Jeremiah Watt

There is not really much I can say about this corner of the American West that I find myself in, it has its charm, and it also has its histiry that plays into the making of America. With all of that said, after 11;00am and up until about 5pm it is just flat homely hot desert with all character remioved by the baking sun above.

So, its best to get up early, pack as quick as you can and get to pedalling, and that is what I done. I rode the I-70 for the first twenty or so miles and hated every mile of it. The noise, the traffic, the very slow pace you can hold on the type of pavement used in UTAH. By the time I had hit Cresent Junction, my ODO was reading the first 1000 marker so I called my wife to celebrate my making it this far. ALso talked to my older brother Niel, and got soem advice and encouragement from him.

Decide at that point to attempt to ride the OLD highway that runs next to I-70 its called Old hwy 6, and bow howdy is it old, matter of fact its so old in some places it really isn't there anymore. I waould say that more of it is gravel than paved any more. But once you are on it, all you can do is keep pedalling.

Finally got to a shady spot called Thompson Springs, I believe. So I got something cold to drink, and took a few pic's of what was left of a quickly developing ghost town and thenroad on towards Cisco.
Now let me tell you as towns go, Cisco is gone, and it looks like it. I road up to that point where we meet I-70 once again and there is an overpass that offered shade and cool cement to take abreak on. The bike was reading 106 and I was feeling sorta toasted.

Itsabout 2:15pm, and I took a swig of 100 degree Gatorade and ate about 5 fig newtons, then lay back on the cement and quite promptly fell asleep. The agreement I had made was to wait out the hottest part of the day, wait for a change in wind direction and then get up and ride on another 20 miles or so. It all happened at around 4pm, I felt that constant tail wind I was looking for, and the temp was down a bit as well. SO I mounted up and started riding !-70 once again.
It wasn't very long and I got to the Colorado State sign so I had to have a pick. Bt dang my tourist luck, just when I got there it decided to try and fall over on me. I had to actually hold it up long enough to get a picture. I set it back up the best I could, but hey, I had to get riding as well. I sure hopeit doesn't fall on the next tourist coming by. But hey thats the way it goes, traveling is a dangerous business!!!!!!!

I was actually feeling quite fresh with having had a nap, and a few cookies which then gave me the idea to look and see if there may be a few stale goodies floating around in the darker corners of my rear seat trunk. Voila, my favorite.........Orange Slices. And just the way I like them, dry as a bone , hard as a rock, and orange flavored. That way they last a while...........well,longer than the teeth you chew them with. Anyways, I had renewed power and told the Lord if he would give me the strength that I would pedal and maybe we could make it to Grand Junction today, only 43 miles left to go and it was 5:35 or so.
Thats just what we did, pedalled like crazy and just kept doing it over and over. You must know that the road surface plays into this sort of thing so much, I was riding at 9-12 MPH and riding till I was exhausted in Utah, but once I crossed the line into Colo, the roads are harder and smoother so the same pedaling produced 16-17 MPH average.
I got to Grand Juction by about 6:45 and was nusrsing a near flat tire so it was time to pull over. I camped at an RV park and called it a night.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

The stay in Hanksville was a plesant one, and the lady that ran theRV Park made it even more so, if more folks in the world could have her attitude this would be a greater place than it is. I was up early, about 5:15, and was packed and on the bike by 6am. Nothing more to do than turn on my tiny tailights and start pedalling north to Green River, my next stage stop.

I have to say that I have never noticed how gorgeous the flowers smell when you are out in the desert before the breezes pick up. On this day it was like a perfume factory, and it was not that the ditches were loaded with them, they were indeed sparse, but pungent. I watched the sun come up and paint the mountain tops first then with wider and wider washes of paint the canyon rims and finally the desert floor were alive with that early morning light that gives both depth and character to a place that can seem hostile at 2 in the afternoon sun.

I was warned the day before that the road is rather nasty and no shoulder. But the reality of it is that the first 6-8 miles are just okay, but from that point on the road was one of the best I had been on to date.
It turned into a hot day, and I am not sure just why I had so much of a stuggle to get up to Green River, but I sure did.
I road into town and replenished my cooking supplies,and found the Green River State PArk, which as it turned out was really a nice place. I had a shower and commenced cooking a real treat in my single titanium pot. I had found a BOX of quick warm stew and mixed that with water and a package of noodles, so being half cook all I did was add water. It turend out very good in fact, and would recommend it to any other wanderers out in the hinter lands.
NOTE, place water and noodles in bottom first, then pour the stew over top, that way it will not burn so easily.

