Our "Grand" Adventure Continues...

A great BIG HELLO to everyone from Team Awesome! 

We are currently in Window Rock Arizona and will leave this morning for Albuquerque New Mexico on our way to Carlsbad Caverns via Roswell. Since leaving Williams we made the decision to change our route to avoid the tornado season in Kansas and Oklahoma. Since "Safety First" is our first rule we all thought it best to embrace flexibility and mix it up a bit for safety sake:)

Our Grand Canyon visit was incredible! If we are people of the earth and sky I can only imagine that this sacred place could be the birth mother of our souls. Looking down the canyon visitors are treated to a geological wonder that spans 2 billion years. The park itself offers a wide variety of opportunities for visitors  to enjoy the grandeur from alternating viewpoints, elevations, seasons, wildlife, history and activities. I was moved at my core and am so grateful for having had the opportunity to experience this sacred and majestic land from the unique perspective cycling the canyon offered Team Awesome.

Dave and Shogan soaking up the Canyon views...

The Canyon offers unique views depending on ones location, season and time of day. 

The 45 degree Colorado River was a must dip for Dave and Shogan after their 4000ft descent to the bottom. They hiked down and back in a single day, confident that the warnings against this were meant for "regular" people and did not apply to them. Alas, 7.5 hours later they emerged from the Canyon, elated and full of AWESOME stories and memories they made together that incredible day!

We have carried a water filter and iodine tablets but alas have not yet had to use them...
 maybe sending those home...

Looking out over the Canyon puts the important things in perspective. Family and Friends and Community and Gratitude and Service are what matter to me...

Darn it, we did not spot a Mountain Lion on our visit...they are apparently elusive and shy!

Team Awesome with one of our new friends Steffan. A fellow biker we found at the visitors center and brought home. Steffan hails from Montana, is a river guide, a cyclist, and an all around amazing free spirited adventurer.

We found these two on our descent from the Canyon (they were going up). It was tough to be honest when they asked us how long the hill was before them... ouch!

Oh the Dutch, they know how to travel, on a recumbent none the less. On their way to the Rockies, their trip will total 6 months and encompass many miles. www.laidbackcycling.org . Team Awesome enjoyed our visit with these funny foreigners.

Thank goodness Davey didn't really fall over the side... Tricky Davey!

Just another rock... OMG, again!

Our friendship and bond continues to grow as we share this incredible experience together.

Breath.... and breath... and smile!

I love me some Shogan!

Hermits Rest is the Northern most point the shuttle will take you at the South Rim. Multiple stops offer options for people of varying levels of physicality who may want to explore the canyon views.

105 degrees outside, Team Awesome found this lovely shade outside Hotevilla on the Hopi Reservation. We loved the Hopi and found them to be warm and friendly and AWESOME!

The desert is an ever changing landscape of AWESOMENESS...

Team Awesome has now ridden 845 miles, climbed 39, 000 + feet, and have experienced scenery, landscapes, people and accomplishments that blow our mind every day!
If anyone would like to contact us on the road or receive a commemorative postcard from our travels, please email us at OurGreatAmericanBikeRide@gmail.com

TEAM AWESOME LOVES YOU...

~Michelle

Snow day!

Getting an inch of snow is a novelty getting 4 inches is priceless! Three days ago I had no idea Williams Arizona existed, now it is a safe haven from the snow that has blown in on a winter storm. Williams is the tiny town before the South Rim of Grand Canyon, our next destination. Our goal had been to make it to the Canyon before the storm so that we could take our first rest days while exploring the park. That is still in the cards. In fact, Michelle had been willing the storm on in the hopes of a rest. A snow day is most welcome.

