Ride intel from Mike and Sue revealed a righteous climb into Bisbee. They weren’t wrong. 😅 Throw 17mph side and headwinds in and ya got yourself a showdown.
Seven mile climb with something to look at each pedal stroke. Not gonna complain. And the good thing is? There was smooth pavement, wide shoulders and we could blast down the other side.
Want to explain our precautions for riding on the road. This tour is a lot different than our off road tour on the Great Divide. Although we don’t have to sing jodies and recite states and capitals to scare the bears away, there can be traffic to contend with. By now you’ve noticed our bright vests and also our helmet mirrors that enable us to see approaching traffic.
The mirrors are helpful in that I can alert Tom (who rides in front) that there is an approaching vehicle. Many times I throw up my left hand and wave to let the motorist know I see them. Tom in turn, calls out road hazards (holes, debris, etc.) as he sees them.
Tom also rigged up a contraption for my seat bag that holds a flashing strobe light. We are selective about what we are willing to schlep across the country on bikes but this is a must.
On to Bisbee! It’s an old copper mining town in the Mule Mountains, and one of the most unique towns we’ve visited. Eclectic. Historic. Friendly. Artsy. Think of Jerome on steroids but in a good way.
Tom’s been taking care of making hotel/camping arrangements and navigation. I focus on weather, making vids and blogging. Tonight he selected Hotel LaMore which happens to be a favorite among paranormal enthusiasts. New owner John Michael (great name btw) is pumped to make this property a must-stay for Bisbee visitors. John Michael’s only owned the property for four months and has already created an unforgettable place to stay.
My favorite room is a sitting room where he’s hung unique Vietnamese lanterns. I just want to hang around the property to look at the relics and melding of early American history and the Chinese influence in this mining town.
If we had a do-over we may have pushed on to Douglass since it’s just 30 miles up the road, although it would have been unfortunate to miss Bisbee.
And it looks like there’s a 7:30am Mass at St. Patrick’s, located only a half mile away. So yay… we have time before we leave Bisbee.
Click on the image below to view more pics and vids and note that Tom has a new shirt on today! I, however, am still in the same shirt. Yes we wear the same clothes everyday. 😜
Keep Calm and Pedal On 