saved by the fire

Can’t deny there is some routine appearing in the get-ready-to-bike procedure. But that’s about it, everyday develops itself always different then expected.. 

Barstow,  the city I left this morning, is very much a route 66 spot and the city makes sure you won’t forget. 
Just before leaving the city limits I noticed this cliche row of letterboxes. I did not show a picture, yet..

I made the mistake – or simply did not know – that the desert would be gone after Barstow, but it needed way more room to dissipate, another 30 miles/50 kilometers.

The green was slowly building up

The first colorful plants appeared

There were more houses, more people, more liquor shops to get the cold cokes.

The local artist was hard to be missed..

He had been working on his garden – the bottle tree ranch –  since 16 years and had just  erected a new totem the evening before. He still had material for the rest of his life, he just had to weld it together, a never ending project.

My  biking took too much time, until I checked the altitude and saw the reason:  not just the strong westerly Pacific wind that slowed me down, but also the climbing. 

I checked the routing again as the Google navigation lady wanted to send me into the green again.  A local told me that most roads were closed due to recent fires and that chances to ride the bike across were remote. I was suggested to wait till next morning at the car pool spot to organize a ride over the 1300 meter pass to San Bernardino via the freeway.  The idea was not very appealing..

I would bike the freeway. Normally not allowed, but I considered this force majeur and I hoped Highway Patrol would agree. No more time for pictures 🙁

I joined the 4 lane road on its shoulder and climbed the last miles to the summit. Then it was finally down to San Bernardino, 4000, 3000, 2000 feet, it never seemed to stop, it went fast. Had to stay very alert to avoid car tyres, boxes, stones, wood and manhole covers on the shoulder. Actually the fire saved me, via the ‘normal’ way it would have taken me ages. It was exhilarating, though I was not completely at ease. Don’t know if I would do it again in these conditions: rush hour, 4 lane traffic, 60 k per hour against a strong, cold , Pacific wind. Legal, illegal, I’ll never know and don’t want to know 😊 

Decided not to push my luck and leave at the next exit where I drove straight on Route 66. When I checked it I had done 20 miles in 45 minutes, fast for today’s standard.

It was a breeze to bike the large, quiet and dark city of San Bernardino. Checked in at the hotel at 2000 and had a good dinner with the Mexican around the corner. 

Concluded that the 90+ miles of today were too much for this terrain, there was something wrong with the research, that mountain ridge was not planned. Tomorrow slightly less and no more mountains! 

Santa Monica, get ready!