March 16, Sunday: Up, up, up…

Out of Apache Junction and Gold Canyon climbing most of the 48 miles, average 6-7% grade, to Globe, AZ.  After 12 miles I had my second breakfast at the Buckboard Café with a mix of bikers, RVers (very big in Arizona), locals, and us cyclists.

Route 60 is a very busy road so our SAG car escorted us through the Queens Tunnel.

By the way the SAG (support and gear) car is a small Subaru station wagon called Bo Peep. It appears by the side of the road every 20 miles or so to give us water, Gatorade, bananas, oranges, cashews, candy bars, protein, etc.  

 Some interesting rock formations along the way…

This is also mining country.  Freeport McMoran has a huge gold and copper mining facility in Miami, Arizona. In the pictures below you can see the plant as well as the pile of tailings that is quite high and extends for miles on one side of town.

Today's climb was difficult, but as usual I was energized at the end and looking forward to tomorrow, which will be 78 miles.  Every day I pinch myself, amazing that I am riding my bicycle across country.