DAY 10: 9/29 Globe AZ 82 miles to Safford, AZ

DAY 10: 9/29 Globe AZ 82 miles to Safford, AZ – 

We got going at 8:17am and almost immediately enjoyed the reward for yesterday’s end-of-day climb. We rode and coasted from a start at 3787’ to below 2600’ over about 9 miles. That kind of slope in our favor was almost like a gift of free miles! 

However, like in life there are no free lunches, on the road there are no free miles. I almost immediately paid the price for riding downhill so fast... 

The unimaginable occurred. THUMP I ran over something and my bike lifted up slightly in the air. A fraction of a second later, THUMP as my rear tire followed. I had run over the hind leg of a dead animal laying across my lane and thought this is terrible. I freaked out although I knew the animal was already dead, and from what I could briefly see, for some time. I know I didn’t kill or even hurt it. But it felt awful. I had to stop and gather my thoughts. And then it struck me this is also terrible karma. The Larry David inside of me immediately imagined this as an opening scene in an episode of Curb (for the uninitiated, that’s as in Curb Your Enthusiasm) and I started envisioning the final scene to come where a pack of animals attacks me in revenge. How do I reverse the karma? Yes, it was time for a prayer. It couldn’t hurt?

After that eerie encounter, I was riding like the wind. My various ailments had all started to improve. (Thank you dear readers for your emails of concern, and even some remedy suggestions.) My brain was racing with many diverse thoughts all clicking together about the meaning of this ride. My legs were churning trying to keep up with my mind. I was in that mode that I can get into when fixed on an objective that Heather knows I call “damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead”. It was Mark Segal mode when he’s on a mission. I was possessed today by the ride for the Reeve Foundation. (*note below or details here)

I had gotten far ahead of Heather, so I stopped to wait. When she caught up she was listening to the new Dear Evan Hansen film sound track. She was now moving onto Come From Away. I love that show and music, even more so since our Gander visit, and so fell in behind her to listen and ride together. But after less than one song, my mind and body needed more speed, so I resumed my own pace and surged ahead. 

The ride was pretty much straight on Highway 70 a state road known as The Old West Highway, Where History Still Lives.

The Old West Highway

I’ve always loved history and biographies and at 1:40pm came upon the Melvin Jones International Memorial. I was intrigued by the plaque informing me that he was the founder of Lions Clubs International that had helped to improve the vision and hearing of thousands. I knew nothing of the man nor the organization and so noted to read more about both. 

Where history still lives

At 2:10pm, I stopped to wait for Heather to catch up to me. I had cycled 56 miles and when looking at my phone to check emails, I saw two missed calls and 2 voicemails from her. I thought this cannot be good. I called her and learned she had a rear tire flat and replied immediately that I’ll come back to help her. I had zero negative feelings as I knew upfront this was my role in our partnership. It turned out I rode back 2.3 miles to meet her. Luckily, there was a storage tank of some sort by the road that allowed me to set up a work table as well as find some relief in the shade.

Flat repair

After about 45 minutes, I completed the repair that consisted of removing the rear wheel, popping off the tire, checking for any sharp objects stuck in it that would simply repeat its damage on a new tube, replacing the old tube, and reattaching the wheel. We decided to visit the bike store in Globe to double check my work, but had to ride fast to get there by closing at 5:30pm. When we resumed riding, I followed her with concern for her tire and if it was properly done.

Heather's repair service

After a while with no tire issue, I moved up ahead of her but slower than my earlier pace so that I could aways see her in my mirror. I was quickly back in the zone and rode for a bit hands free. I was still pumped and locked in. Even with the 4.6 extra miles I rode (2.3 each way) and having to change the flat, I was riding high!

About 4:15pm, I saw a sign for Taylor Freeze advertising 24 flavors of soft serve. I have a huge thing for soft serve and was thinking we need to make this snack stop, though we are racing to the bike shop. A minute or so later, another of their signs, this one for Old Fashioned Shakes. Now I had a dilemma of which to choose which I know is an overstatement and an elegant problem. Then another sign for their burros. Then one for their tacos. Then one to say they are 2.4 miles ahead. Then one for their banana split. I finally took a photo, even though like Renée Zellweger telling Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire “you had me at hello”, they had me at the soft-serve.  

