Day 477
Klunkers
We spent a day in Merced and fitted the quality rim tape to Tom’s bike. We were hopeful! Then just a small 90-mile ride to get us back on track. Fortunately, the miles were totally flat, along quiet back roads, being a Sunday, these were pretty much traffic-free. We rode on and on past endless groves of almond trees, vines, more almonds, mile after easy mile in the blistering heat. It was approaching 4pm, whilst on the outskirts of Fresno that Tom got yet another puncture, another tube split, another rim strip twisted out of position. We replaced everything and as there was a bike shop just 3 miles away headed there. The staff were fantastic, gave us water and even t-shirts whilst looking at Tom’s wheel. The only thing they could see was the tubes appeared to be failing at a join. Could they be faulty tubes? I was doubtful but it was also a thought that had crossed my mind. They cleaned up the rim, fitted new rim strip and a better-quality tube, only charging us for the tube. So kind, but would it work? We headed out into the fast-disappearing light and did a speedy 20 miles, but the light had nearly gone and we decided against pushing on to a campsite, yet the fickle finger of fate provided one of our most beautiful wild camp sites to date. In the morning we took our time to leave, it was just so beautiful. We spent a good 10 minutes just watching a crayfish eat its breakfast! I also filled a carrier bag with rubbish others had left behind, some people!
We had a much shorter day today, just 35 miles. Our destination was with another Warmshowers couple, Marilyn and Daniel. Armed with local knowledge about the best route we headed off, and err up! We were now climbing up into the Sierras, and it was another brutally hot day, a combination I am fast realising does simply not suit me at all. We rode into Wonder Valley, a stunning virtually car free route, thanks Daniel, but as he warned, a brutal 5 mile climb out at the end! Then on and on and up. We had a reminder of the Midwest riding through an old deserted ‘ghost’ town. For the first time since leaving the coast we saw clouds, but they gave no shade from the heat. The final 10 miles was one long continuous climb, not too steep but no relief from the climbing at all and that heat! That section alone took us nearly 3 hours, I was completely exhausted. As we reached the final 2 miles to go a car pulled up. Marilyn jumped out, introduced herself and after checking we were OK said dinner is nearly ready, see you soon. It was wine o’clock when we arrived. Refreshed, we had a fantastic home cooked meal and chatted away into the night. Daniel and I share an obsession with the early days of mountain biking and him being virtually a local boy to where it was invented was full of fascinating tales, he even had a video, hell I was in heaven!
