Elevation gain: 7000 ft
The weather gods were with us again - overcast and cool. The scenery on the ride was fantastic. The desert is in bloom and the flowers on the cactus are amazing. The pictures do not do them justice.
Th ride was the most grueling one I have ever been on in my life. We started climbing first thing in the morning and had three long stretches that took there toll. We were warned about false flats the night before. This is where the terrain looks like you are descending but you are actually climbing. I started riding that section and could not figure out why I was working so hard and going so slow. I kept looking down to see if I had a flat. Then I remembered false flats and stopped and looked back and sure enough I had been climbing. This was the beginning of a 7 mile climb that had no flat area. Just constant climbing. I was exhausted at the top. But that wasn't even half-way there. There was another false flat climb and then a regular 9 mile climb to the summit. I got to about 2 miles from the summit and decided I was way too exhausted to be on a bike. So I took a ride in the van for 10 miles. So I basically decided to live to ride another day.
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There are riders who like to climb and those who don't. The ride into Prescott from Wickenburg can be brutal, with false flats and false peaks. Being able to take a bump up the road can be a godsend. The last five miles into Precott were the best!
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