They had me at hello

I stopped to tell Heather we would stop in a half mile at Taylor Freeze. She replied “What’s Taylor Freeze?” To which I replied incredulously, “Are you kidding me, we just passed 6 of their signs and you really don’t know?” She really didn’t. She told me she was so focused on keeping up with me and getting to the bike store. Wow, what an eye opener and another healthy reminder of two people experiencing the identical external reality yet having two completely different experiences. Although time pressed, she agreed. 

When we arrived, I was still indecisive between the soft serve and shake. This was like a sweet table at an event filled with a variety of temptations. The solution was clearly to order VEACH. That was the wisdom of my mother and one I only learned about from her friends some years ago after her passing. Veach is simply the shorthand for “I’ll have one of each”. If I didn’t have both, the risk was regret for days. Now let me tell you, the banana shake is worthy of driving out there again! Forget Dateland, I’m coming back to Taylor Freeze!

I ordered VEACH. 

As we approached  Safford, with grand views of mountains on my left and right, I thought this is it! This is everything I wanted!

After a quick stop at the bike shop, that confirmed all was okay, we showered at our hotel and walked to dinner at The Plank where upon arrival we discovered their claim to have the coldest beer in town. 

It would be a fun fact to check?

Naturally, this ad claim triggered my curiosity that led to a question and conversation with our server Justice, a student at nearby Eastern Arizona College.  (I can just see my kids reading this, laughing about how I always start a friendly dialogue with our food server, trying to be their favorite patron of the day). I did ask if somebody really did go temperature test beers at all other local bars to support the claim. I was advised they are the only ones with chilled mugs and glasses. I don’t know if it’s the coldest in town, but it was the coldest I can recall having!

Justice was working really hard. Like everywhere, they are short staffed. She was amazing and so was our dinner!

Author’s Note:  

As a number of readers have joined on by virtue of the blog link being shared with them, they did not receive my initial email to those I shared it with directly. To explain the dedication of my ride and fundraising for The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, following is an excerpt from my initial email: 

We will encounter some extremely difficult and challenging days. But our challenges pale compared to what many people face in health challenges daily. For added motivation, I dedicate my ride to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. Those of us of a certain age, remember Christopher Reeve as the actor in the Superman movies who was paralyzed from the neck down after a horseback riding accident. The Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by advancing research and improving quality of life for all impacted by paralysis.  

In the past few years, I have been moved by two individuals' strength of character to live with paralysis. I will think of them daily for inspiration as I cycle up mountains, through hot deserts and across the country. One is my friend Lenny. We worked and lived together at summer camp back in 1982. We were both Trip Directors in student travel in the late 80's & early 90's; and he was by coincidence a college classmate of Heather's. He had an aortic dissection 5 years ago and as a result is paralyzed waist down. The other is our very good family friend Ernie who is 19 years old. He suffered a freak accident in his first week of college just over a year ago while in the ocean and broke his C6 vertebrae and was paralyzed from the upper chest down. Heather has co-led very successful fundraising efforts to directly help Ernie's family. Now it's my turn to help this general cause and hope for an actual cure for spinal cord injury and help the quality of life of all those who suffer from paralysis. 

Please honor Lenny, Ernie and anyone you know affected by paralysis by making a tax-deductible donation to this charity. All funds go to the Reeve Foundation. There are reportedly 5.4 million Americans – nearly 1 in 50 – living with some form of paralysis. Working together we can bring some relief for those currently fighting spinal cord injury and find cures for those yet to experience such tragedy in the future.

Any amount is greatly appreciated! Please donate at https://allstars.funraise.org/fundraiser/mark-segal

Thank you for your support and words of encouragement. Hope you enjoy the blog. 

Sincerely,

Mark, blogger & Heather, photographer

© Copyright Mark Segal 2021.