city. Sounds like a medieval disease or something.
From here, Bro Mark somehow retrieves our car from Pirate Cove (where we left it about a week ago) and comes back to fetch me and the bikes and we ride home in an air conditioned truck with soft seats.
I'll try to post and/or blog while in the moment.
I promise a "full report with impressive photofication" upon my return to and recovery in Canada :-)
