Jim Redd to ride SLC to Boise, New Riders Challenge Jim

06-29-2003, 11:00 PM

Attn Mayors' Ride Readers:

Our fun stories from the two (and three) wheel road are set to bring an
even more exciting feast to your eyes soon this summer as Jim Redd just
announced that he will ride the Salt Lake City to Boise leg of our
relay. And talk about fun, this guy knows how to create adventure where
none before existed. Like Jim Muellner, people love this guy. In his
eyes they see fun and they want to be part of it.

A world class happiness seeker, if Jim isn't on his bike on Chicago
streets or riding a train to California for a cycle tour of the coast
(he's going to be out here again at the end of July and were trying to
get him to stay for or Fest, here is a slide show of his last Hwy 1
tour [Only registered and activated users can see links. ], or
out on his boat, he's traveling with his wife Marshia in Ecuador. All
this of course in between all the non profit work he does (including
being one of our NBG directors), the web pages he creates, the
restaurant he runs, the Chicago Critical Mass that he is very active
with and etc, etc.

Nor could there be a better man for the job at hand. Last year Rocky
Brown rode this leg and long time readers will recall one key word that
underscored Rocky's travels: HEAT. While Rocky's exploits talked about
how he muscled thru record breaking temperatures and fierce winds, Jim
will be sure to find other unprecedented experience out in the middle
of the desolate nowhere that much of this leg has to offer. We might
even get to go deep inside the thoughts of one very grand achiever
himself, who knows he might even invent more games for us to wonder at.
I can't wait for Jim's fun to begin!
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In the words below, you will see Jim, Chris & Bryon as they head for
Salt Lake where they as well are being tortured by the HEAT. As well
you will see Jim tease me for not correctly remembering the difficulty
of the present terrain they are working through. Well all I can say is
that when I rode that stretch, I was greatly distracted by the sickness
that resulted from my drinking the water I had found in a roadside
trough. Even tho I was dizzy and threw up and much of the way, I still
rode 130 miles so I guess I convinced myself it was flat. Not to
mention the fact that I was going the opposite direction and what was
down for me was up for them. Well, at least Jim doesn't have altitude
working against him any more. First you will read Bryon, then Chris,
then Jim:

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Utah here we come

Hello from Dinosaur, CO - 90 miles from last night's stop in Craig, CO.
Thanks to good karma from the Craig, CO fairgrounds people for letting
us use their big red barn for a place to sleep. We spent the night
serenaded by horses whinnying in anticipation for a barrel racing event
held today. After a cool morning riding the rolling hills surrounded by
antelope herds and prancing mule deer, we spent a hot afternoon
trudging up the rollicking hills to come. A well-coordinated group of
cows provided some humorous relief.

Our next stop, the one building town of Massadona thankfully consisted
entirely of a bar and grill. After a short break, we headed off again
into the hot and the hills, with Chris cursing the sun (how fickle),
Jim providing great stories from his eventful life, and me wishing I
hadn't opted for that second beer.

Last leg into Dinosaur went slow but steady. We're camping in the clean
city park, guarded by Art, the 81 year old unofficial sheriff of the
town. He has a card to prove it, although the mayor (a least that was
the gossip at the Loaf n Jug) has no idea how he obtained it.
Goodnight!

Bryon

Very pleasant night in Dinosaur, CO. Perfect temps and sunny this
morning. Once Bryon gets his bike fixed we're off to Vernal and
Duchesne, UT.

Rte 40 has been pretty nice so far. Clean, wide shoulders, which is
good because of the rumble strips Jim discussed in earlier mail.
However, we know from living here that 40 in Utah isn't nearly as
rideable, so we are headed north from Duchesne into the mountains.
Less traffic, but also fewer places for food & water.

After a few miles of wide shoulders, Rte 40 has now reduced us to 12
inch edges on the side of the road. Traffic has also picked up
considerably. Jim broke a weld on his bike seat so we will be
searching for a welder in Vernal today. Hope to make it to Dushesne by
tonight.

Vernal: Update: Jim found an open weld shop and got a piece of angle
iron. Now if we find some zip-ties Jim thinks he'll be ok. Then into
the mountains again: shade, cool breezes and streams (we hope).

Chris

Good Morning everyone: Chris & Bryons are challenging my riding skills.
There has been little time to watch the scenery. It is good however as
our goal to get to Dinosaur, 92 miles, was met. It did take us until 8
PM to do it.

Want to tell you of the huge cliffs along the road leaving Steamboat.
They tower over the road and are filled with holes formed by water that
flowed over them millions of years ago. The swallows however love them
and build nests in and on them. Despite the many holes, many of the
nests were built with mud just like they did on my barn.

We saw herds of antelope and several mule deer. I was amazed how
quickly they could blend into the brush. One buck stopped behind a bush
the only thing showing was his horns. If I had not watched him he would
have be invisible.

Bryon pointed out the beautiful flowers blooming on the *****ly Pear
cactus. They are not large plants here. What surprised me is seeing
milk weed in bloom. They have beautiful flowers and grow right along
the road in the driest soil imaginable.

We camped in the local park and the only downer was the sign in the
bathroom that said water heater out of order. So despite how hot we
were during the day, the cold shower was a waker upper. But we all did
it and when it was over it felt good.

Who ever said that after the mountains it was a piece of cake should be
shot, Laura I don't mean you. Martin I think you need to do this ride
again to remind you of its challenges. We cycled up some of the longest
hills on the trip. And not one or two but hill after hill, after hill,
after hill. There were some great down hills, but they never made up
for all the up hills.

We are shopping and doing some bike repairs in Vernal, Utah. We are in
the Walmart and no one seems to be in a rush to go out into the 95+
degree heat and start biking again.

Signing off. Jim

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Jim Muellner can be found at
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
His email on the road is: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

You ca meet Bryon at:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
ght.php
While Chris can be found at:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
er_butson.php
Their email on the road is: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

If you want to start from the beginning and/or follow Jim our other
NBG relay riders as they move forward in the National Mayors' Ride at
<http://www.bikeroute.com/NationalMayorsRide>, point to their blog at
<http://www.nationalbicyclegreenway.com/Events/Mayors_Ride/reports.php>.
All of this excitement will al be consummated at the second annual
Santa Cruz NBG Bike Fest* on Sunday August 17 c/

<http://www.nationalbicyclegreenway.com/Events/Festival>:

btw: If you want to become a rider, we WANT you!! Go to
<http://NationalBicycleGreenway.com/Events/Mayors_Ride/getstarted.php>,
to find out how!!
btw2: We have pictures from the various ride legs on line at
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
btw3: If you want to see who these cyclists are, go to
<http://www.nationalbicyclegreenway.com/Events/Mayors_Ride/bios>.

--
MARTIN KRIEG: "Awake Again" Author c/o BikeRoute.com
79 & 86 TransAms, nonprofit Nat. Bicycle Greenway CEO

Ever wanted anything so bad U were willing to die for it?
Really die? By moving thru clinical death and reversing
paralysis, *I saw God* when I answered that question.