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26th April 2016
Flagstaff, Az to Holbrook, Az
142.7 kms - 88.7 miles
Up = 372m - Down = 887m

26th April 2016 - Flagstaff, Az to Holbrook, Az
 
We were up early in the freezing cold and glad to see a fine although cold day for our 142 kms to Holbrook. I hoped the elevation profile was right and that we should be able to roll along downhill most of the way!! The temperature in the morning was 30F yet I didn't see any frost on the ground outside. The high today was expected to be 53F so it isn't going to be very warm at all - definitely another day with jackets on!! The wind, while not strong was a tail one - so we should be in for a good day. We had congratulated ourselves on 2 completed riding days since our health issues before Prescott and although still not back to 100% we were certainly improving all the time. The distance today would perhaps be a test. Yesterday's planned "short" day hadn't ended up as such time-wise with over an hour spent sheltering from the weather! 

I was suspecting further rough shoulders on the roads which are probably due to snowfalls, melting snow, snow clearing etc etc!!

Sadly, Don rocked up to the startline with a puncture - not the easiest things to fix when your hands and fingers are numb with cold. Our ride started on old Route 66 - it is pretty derelict in parts - and this was very rough, however it wasn't too long before it led us on to the I-40. After yesterday's absolutely horrible shoulder, (even though my pictures didn't show it) we were thrilled to find an excellent shoulder and it remained that way all day. We hadn't gone too far, and Annie punctured - another dreaded small piece of wire from truck tyres had pierced through.  We had been making fabulous time though - a good tail wind and downhill!! It seemed it had been a good decision to make this a long distance day!!

We reached the Meteor Crater rest stop and enjoyed a quick van break and some of Dale's biscuits. I don't think I wrote at the time - but the day before we left Irvine - Dale spent his afternoon baking us a HUGE bag of cookies - and when energy levels were low - these were so very yummy and certainly helped!!!! Thank you Dale for such a large bag of them!!!!

Shortly after getting underway again there were signs saying "Slow Accident" - and in the middle of the freeway a big truck had rolled and was having its load "unloaded" and moved to another waiting truck! Gave me a bit of a start - glad we didn't see it happen - or were anywhere near it!!

On we went - and into the town of Winslow to visit the "Standin on the Corner" statue of Jackson Browne - whose song of that name was made famous by The Eagles. It was amazing how many people were stopping and taking photos!! We had lunch on the opposite corner - before completing the remaining kms to Holbrook. We got there just after 4:00 pm even with Don puncturing right by the quarter-mile to off-ramp sign. A great day on the bike, and we all arrived in pretty good shape!! The punctures are annoying - but apart from that we had a super day on the bike!!