Ride Day 2

Jacumba, Ca to Brawley, Ca

57.5 Miles
588 ft of climbing

The day began with us sleeping in as a reward for yesterday's efforts. We got to breakfast around 10:00 and then took advantage of the facilities and had a soak in a hot spring fed jacuzzi. It was a nice start to the day.

Everyone at the motel told us we had nothing but downhill all the way to Brawley. The ride began with 500 ft of climbing but then we flew down 4000 ft of descent in over 10 miles or so. I said to Chris that the payoff for eight hours of climbing the day before was over in thirty minutes.

At the bottom the temperature was twenty degrees warmer. On the stretch from El Centro to Brawley my computer told me it was 113° on the asphalt.

We got to Brawley and quickly found the hotel. The Friday before our departure I booked the first two hotel nights feeling confident we would maintain our schedule that far anyway.

We rode up to the hotel and I was sure I was going to see a sign posting hourly rates. I rang the bell on the bar covered door and wondered if we should head down the road to find another place but noticed a supermarket and several restaurants across the street and realized the convenience of that.

When I made the reservation I was amused to find at the conclusion that the online reservation service I used had a UK internet address.

In any case, the motel is operated by a family from India and it is quite an enterprising group. While I checked in, the woman helping me, who was very nice, sent packing a crack head who came in asking for a room. I was a little comforted by that.

I asked about doing laundry . I explained our situation and how we are travelling lightly and she offered us the industrial machines they use for sheets and towels. The machines were being used when we got in and we had to check back several times to see if they were available. Each time I ended up talking to a different family member. Each time the conversation began by me being told the laundry was broken. I would then explain how we are on Bicycles and need to do laundry frequently and how their mom had offered us the motel's machines. As soon as anyone heard bicycle, their demeanor changed from 'get lost crack head' to 'how far are you going, come with me and we'll see if the sheets are done so you can use the machines.

We stocked up on water and snacks and had a massive (in Brawley volume is value it seems) Chinese dinner for four.

Back to the motel and our laundry service knocked on our door to tell us our laundry was done. No quarters, detergent provided free of charge, and no lost or stolen items (the machines were in a room off of the family's living quarters and is kept locked so we knew we could safely leave our stuff).

Today we try for big miles. 111 in the heat. We'll see.

More to come.