I met a very nice couple from Albuquerque and even got invited over to there trailer for somehome made apple pie that this little old retired lady had made from FREE APPLES that hung over a fence some place in Colorado. AS she likes to tell it, she "Borrowed" the apples and her husband Ron drove the getta way truck. NO matter, the visit and pie were both a welcome treat, after not haveing had much conversation with anyone latley.
It was timeto turn in, and boy howdy, is that pad ever feeling narrow now.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 2:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It was an early morning, I slept very well up this narrow canyon retreat that I found. I am starting to notice that the little camp mat I have must be for a narrower fella than I am, becasue my shoulders are hanging off the edge and I am finding it a little more uncomfortable as I go. But enough complaining

It is a beautiful Sunday morning and I am thinking of Church this am. I am actually just past Bicknell, and at the very edge of where you fall of into the canyons below. I had noticed a sign for Cowboy Collectables and wanted to stop in for a visit, but never actually spotted the buildings, so maybe missed it a ways back. I am headed now for Torrey, and the roads are good and the canyons in this early am light are drop dead gorgeous, the play of light and mix of vibrant greens and canyon wall reads is just a painters paradise. Its slow going becasue I am off the bike taking pictures more than pedalling. There is a very picturesque spot where there is also a Historical Marker for the Nielsen Thurber Grist Mill, it such a great place for a pic, and I took many believe me.


I finally make it into the very pretty little town of Torrey, its the sort of town that I would like to comeback too at some point with my family. My camera battery is getting low, so I decide to head to a small cafe and look for a place to recharge the thing. I meet 2 couples in the parking lot, and we strike up a conversation. It turns out they are over from Italy for there first visit to America........and let me tell you the WEST is such a special place for these folks. They live to see a cowboy horseback. Had a great cup of coffe and a Croissant and that hit the spot. I waited about an hour for the battery to charge, and in that time managed to meet a very nice couple from Alberta. So we talked about the old times and the happenings in Alberta while I was waiting. It was a real nice visit all in all, they love America but are deathe affraid of our healthcare system, so would never spend much time over here becasue of that reason.
Its time to ride, and I am headed into the deeper narrower canyons, I just bail off the top and bam, I hit a goats head burr and I am flat on the side of the road. So I push my bike up near a Juniper so I can work in the shade on my flat.

In about 15 minutes or so, I am up and running and ready to ride again. The canyons are just gorgeous and the pitch is hitting about 6-8 %, so all I have to do is coast basically. I take anotehr stop to see the Petroglyphs near the side of the road, and while there I also met a family from France and had a short very broken visit. They also came expecting to see cowboys out moving cattle...............which got me to thinking, maybe its time we parked those Quads and saddle up the horses?? Just a thought.

I also met the same couple from Alberta once again, and had a nother brief visit. I told them to be sure and drive the Colorado National Monument Loop while they stopped in Grand Junction. So on I went, and rode my canyons to the east headed to Hanksville today. I rounded a bend a came upon a really special old school house, the Fremont School house.

Right across the road was a small orchard of Pears, and I noticed that several trees had branches hanging over onto the free side of the fence line, so I availed my self of a couple and dang they were good. So I kept a keen eye out for any branches that hung on the free side........I ate enough free ones that I was starting to be concerned with maybe having the green-apple two step late on that afternoon.


Finally broke out of canyons proper and into the rolling and winding terrain that stretches from about cainville to Hanksville, this is not exactly a garden spot folks, and it loks like maybe it is an income desparity region as well. Gotta be tough folks that make a living out that way.

It is a long hot road to finally get into Hanksville, but I make it and am glad to finally find a Store to buy some Gatorade and wash down some dust.

I finally got out on my Cingular and talked to my wife. I found a small RV park, and hit the showers then done some clothes washing. Cooked a fine meal of noodles, and ate a quite dry biscuit. Road back into town later and called my darling Mother to wish her a happy Birthday.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Yup, thats right we are headed for a place called Loa today. I have a long uphill valley to ride before I make the turn towards my last stop of Loa on the high plains plateau country of Utah.


The valley coming up out of Otter Creek Resevoir is great, not much traffic and just nice temp and scenery. I stopped in a little place called Koosharem, I ate some grub and talked to some kids about town, life, school and life in general. It's a funny thing, but I have noticed that kids are more physical over here than in California. I have seen a lot of kids out jogging, and a couple of what must have been teams. You just don't see as many of the 2oo pound ground pounders as we do back home. The Grass Valley Mercantile, is a great little store to stop and take a walk around in, and it had real cool grphics on the outside from days gone by.


