Day 1: Fly to Flagstaff, hit the road! - Northern Arizona 2003 - CycleBlaze

May 3, 2003

Day 1: Fly to Flagstaff, hit the road!

I should start this story by thanking my wife Karolyn for being so understanding and supportive when I leave her behind on my bike tours.

Karolyn drove me and my bike to Chicago O'Hare airport early in the morning. My flight was on America West airlines (the only airline that flies to Flagstaff) which does not have much of a presence in Chicago. America West doesn't have bike boxes in Chicago, so I purchased bike boxes a week earlier from United Airlines. I bought 2 boxes, figuring that the tiny Flagstaff airport wouldn't have a bike box for the return flight. I rolled my bike and the two bike boxes into the airport and packed it all up. The spare box stayed flat, and was slipped inside the bike box that contained the bike. I got everything packed and got in the check-in line. To my dismay, America West didn't have any "Carry All" boxes for me to put my panniers and recumbent seat in. So for the first time I had to dig out my clothesline rope and tie those items together in a bundle so they could be checked as a single item of luggage. I paid the $80 oversize luggage fee and checked in the two items. I hand-carried my helmet and a large fanny pack. The flight to Phoenix was uneventful, but the flight to Flagstaff on a 37-passenger turboprop plane was very turbulent. I arrived in Flagstaff shortly after 2 PM, assembled the bike, and asked America West to store the spare bike box for the return trip (I didn't try to re-use the original box because it tends be torn up after two flights).

America West Express plane I flew in from Phoenix to Flagstaff.
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I pedaled out of the airport at 3:15 PM. Skies were overcast and the temperature was about 60F with a strong wind from the south. The first order of business was to ride north about 3 miles to the edge of town to buy Coleman fuel for my stove. Then I headed south into the brisk wind on Lake Mary road (Forest Road 3) into Coconino National Forest. Flagstaff isn't a very big city, so it didn't take long to get out into the countryside. The elevation was 7000 feet, and the area was mostly Ponderosa Pine forest which smelled wonderful.

Forest Road 3 south of Flagstaff. On the Mogollon Plateau.
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The terrain was rolling, but the trend was uphill as I went upstream past several small reservoirs on Walnut Creek. First Lower Lake Mary, then Upper Lake Mary. I saw a lot of wading birds, and for the first time in years I saw (and heard) Hummingbirds.

Lake Mary, in Coconino National Forest.
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Lake Mary.
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Shortly before sunset I arrived at Double Spring Campground, a National Forest Campground at 7200 feet elevation. The temperature was 48F and dropping steadily when I arrived. It wasn't too bad because I purposely went slow on the hills to avoid getting my clothes sweaty. I set up my tent in the almost-deserted campground near a tiny creek that was only 3-5 feet wide. The temperature was cooler than I prefer, but I figured that would be a nice contrast to much warmer temperatures later in the trip. So far so good!

Distance: 30.9 miles (49.4 km)

Total climbing: 1200 feet (366m) as measured by my Ciclosport CM-414 computer

Average speed: 10.4 mph (16.4 km/h)

Hiking: none

Today's ride: 31 miles (50 km)
Total: 31 miles (50 km)

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