Day 17: Thumbing it

June 28, 2013

....the ride to Kayenta was smooth as silk. A nice ride, with a lot of down-ish grades. I stopped at the disappointing "Navajo Cultural Center" and then headed to McDonalds, for a dollar ice tea, and to figure out how in the hell I was going hitch a ride to Page.

I sat and sat, looking at the cars rolling in and out of the parking lot. I needed someone with at least a pick-uptruck, or a van, or a camper. No wierdos or ax-murderes, that was a priority, or at least on my wish list. A family on vacation would be good. A Retired looking couple, good as well. Hiker looking types who look like they shop at REI would also do, because anyone who shops at REI has to be okay.

After about an hour and a few deep breaths i approached a grandfather with his grand daughter. "I would take you but we are not going to Page."

I decided to try the gas station. And rolled up to a camper.

"I am trying to get to Page......hole in tubes......tire......bike shop......if you dont have room or are not going to Page it is totally fine and...."

"Sure, we can take you."

"Really? You're sure, because if not it's okay."

"The only thing is we are going to stop at Antelope Canyon along the way."

"What? You're kidding? I want to go there too!"

So Stefan loaded up my stuff and put my bike in the camper. After a few minutes I asked,, "where are you from?"

"Germany."

So I rode with Stefan and Michaela and their two boys, who live in Munich. We talked about all kinds of stuff, my trip, their trip, even politics....about the European Union and the United States. Stefan has done work for Bionix, the electric bike company. He is also a professional photographer who has published some really cool books about roads, something that would interest any touring cyclist! He has a web site at www.curves-magazin.com

Though they have been to the U.S. before, they said, "being in this camper we kind of feel like we are in a bubble, and not really meeting Americans."

"Well you are meeting one now," I said.

And I don't like to brag, but when Michaela sneezed, I said "Gesundheit" in perfect German, just like my grandmother, and mother, taught me. I'm sure they were impressed.

Anyway, about halfway there we were getting hungry. We were still on The Rez and the only thing we could find was a little road side food stand run by the locals. I Was a little reluctant at first, but it turned out to be great! They had several choices of home made stew, plus delicious fry bread. It turns out that, according to Stefan and Michaela, the Germans have a food exactly like fry bread. No wonder I like it so much. Flour, grease, sometimes sugar, whats not to like?

After that we headed to Antelope canyon. The thermometer at ground level was over 110 degrees! To be honest, even without the flat tire issue, it is probably good I did not ride, especially since there was road construction on the road we were on. I would have been a mess.

Once in the canyon it was cooler, and way cool! As in cool....you know, neat, pretty, all that stuff. Stefan and I hung back and took lots pics. He with his DLSR fancy cameras and I with my little one.

At one point I said, "I can't believe that I wanted to come here, and needed a lift, and you picked me up and were coming here."

To which he said, "Its, (and then something in German).

"Whats that?" I asked

"It's like...?"

"A coincidence? I asked.

"No, more than that."

"Fate?"

"Yes."

And so it was. After the canyon we rolled into Page. They were staying at The Comfort Inn and dropped me off there. As it happened, it was right across the street from a Walmart. They did not have the right tubes but they did have patch kits. I bought three.

That night I got a hotel too, and spent part of the night patching all my tubes, and thinking about the day.

I suppose if I had been riding something else good might have happened. But given the circumstances I would say the day was perfect.

The view from my campsite when I woke up this morning.

Our lunch stop, with Michaela and Stefan in the foreground

The pots of stew. I had the veggie stew with lamb. Michaela had squash stew and Stefan had steak and corn and fry bread. The kids had samples of each with fry bread.

Today's ride: 27 miles (43 km)
Total: 827 miles (1,331 km)

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