But all good things come to an end, and it was time to ride once again. Just a 1/2 mile down the road and take the long drop to the valley floor, then the big climb that follows. That store owner thought for sure I must be nuts to have left a perfectly good home and take off on a bicycle to ride across USA
Ya'know, he's got a point.


Still can't find a place that my Cingular works except in the store when I bought it.
Boy are those clouds boiling up on the ridge above me, and ae they ever black. I have 8 miles of climb at 4-5% so best get into a rythm and get it done. I stay with it to almost the top, and figure its time to eat something now, rather than later in case it starts to raining. SO I spread some peanut butter on a Bagel as soon as I remove the pennicillin........RIDDLE, whats white/green/brown and fuzzy. Take yer time, it's a tough one even for the Menza crowd........yup, Jeremiah's Bagel. Hey, but it tasted good all the same.
Finally topped out at 8500 feet approx, and the rain came. I noticed my bike temp dropped to 63 degrees and I was sure feeling like a smarty pants for not shaving my legs like all those other bikers do. But I would like a rain jacket. JUst ride was the best thing that I know to stay warm. Once you are on top of this country,its huge rolling hills and I think I done about 400 of the beggars before I could feel that drop right off the top. It warned me that 8% was coming, so I grabbed the brakes to slow things down a little. The road is narrow, the wind is up, and the pavement is slick so I am being as careful as I can with it all.

Finally I could see some Elm trees down in the bottom, and I knew that Loa could not be far off. The rain slacked just a little when I pulled into Loa, I noticed that all of town had gathered at the local Ranchers Cafe so I did too. Boy howdy, let one cowboy decide to wear his spandex to town and you should see the reaction........I think its a medical thing. Or maybe it's a fabric reaction to all the "CAMO" that folks seem to wear now adays. Shoot, I even seen a gal packin a baby in a car seat that was camo colored. I did notice that she set him down by the side of the road when she was getting in her car and drove off and left him....................not sure if she couldn't see him becasue of the Camo or maybe he was just one of those baby's hard to look at???
Anyways I done my best to fit in while at the Loa Cafe, but no matter what I done I couldn't strike up a conversation with anyone but the waitress. SO I ate out royal this day, had an Omelette and toast.......(gotta have that toast , right Jordie, a little side joke here) some hot black coffee and a piece of there home made apple pie. It sure hit the spot and I noticed that the sun had come out as well. It was about 4:30 by now so I mounted up and rode out of Loa towards Capitol Reef.
I went another 20 miles os so, and found a nice quiet canyon that offerd a retreat. Set up my tent and went for a little hike up this canyon for fun. They had just had a huge rain the day before, some 2 -3 inches worth. There was plenty of water damage to see up the canyon, and still water running but to late for a swim. Let me see whats for supper when I get back, Noodlles, yer right. I think when I go thru Grand Junction, I will try to find a few other edibles to put in my haversack.
Tomorrow we fall off of the Capitol Reef and descend into what I do not know.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 4:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Day12 Down the Mountain

This entry may be a little short, since I just hit the delete button on the full entry and lost the whole darned thing………computers, they are as detestable as bike seats.

This was my first fully clouded over day I have had on this ride. I woke up rather late for my normal, but I guess that is because I was healing while laying in bed. My knees felt a little better and I was ready to ride.It was a rough road with a lot of pot holes to watch out for.

I stopped in Hatch, and had some eggs and toast along with some coffee. I met a couple from Germany that were riding there Harley’s across USA. They thought that USA was maybe a little better than Heaven……..I am not so sure.

Rode on again, after trying my Cingular cell phone again, only to find I wasn’t in service AGAIN. Rode on headed on to Bryce Canyon, I only rode maybe 7-8 miles up the canyon, man was it pretty. Got back to the main road headed north and rode to Panguitch where I stopped for some groceries and a lunch. That is when I met the two folks here on motor cycles. The couple is takeing a year out of ther live to ride from Anchorage to Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America. Check it out at www.tobias-ingeborg.com. It was already a great trip that they had to this point. So we ate the lunch and shared stores of the road.




Headed up the road with a huge tail wind to blow me along. The Sevier River was running just off over my right shoulder, and that urge to swim just overtook me. It was my good luck that I rememberd to take my clothes off this time, so I bailed in and had a quick dip. Got out and headed on up the road, to Circleville. I stoped and had an Ice Cream and a break to talk to a few locals about the road to Otter Creek. Just fine they said, and only about 20 miles. So I decided to make a run for the park at Otter Creek, it was a beautiful ride in thru the canyon and then out beside the cool lake. I made it there in time to set up camp, and make supper so I could watch the sun go down.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 4:19 PM | Permalink

Day11- no easy day from Cedar City to Duck Creek.