Growing up in South Africa gave me very little reference for snow, however, I have come to appreciate that there are no two words in the English language that cause more excitement in a child’s life than "Snow Day." The mere thought of a chance of a day off from school or work can send children of all ages into a state off euphoria. The rumblings begin as a glimmer of hope, evolves into anticipation, and cascades into pure joy when the snowflakes start to fall. Without fail everyone wakes up early peeks out the window and if snow is on the ground basks in the joy of the off day that rivals that of Christmas morning.  For us it was a begrudging joy,  as we would have liked to be at the Grand Canyon, but what a treat to be cocooned in a winter wonderland and not be out riding our bikes. It is an opportunity to rest and recreate, a time to catch up with what is happening in the world, it is a time to catch our breath as we have been on the go for 14 days.

It seems so long ago that we embarked on this journey yet at the say time is seems like only yesterday that we were in San Diego or riding through the Mojave Desert. It is an appropriate time to reflect on what has occurred so far. We have travelled over 500 miles, climbed over 24,000 feet, endured winds in excess of 50 miles per hour, got caught in a bone chilling hail storm, put up with flat tires, suffered through personal meltdowns and temper tantrums, negotiated harrowing traffic, and finally found refuge in a snow day. We have also benefitted from an incredible outpouring of well wishes, found strength and courage in each other, bore witness to the wonder and awe of the environment, basked in the magnificence & splendor of achievement and satisfaction. Food has never tasted better; goals are always within reach, introspection is the currency of the day and like a new born we are in constant learning mode. All our days are filled with success; however, some of those successes come through sheer perseverance & persistence and resolute determination even as we blunder through the day constantly picking ourselves up. On balance this experience has been beyond words and continues to change my relationship with myself and ultimately with everyone and everything else.

~Shogan 

Favorite quotes...

"It's not far, just a couple miles maybe"...

"You're gonna ride up there? Do you know what's up there?"

"You probably shouldn't camp in Ash Fork, they have you know, (quiet voice) A lot of wetbacks"...(me) "you mean gangsters?"... "No, (hush voice-pause) Illegals"...

and my personal favorite...
"I can shoot anyone who steps on my property"... (me) "You cannot shoot a Jehovah Witness for knocking on your door" (angry white man) "Yes I can, I have a permit for that"...

~Michelle

Things I've observed along the way...

Don't ask someone who doesn't ride a bike how steep a hill is.

Remember to sunscreen ...everything...

Nearly all truck (semi) drivers are extremely courteous, especially Wal-Mart drivers who slow down and always make a wide berth. (Yes folks I did just compliment Wal-Mart )

Always take note of the direction of the wind when peeing outside.

If you're not speaking with law enforcement or a ranger, ask at least 3 locals to verify directions.

Do it right the first time because if you don't your just going to have to do it again.

The further east one goes into the California desert, some people start looking like lizards.

Motel 6 has really stepped it up a notch.

A half million dollar motor home is not complete without either a Jeep or Pickup being pulled along.

And finally, yes... I am an "Eco-Snob"...

Team Awesome Loves You!

~Michelle

Living on the edge...

Parker AZ, Where pristine Beauty meets Conspicuous Consumption

In many ways I draw on the resolve of our species, for eons humans lived off the land and life was constrained by the resources available to them. This struggle is what we are have come to embrace on this journey across America, granted we are only a car ride from a city and the perks of modern living. And, every few days when we reach a town of some size we indulge and cherish the comforts of modern living. Nonetheless, we are channeling the spirit of our ancestors - we are living close to the land and the elements and are taxing our bodies and emotions to the limits (at least that is what it feels like). Yet, at the same time there is a satisfaction and reward that is indescribable because at night when I lay down in my super cozy Big Agnes sleeping bag and integrated air sleeping mat, I melt into a deep sleep that is so satiating that I am refreshed each day and filled with a sense of wonder for everything around me. A decade of participating in Burning Man has given me some desert skills; it in no way prepared me for this adventure. Like our earliest ancestors I am setting my rhythms to the clocks of nature, rise with the light and sleep with the dark. Hydrate your body in the rhythm of the heat of the day and the effort of the ride. Feed your body to sustain your effort for the day. Embrace the challenges of the day without judgment or preconception - and Lord knows, everyday has its own challenges.

