The route

The route

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

DAY 33: LAS VEGAS, JOURNEY'S END



109 km (67 miles) - total: 4607 km (2862 miles)

Ash Fork, Az to Las Vegas, Nv

The alarm clock in my brain woke me up and I knew what I had to do.
I shot out of the motel this morning with the same urgency I had all month, determined to make it to Vegas. A descent of 2000 ft over 100 miles and a generous tailwind were gonna help me do it. I flew on the road for 3 hours, through Seligman and Kingman. It was a very good ride indeed given that the terrain was seriously hilly and that there were no services for over 45 miles. It was a solitary ride, I must have been passed by a handful of cars in the Arizona wilderness. I don't mean to brag but it takes a lot of confidence to tackle a 45-mile stretch of a hilly and lonely road in Arizona without services and with only two full water bottles. No chance I would have done it on day one. Now, after 32 days of America, I probably would have done it with one water bottle, maybe even less.

And so it was with this unshakable poise that I set out this morning to complete my final stage, all the way to the city of blinding lights. Even an understandable moment of questioning whether it was right or wrong to still be cycling after reaching my goal could not sway me. I felt determined and unfazed by the prospect of spending 12 hours (once again) riding under the unforgiving sun in the Arizona desert. As I left the hotel I was soon aided by the intense pleasure of riding on US 66 and a good tailwind which by late morning turned into a crosswind. The thing is even as confident and healthy as I felt, I knew that the bicycle had been ridden to its edges. It was going to let me down sooner or later. I hadn't had it serviced since Colorado and the shift felt very jumpy. I did not eat the whole morning; I did not take pictures, I rode like a competitive racer, determined to get to the end, oblivious to pain. However, after a cursory look at the map, by the time I reached Kingman I thought I was done for the day. I walked the downtown area for a while, I visited the US 66 route museum and then I thought it was probably a good idea to look for a motel. But as it happened before on this trip, my head says one thing and my guts tell me something else. On seeing the Vegas sign I couldn't help it. I thought "what the hell, let's do it!". I decided to press on. At this point I felt I had nothing left to lose so I might as well go for it, one last time, one last sprint, one last laughable dream. I ate 2 power bars and drank 2 Gatorades and I was off again. If I was gonna make it to Vegas in one day it would have to be done the hard way: I would have to ride over 170 miles today, which would have been my record, and on my very last day of the tour, what a twist!

From Kingman I still had 100 miles to go before reaching Vegas so naturally the wind was going to be the biggest factor. And, for once, the gods were benevolent and turned the winds in my favor. I pushed on along Highway 93 north bound. It was 4 miles north of Kingman where it happened. I was riding on a very rough-surfaced shoulder, full of gravel and debris which always pose serious threats to the tires. At one point, unable to ride inside the lane due to the passing traffic, I steered the bike once again into the shoulder where there was a considerable amount on loose gravel. I felt the back wheel rocking vigorously and after a split second the tire completely deflated. I was lucky not to fall. I dismounted and I looked at the tire and saw a big nail stuck in it. It opened a large gash and I immediately knew that my trip was over. No more cycling. There was no point in changing the tube as the tire was wrecked too. The next bike shop would have been in Vegas so I had two options: walk back to Kingman and get a bus or try to hitch a ride from where I was. I went for option two and after 5 minutes standing by the side of the highway a truck stopped and this incredibly kind man, Jim, gave me a ride all the way to Vegas. During the drive I told Jim about my trip and we had a pleasant conversation. He lives in Reno; he used to play American football and rides a mountain bike on weekends. We got to Vegas in no time and he was kind enough to help me find a bike store. I left the bicycle there where it will be packed for air travel.

I bought Jim lunch to repay the generosity he has shown me and then he left. For the very first time in 31 days I was on the road without the bicycle. An incredibly odd feeling. I felt naked and deprived. I kept looking around to see where I had left it. I walked the Strip, through the flashy, sun-baked Vegas sights still in my bicycle gear and understandably felt out of place. I should have walked into a store to buy a pair of pants and a t-shirt but I didn't feel like it. What I wore defined my identity. I am still a cyclist, I am not part of the crowd, not yet at least. I checked into a hotel and tried to block of all my thoughts from swirling inside my head. I managed to sleep after a hot bath. The bed felt reassuring. I took a long deserved rest. I will rest for a couple of days before my bicycle and I will fly back to DC.

