June 11, 2005
Day 25: Tuba City to Second Mesa
We stayed at the campsites behind the Tuba City Trading Post. Just a little square of grass, but bathrooms nearby and hot showers. We stopped by the grocery store to stock up.
Chuck came up to us to panhandle as we were loading up our bikes. He was 35ish, angry, and hostile. I know he made Itty nervous. I took out my XIV-year chip and started talking recovery. He said I had no idea and I told him that I drank as much as he did.
Then Homer came up. He had just turned 58. Small, wiry. He told us about all his rodeo awards in bareback and bull-riding. I gave him the $5 he asked for and he said a Navajo prayer for a safe journey for us. I know, of course, that he used it to buy some more beer or wine, but that is his choice.
Itty's knee was really bothering him. I said that it would be easier catching a ride or a bus from Tuba, but he wanted to try riding. His knee gave out after 7 miles on a curve on a remote mesa. He had no success hitch-hiking - so we kept on going - fortunately with a great tailwind.
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The ride down from Coal Mine Mesa was a delight - flying with the wind pushing you faster and faster. Of course that meant that we had to climb back up, since the Hopi villages are situated upon mesas.
There was a big climb up Third Mesa. We stopped at Hotevilla for a drink and a snack. I tried to take some of Itty's stuff to lighten his load for the climb up Second Mesa.
Just as we were almost at the top, a big storm hit - with lightening coming down and thunderclaps booming. Pretty scary when you are riding a big hunk of metal. When we got to the Hopi Cultural Center we had dinner at the restaurant and set up our tents in the campsites next door. The corn fields were all planted, the dancers were dancing this weekend, and we had a night of rain.
Today's ride: 58 miles (93 km)
Total: 1,248 miles (2,008 km)
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