Three or four days ending 11/9/10

 

So from a late start, I pedaled my way to Apache Junction (AJ as it's know locally) with intentions of heading to Superior, Arizona. And, just as I have found with my journey, virtually all plans don't come to fruition. With a quick stop to refill a blood pressure medication, I was stunned to find out I would need to wait 1.5-2 hours for the script to be filled. With fortune on my side, I found a Starbucks directly across the street. Literally 6 hours later, because of a disagreement with my insurance company, my prescription was ready.  

During my stay, I had some chow, some coffee and I had a number of wonderful conversations with employees, patrons and passersby. One conversation was with a small group of retirees, two of whom owned a bicycle shop in AJ. When I ran into the shop from the enclosed deck where my bicycle was parked, I came out to a scowl by the former female owner of the bike shop. She told me that bicycle theft was rampant in this town. In fact, a couple years ago, Lance Armstrong was cycling through with a group, parked and had multiple $10,000 carbon fiber bikes stolen. A thief came into her bike shop suggesting she buy one of the bikes for $5.00. She declined, but did call the police instead.

Also, I met a gentleman named Nate who was very interesting. We shared investment, travel and divorce stories and, anticipations and predictions for the future. We discussed his residency in the Philippines and I learned about my naiveté about islands and how Americans are perceived there. In spite of the vast number of reports stating the frighteningly strong hatred for Americans, he assured me that at no time did he feel unsafe. As a world traveler who spent time in Central, South America and Southeast Asia, I'll have to go with his analysis and certainly not mine!

So now it was dark and I decided I had to camp because it was night time. I found my way to a KOA campground just a couple of miles from the SBX. In the AM, I made my way out of town but not before checking out and paying of course, finding out some local lore about Superstition Mountain by Faye, the campground owner. Last summer three men sought the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Dutchman's_Gold_Mine. Oops, they have have never been found!

My KOA campsite.

Scruffy McMaster

Artistic stonework at Tomahawk Road and Rt 60 interchange of the prevalent, but uncooperative photographic subject. Gambel's Quail.

Superior became a second home almost! Love it here!

Gorgeous desert vistas and flora

Cool looking cactus

Yet another really cool cactus with flowers / fruit.

I have no idea why, but I love this little cactus.

Yet another flowering desert plant. I really need to invest in a desert plant identification book.

Desert vista

Desert vista

Flowers overseeing Rt. 60 from a precipice.

Go ahead, guess where I am!

Nope, try again!

A view downhill from Gonzales Pass after my climb.

Looking down Gonzales Pass

Just gorgeous!

Natural beauty except for the guardrail.

Native cactus plant fruit...still need that identification book!

Multiple views of where I thought it acceptable to die.

Dry creek bed

I do love the look of dry creek beds though for some reason. As I write this, I just realized why! I spent the better part of my childhood in creeks, creek beds, making small dams, catching fish, crayfish, newts, and other miscellaneous critters with my buddies. Such amazing memories made in those stream. I'll forever remember the poison ivy vines on which we would swing and from which I would get horrid swelling and itching. I highly doubt any kid today will 35 years from now say, "Oh yeah, I loved playing Doom. Remember that time in the summer of 2010 when I beat you online. That rocked!"

The coolest saguaro cactus growing out of a crevice in a rock. It looks like a cartoon of a saguaro.

Many more views of the beautiful mountain Picket Post Mountain.

Sign just to the west said, "Historical Marker Ahead" so of course I had to stop

 So here we are at the Superior.

 Just in case you forgot...

And just in case you missed the prior two signs, you are in Superior.

I made my way into Superior, AZ but was terribly fatigued from poor nutrition. In cycling terms I bonked! And I bonked badly, unlike I have ever done before in any sport I ever played or for which I trained. I wiggled my way up Main Street, off of Rt. 60. Like many old towns where the old Main Street was replaced by a highway very close by, many of the old shops on Main Street are closed, save a few including the Piedra Rojas Cafe, the VFW and another restaurant. Also, the most pristine building on the street was the dentist. 

I stopped at the Piedra Rojas Cafe, and literally didn't leave for 40 hours. I camped in the back yard of the cafe with the owners permission after having a late lunch on Saturday. I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner there as well. While staying on the property, there was a baby shower and lots of music...I slept through most of it. I was so exhausted.

While there, I met a photographer who was doing a photo shoot on Copper Mountain with her friend, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, his wife, a nurse at the Apache Reservation nearby, the curator of the Boyce Arboretum and on and on. Everyone was wonderful! 

Yvonne the Piedra Rojas Cafe's owner was absolutely wonderful as was the head chef, Jose. The traditional Mexican dishes were so yummy - hence 4 consecutive meals there!

My tent setup

Teal building is the wonderful cafe.

View from the east

Another view of my temporary homestead.

Finally Tuesday, AM as the sun rose (in the east of course), I headed out of the gravel homestead of the prior two days and went to the Triple C Cafe on Rt. 60 before heading out of town...but after a meal (or two or three) I still didn't leave Superior. Many of the same individuals I saw over the prior two days patronized the Triple C as well. The cafe opened just 11 days prior to my arrival I found out. Again everyone was incredibly helpful. Jeff was rather insightful, and told me of his upcoming journey to study traditional medicine in Peru and Amanda who made a salad for me with love (I didn't even have to ask if she made it with love...I could tell from the radish placement on the bed of lettuce.)

View in late afternoon from the Triple C

View from the Trip C

So tomorrow, I'm really going to Globe. It's a big climb, but somebody's gotta do it and I'm the one with the bike! Peace for now.