My trip has painfully come to an end. I have to go back being myself again. I have a return ticket and I will use it. This is it.



Route 66 in Kingman


Route 66 celebration


Route 66 diner


Kingman, a great place to be if you are a route 66 fan


Last picture taken from the bicycle, 30 seconds later the nail will puncture my tire


Unmistakable evidence


The guilty nail!


The gash


Hoover Dam, 30 miles south of Vegas


Bellagio Hotel


Not really the city of blinding lights, but rather a blurry and senseless blend of confusion and fatuity. The lights, the blur, the sleaze, the third-rate gamblers, the cheap tourists and the vacuity of Vegas were an unfitting end to my trip but I had to fly back from somewhere!

13 comments:

  1. Il chiodo, anzi il Chiodo della Provvidenza come l'ha chiamato lulé cioè lui là cioè Micio, è intervenuto perché evidentemente era destino che la biziclatta ti portasse fino al GC e bôna lé, come avevi deciso dall'inizio. Adesso polleggiati un po', se ce la fai. E poi vuoi mettere? Entrare a Vegas in camion credo che non lo faccia proprio nessuno! Piux

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  2. ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!anche se non ho scritto sul blog ti ho letto sempre e ti ho pensato tanto, lo sai.
    Bellissime le foto!!!!!!!!!! (Soprattutto quelle dove ci sei tu.....)
    tvtttttb (inutile dirlo)
    la tua marti

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  3. Luigi,
    That's divine intervention! If the nail had not punched the tire, you would probably be on your way to California! What an incredible high - it will take a few days for you to return to normal.
    I have truly enjoyed your record of this journey and am already looking forward to the next one because I know that the seeds are sprouting already. You can't stop at one!
    Have a well deserved rest!
    YMG

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  4. Luigi, quello che hai fatto e' meraviglioso. Sei una persona coraggiosa e sensibile e sei riuscito a farci conoscere un Paese attraverso i tuoi occhi ed il tuo cuore. Non vedo l'ora di vederti e di ascoltarti.
    Un abbraccio forte
    Francesca

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  5. Dear Luigi
    Thank you so much for all these awesome logs and photos of your whole trip! I'm dreaming of doing such a tour also (racing bike, not just 75 km a day, same direction/geography). So your trip is/was a revelation... and for me as reader it was almost like beeing a little mouse in your backpack. Your discipline in writing, being tired in the evening, is an example. Thank You so much!
    What would be interesting to know: whats the gear, clothes, stuf in your backpack that you took along? And... What was your budget?
    Tom Mayer, Belp/Berne, Switzerland

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  6. Tom, thanks for reading the blog. First of all, doing the blog was a great decision as it has been an outlet and a means to communicate and share this adventure. As much as I sougth solitude on the road and no matter where I went, this is exactly what I got: lots of time on my own which also means that cycling cross-country takes a lot of mental stamina. My first advice would be: be psychologically ready. Physically, you don't need to be Lance Armstrong but a certain amount of training is certainly an advantage. You have to make sure that you are generally fit and your body can endure many hours of cycling a day for an extended period of time. You will get the usual problems, blisters on your butt, toes, numbness in your feet and hands, etc. but these will go away after awhile. The first few days are the toughest part but then you will find that your body eventually "breaks in" and gets used to it. Financially, I decided to cycle light which meant more speed but also more expenses. Roughly, you are looking at 100 bucks a day, all included. The option of staying in motels was more appealing to me because 1. I had budgeted it in and 2. I wanted to cover as much distance as possible in a day. My time frame was pretty limited. Most riders will cycle at leisurely pace because they have more time and carry more weight. On average, it takes 60 to 90 days for most people to do the cross-country ride, if I had carried on I would have completed it within 45 days. But then again most people travel heavy (camping equipment an front and back panniers) and camp overnight, a cheaper option but more time consuming. There is one drawback in traveling light (besides the financial burden) you must plan your stages carefully as you must arrive at a destination which is fully serviced, whereas if you decide to camp you can pretty much stop wherever you please. As for my gear, I had one change of clothing (of everything, socks, underwear, t-shirt, sweater, pair of sneakers) this implies lots of washing! almost every night! then I had the laptop, the maps, and few but essential tools to fix the bicycle should a mechanical failure arise. To me the key to succeed was to be mentally ready and good planning. However, if you have more time than I did, say 3 months instead of one then you are more likely to find ways to overcome the motivation hurdle, ie, more time spent in places you enjoy, more sightseeing, less stress to cover long distances, better interaction with other cyclists, etc. Being on the road for over a month does take a lot out of you, so you cannot take a trip of this kind lightly, you must be motivated and determined that you will be able to do it. With the benefit of hindsight I probably would have done the trip from West to East as you must take into account the winds. The wind is the only factor that can seriously undermine your efforts. I hope it helps. Luigi

