Tombstone - Bisbee, AZ: Happy New Year! - The Squealing with Glee Tour

January 1, 2018

Tombstone - Bisbee, AZ: Happy New Year!

I can't even make a map for today. There's 4-5 routes to take out of town. We can go east, we can go west, or we can go the 23 mile direct route. Let's see what happens. I will make my map later. I don't even know what I'm doing.

We had a major discussion last night about the difference between riding shorter miles with more climbing vs riding longer miles with less climbing. I had narrowed today's ride down to the westerly route, which includes Jacinto's endorsed Charleston Road. It includes Old Mule Pass with 33 miles. Or there is the 44 mile easterly route. 11 more miles, 400 feet less climbing. Our local source, David, said the eastern route was much nicer riding with less traffic. In the very end, I decided to go with the local's choice. Jacinto is going to do a longer version of the eastern route. The single guys are all taking the direct route. D & M are heading to Sierra Vista.

I had better get on with the day.

If only every touring day were as all around pleasant as today. What a great way to start the New Year. Certainly I never ride 44 miles at home on New Year. Too cold.

We had breakfast at Big Nose Kate's. It was excellent. I had spinach cream cheese eggs with bacon and hash browns. I also ordered a ham steak. I took that to go to eat later.

Edit - Even though my glass at the restaurant SAID Big Nose Kate - I was told we actually ate at the Longhorn Saloon. I floated the idea that the restaurant name was Big Nose Kate's Longhorn Saloon, but that was firmly rejected. I have no idea how the drinking glasses migrated down the street.

The four guys were loaded up and took off right after breakfast. Not to be seen again until Bisbee.

Tombstone is a dedicated tourist town. It appeared that the few people who were up were at the restaurant eating. Otherwise the town was deserted - except for a man riding his horse down the sidewalk and talking on his cell phone. Times are a changing. I wonder what my grandfather would think of riding his horse and talking on the phone. He was a man of few words . . . probably he wouldn't even have a phone. Although he owned many horses.

It was uphill, uphill out of town. I thought about the guys heading up, up, up to Bisbee. I took a right on Davis Road and enjoyed the level road for miles and miles. There were very few cars and a whole bunch of nothing out here. It was similar to riding the country roads around home. THIS is touring. Thank you, David, for the routing recommendation.

Bertha and I had a little burp when she suggested a side trip on Old Davis Road. It looks too sandy for me. I stayed on Davis Road. But I did stop for a photo at High Lonesome. Again, I could have taken that road, but it was sandy. I settled for a photo and continued on to Frontier Road. At this rate I would be to town in no time. But I knew that I also had to climb up to Bisbee. I was enjoying the foray out onto the plains, but soon had to make my own climb to town.

I was on Frontier Road for ten miles. I saw two cyclists. Not together. Way out here in the middle of nowhere. They appeared to be on day rides, no panniers. The few cars I saw the entire day went far around me. For some reason there were three different Walmart semis on Davis Road. They were the only trailers and were notable amongst the few cars that passed. Everyone was gracious and went far around me. I waved my thanks each time. I like riding in areas that are so lightly trafficked that I don't get bored of waving thank you to polite drivers.

I took a right onto Double Adobe Road. That was a definite uphill slant. I knew that I was going to 5,300 feet elevation. As much as I appreciated this gentle grade, the road had better start climbing or I would be in real trouble later. Six miles from town Double Adobe merged with Highway 80. Then the real climbing started. Six miles to town. I wondered how busy it would be. The map showed the towns of Lowell, South Bisbee, and Bisbee. Only the actual downtown of Bisbee was busy. There were many little shops on both sides of the street. All charmingly catering to tourists. There was a soap shop and a hot sauce shop. An ice cream store and a book store. Most of them were closed because of the holiday.

I ran into the guys, just leaving a restaurant. They were sad to note the ice cream shop a couple of doors down was closed. Oren had already been to the motel, he led the way back. We could check in at 2 PM, we had ten minutes to ride uphill (very uphill) to the motel.

Spoon had eaten lunch. He was very focused on ice cream. He parked his bike at the motel and walked next door to the Circle K. He came back with two pints of ice cream and offered me one. Butter Pecan or Strawberry. That is a rough decision. I could handle choices like that all day. I hadn't even showered, but I sat down in the courtyard with Spoon to eat ice cream. Oren soon joined us with his own. Harpo sat down and told Spoon that he would eat whatever Spoon didn't want of his. Spoon said he figured as much, he had gotten Harpo his own Spoon. There was just one problem. Spoon ate the entire pint of ice cream! Harpo would have to buy his own. Spoon noted with slight horror in his voice that he had eaten the entire pint of ice cream - four servings at 140 calories per serving. I told him on days you bicycle up a pass, you are allowed to eat a pint of ice cream. I'm not sure he believed my logic, but the ice cream was already eaten!