Desert Camping

Challenges come in many forms and require different skills to resolve, the skill that works with all challenges is PATIENCE. Flat tires, and there have been many, comes in many varieties - the snake bite (under pressured tires), miscellaneous thorn/glass, and my favorite the self induced flat (pinching the tube when putting a brand new tube or not putting on a patch properly).  Another challenge is the wind, it can be an ally or enemy. On balance it has been our friend. For example, we had no intention of going to Palm Springs yet we caught a tail wind that was pushing at 22 miles an hour and we did not want to stop so we road that wind all the way to Palm Springs, the next morning we faced a head wind for 10 miles. On a good day this is a lot of work! Packing and unpacking is its own challenge as everything we carry has a specialized use and needs to be packed and unpacked twice every day.

Functioning on the margins brings it own challenges as in keeping hydrated in the face of 105 degree heat going uphill for hours at a time. Yet, it is proving to be one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. I am coming to appreciate the desert, to relish the vast expanses, to embrace the challenge of being here. And, most importantly to share this unique experience with my team mates. We have become a tribe of travelers - supporting each other in adversity and share elation in accomplishments.

~Shogan

One day at a time...

WOW… We have just reached 400 miles in our journey across America!

Roads go on and on in the desert

   We’ve stopped in Kingman Arizona to re-stock our groceries, purchase new tubes, and most importantly to give our bodies and legs a rest. Today marks day 10 of our Great American Bike Ride, and what an adventure it has been!

Dave in the Mojave

   We’ve experienced majestic landscapes and barren roads that go on for miles. We have dealt with Easter weekend travelers en masse with their RVs, their boats, their ATVs etc… and my personal nemesis, the pickup truck! We have been pushed by the wind for miles as if floating with a sail, and we have pushed and pedaled against those same winds as they showed no mercy, each mile beating us to our cores.

   I have personally experienced every range of emotions possible, as I have had to face my fears and challenge myself day in and day out. This ride is unlike anything I have ever experienced. We start each day with nothing but a map and a goal for reaching our next destination. We have no control over the traffic, the wind, the temperature or our surroundings. What we do control I am learning is how we react to each new situation, one another, and the ever changing environment of the roads we face each day.

Blooming Cacti Abound

   I have experienced ever so highs and a few very low lows. In retrospect I analyze my meltdowns (there have been 3) and as I progress I am realizing this must be perfectly natural. I have never done this before, this is all new, and I am just doing my best each day. Above all I remain grateful, which gives me the strength to pedal onward. I am grateful for my team! Shogan and Dave are ever vigilant to my personal needs and those of our team! We make mistakes, we learn, we commiserate and celebrate. When I feel worn down I think of my AWESOME family and my AWESOME friends, and the AWESOME opportunities I have had in my life. And once again I am grateful and pedal forward.

Team Awesome Loves You!

~Michelle

The Boys with Bill Boe (Hosted us in his side yard)

   From her we roll to the Grand Canyon. 150 miles and apparently a storm on the way. We will see what tomorrow brings...tomorrow!

Mile 22 on the 40 (Camp for the night)

Into the desert we ride...

The Motel 6 Oasis

Greetings to all of our loved ones from the desert!  Where to start?  This trip has been such an amazing journey thus far.   It has been far from easy starting in the mountains but we are gaining strength in body, mind and spirit.  The scenery is spectacular and has changed with each mountain and elevation gain.  The wild life is among us from the raccoon that persistently invaded our kitchen the first night as we camped next to the US forest service outpost to the pack of coyotes that I awoke to last night in Joshua tree.  We have also spotted the infamous road runner as well as a very large coyote (dead).  Beautiful!  The night sky last night was clear and quiet but the wind has picked up tonight.  Tomorrow we set sail for a 93 mile ride to a town close to the AZ border.  We are stocked up on H2O and food and we are rested and stretched.  We love you all and hold you in our thoughts.  Tomorrow we ride into the rising sun. 

Love to all, Dave

Hydrate:)