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  7. ciao Lu, quando mi hanno detto di cosa stavi facendo non ci volevo credere! Ho letto tutto e visto le foto: sei sempre coraggioso e geniale oltre che bello e in gran forma (gli anni passano ma non x noi del '75... Ti ricordi?)
    Quando vieni a Bo? Vediamoci presto. Voglio festeggiarti come meriti...
    Sono orgogliosa di te. Sei una persona speciale.
    Ti bacio Lu
    Cla

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  8. Lu, thanks for sharing dude. I am sure we were all in anticipation each day to see where you had reached, what you would say, and what pics you would reveal to us. It was fun, interesting, engaging, and exciting. I think we can all say that we have learnt a few things from your blog, and some of us are probably now filled with the curiosty of perhaps going on such a trip. I am sure you inspired a few of us along with way. Sorry about your baby..she did carry you to the end, and yep, I agree with someone who said divine intervention..you got a flat tire, but God sent someone with a truck for you and your bicycle to get to Vegas safely. Enjoy Vegas, rest up, because your next adventure will be back at work..hehehe! Bummer! Ok..I was being a bit cheeky here..but God bless! Until..

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  9. Bel momento. Un fuoricampo. Una palla all'incrocio. O semplicemnte un momento per leggere i tuoi pensieri. Il bello e' che dividi con glia ltri. E questo e' per i grandi.

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  10. Without that flat, you'd be drawn to the open road without end!! Cudos to you for making it all the way. I wonder how you'll do driving a car after being on a bike for so long? It just wont feel natural will it?? I'm glad you're safe and sound in Vegas and will be back home in a few days (if you're not already on a plane to DC by now). After having such a wonderful trip, try your luck...1 pull at 1 slot machine...JACKPOT!!! (and funding for your next adventure!!) Take care Lui.

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  11. Luigi I had a few challenges the last week so I was unable to keep track of you every day.

    I can't say I was amazed that you did it! With your tenacity, drive, will power I knew you would have excelled. I am truly happy for you. I'm sure it will take you a while to readjust to your normal life. Take care and thank God that you did it safe and sound. Did you kiss the ground when you reached your final destination?

    Judith
    Trini fan

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  12. E adesso come facciamo noi, i tuoi fan, che abbiamo faticato, trepidato, sospirato e gioito al tuo fianco? Va bene, non siamo bambini e sapevamo che questa bellissima avventura sarebbe finita e qui arriva il bello: come salutarti e augurarti un sereno rientro nella vita lavorativa? Io ho pensato di montarmi la testa e affidarmi alla "filosofia" da strada.
    Il titolo è IL GREGARIO IL CAMPIONE E IL FUORICLASSE. Il tuo giro mi ha portato a una riflessione: le persone sono in gran parte dei gregari (non lo dico in modo dispregiativo difatti - anche se sono un filosofo - metto dentro anche me in questa categoria), poi ci sono i campioni che, per caratteristiche fisiche e mentali, sono dei vincenti ma fanno tutto quello che la gente si aspetta e infine ci sono i fuoriclasse che come caratteristiche sono come i campioni ma hanno in più che non sono prevedibili, non seguono i consigli e non fanno quello che la gente si aspetta. Ecco, questa avventura mi ha fatto conoscere un fuoriclasse: te, LUIGI.
    In bocca al lupo per il tuo rientro al lavoro Micio

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  13. Babe, you are so beautiful...

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