I started to get chilled in my sweaty riding clothes and had just gone in the room to shower when I heard Jacinto outside. He had gone one road further east from my route and had 49 miles to my 44. I showered and then we all sat around outside until the sunshine disappeared from the courtyard. The guys decided to walk down the block and check on dinner. I went in to work on this journal.

While we were eating ice cream outside, a man entered the courtyard and announced loudly that it was official, he had rented a house down the street and was moving to Bisbee. It had taken months to get things arranged, but he was getting away from the east coast and moving into a rental house down the street. I can certainly see doing a month or two in sunny, warm Arizona each winter. One of the guys asked him what he would do in July, but the man was not going to have his happiness dampened - heat was no problem.

I'm sorry to be so boring - every day I tell you sunshine, blue skies, warm temperatures and little wind. If only every riding day could be so boring! Once again it was mid 50's when I left in the morning and mid 70's when I arrived in town. Tomorrow should be more of the same.

The place down the hill has one item for dinner. Kind of like eating at mom's. This is what they are serving. Like it or not. Tonight it is Thai chicken. I hope it doesn't have curry. Otherwise the choices are fancy sandwiches. Jacinto tried calling several other places, everything is closed.

We are staying at the Jonquil Motel, a tiny restored 30's motel. It has a nice little courtyard, plus a roomy backyard for relaxing. This was a good find. I recommend it.

We did end up having dinner at the High Desert Market and Cafe down the block. Prices were excellent and the food was fresh and green. I had a big salad with a scoop of tuna salad in the center for $7.95. It had a variety of greens, with red pepper, red onions, tomato, etc. It was a great salad. Most of the guys had sandwiches and were pleased with their choices. Bacon and turkey, etc. The store was well stocked with all sorts of upscale specialty items. Jerry Harp said he wished he had a way to carry more things with him, there were a number of good looking snacks. Spoon had a $4. cookie that was chocolate and orange. The desserts were all homemade and pricier. We are going there for breakfast at 7 AM.

The guys are all agreeing that it will be cold in the morning, they need to wait to leave. But they aren't good at waiting. It's supposed to be 32 at 6 AM (not that anyone is leaving at 6, but they will be awake). By midmorning it will be 55 - perfect cycling weather.

I was instructed by one of the pass climbers to please make note that the elevation was 6,024 feet.

We discussed routing over dinner. An unexpected thought came up. What is the shortest way to town? That's usually the most popular choice. Tomorrow the shortest direction will be back up the pass, down the pass, then take a left on Charleston to Sierra Vista. That one stopped conversation for a minute. Would they like to ride back up the pass in order to coast virtually all the way to Sierra Vista? The stats are 25.6 miles with 1,175 of climbing. vs the 'direct' route I found of 38.9 and 1,060 of climbing.

These look like cast iron sculptures against the sky. Usually the plant at the bottom is a few scrawny leaves that are dead. I don’t know how the stalk manages to stay upright. They are by far the tallest vegetation in this area. Bill guesses this is a Parry's agave which grows for several years, sends up the big stalk and then dies. I did not see any of these with live leaves at the bottom, just dried up ones.

Bertha wanted me to take Old Davis Road. The surface was a little soft for my liking.

The sign said Rough Surface 45 mph. I can handle this type of rough surface all day long. It lasted about a mile.

This is the only such fence I’ve seen the entire trip. I did not lean my bicycle against all of those prickers.

I’m a sucker for a good name. Today was pleasantly deserted, if not exactly lonesome.

I haven't seen one of these in a few days. It even has tunas. As per Bill - cane cholla - a healthy specimen compared to my previous photo.

Bill - three plants in one photo. I’m proud of myself. The smallest one perhaps should have been in a photo alone for clarity. It had fat leaves. Bill's reply - one the left is a Palmer agava. The center plant with the skinny leaves is a common sotol. I wonder if these would grow at home? We have broom plants and yuccas. But I can't say I've seen the sotol. The little one is a Parry agava. It's a good thing I have these labeled now. I will never remember. Thank you. I didn't think I would see many plants today, but as I got close to Bisbee, there was a variety.

The guys were just finishing lunch as I rode up. The went the short and steep route over Old Mule Pass.

Today's ride: 44 miles (71 km)
Total: 401 miles (645 km)

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