Day 1

Didn't expect much sleep on the Greyhound from Flagstaff to Tucson; wasn't disappointed. But all in all things wrapped up well. Aimed for 56 miles and quit at 76. Still daylight, but I want to rest. The highlight of the day was a German family that winters in Phoenix, who happened to be using a rest area at the same time as me. The husband asked me if I was riding to Ajo (126 miles from Tucson, which I thought I'd reach the first night so quickly was I gliding along the miles of flat blacktop leading away from Tucson) and responded with an exuberant "wuunderal!" When asked if I planned to camp in the desert (I was) it was "suuper!" When I told him I was en route to San Diego, it was "incrrredible!" Later they honked rowdily as they passed me in their RV.

Not everyone was so impressed; passing a farm I felt the horses looking at me curiously, while the cows seemed non-plussed. It actually seemed like they were looking down on me for riding a bicycle in the road. But later the bike stirred up a stampede of cattle, less running in fear than cheering me on, keeping pace on the opposite side of the ubiquitous barbed fence.

Hawks' cries cut the air above me. All around me, cactus; some regal , and others comically posed for my amusement. The high tension wire gurgling in some secret language, while the clouds stream by like subtitles. On my back, in the grass, it's all I can do to stay awake.