It started off looking like I just may have to return the town Library in order to complete the download of pic’s to the blog. And as it turned out I found that it was okay to go ahead and hit the open road because all the pics came just fine. But it was already 9am and warming up.

I made the mistake of asking a rather plump gal at the Quick-Stop what the hill was like going over Hwy#14, and she replied “oh, not much really”. Obviously she had been sleeping or rode sitting backwards in the car because it was the longest pull of my ride yet and I thought I had hit some good ones. Cedar City lies right at the foot of a row of mountains to it’s east, and these mountains run up into the 10-12 thousand foot range.

I started out, with my odometer readings all wrote down and all the waster filled up, a fresh set of legs that had been lying at the bottom of my spare close bag, of what a joy it was to put these on instead of the tired ones I had the day before….Poochie Maggie, this hill is starting to get steep I thought??

So I check my ODO, and it tells me I have now climbed for 12 miles……Cowboy logic, says its time for something with peanut butter stuck to it, anything even a Sardine if that’s all I got. I eat quietly, because there just ain’t no sense in making noise, and Pray that this hill tops soon, cause my left knee is feeling kind’a sore and my calves are starting to cramp. I finished up eating, and head out again only to round about two bends and find a sign that was unfortunately written in English and I could understand it……..big yella begger that said the pitch will increase to 7% for the next 5 miles. Man I coughed up a hair ball when I read that, and cussed the Utah Highway Department for not at least putting a few signs in Ukrainian or Russian just for times like these……..that way I could ride on clueless.

I checked my knee caps, both there and both sore now…….hum’ph, normal I guess I better keep pedaling. I had 3 Fig Newton cookies left that I had been saving for a special occasion like the top of a pass. I hit 17.8 miles of climb on my ODO, and I actually thought I had topped out and missed the summit sign, so I took a huge hit of water and ravaged the 3 mostly beat up Fig Newton’s. While I was smacking my lips, and enjoying my success along came a Univ. Prof of Geology and he stopped to talk while I panted. It was him that made it known to me that around the bend lies the steeper part of the climbing I still had to do.

So I mounted my bike with a smile and rode of with him wishing me well, sure enough right around the bend was another sign telling long trailers to be careful and motor homes to use caution and oh yes, just in case you hadn’t noticed the pitch is now 8%. Wow, I finally toped out and this time there was a Summit sign of 9940 ft. My gosh was I beat, the total climb was 21.8 miles, I licked out the Fig Newton box and day dreamed about how good a Gatorade would taste right now. What was really neat about the ride up, was getting to that place where you are actually looking down on top of mountains that are in the Zion Park below, like Angels Landing and Temple of the Gods etc. That was right neat. Headed off the other side and rode in thru the Dixie National Forest, I found myself feeling rather ashamed at the state of this Forest, it was nothing short of appauling. Honestly the place looks like it is only 3 live trees away from being 100% dead from beetles or blight etc. I can’t tell you if it is a local Forestry Management problem, or maybe one of those rules from on high back in Washington DC. If I may say, it was a sorry excuse for a forest after having seen the forests of Europe and the condition they are in. I know, we live in a huge country and could fit France in Texas, but that is not the point I am trying to make.

I seen something up on these ridges that I have never seen or noticed before. Riding along at about the 8 thousand foot mark, and there are huge Lava flows running all thru the trees. In some places the lave rock flow is solid barring the path of any tree or bush, but in others it is mixed right in amongst the trees, and there are miles of this stuff. SO, I was wondering, how high where the mountains from which this stuff oozed at some time???
It is now 71 degrees and I have goose bumps big enough to hand pick, and it starts raining just to make it more fun. Guess what Jeremiah did not bring, yer right, a rain jacket. So I put on all the clothes that I had loose on the bike and told myself I was not cold…………er, what was that. My left knee locking up, okay, I must be chilly, but not cold. I rode for several miles and finally that cloud blew off to the south and left me sweating in sunshine……….but it was a HAPPY SWEAT, mind you.

I was riding along and spotted a sign for Aspen Mirror Lake, and decided a walk would do me good. I rode the ¼ mile of gravel, and parked my bike took my camera and a bottle of water. Not a long walk, just another ¼ mile or so and I came upon a postage stamp sized little lake that was giving up Rainbows like there was no tomorrow. And there were two older fellas that seemed to have it down to a science. I enjoyed a visit with these fellas, got a few fishing tales out of the way and asked a PULSE question. It was concerning religion and the state of it in our society. Really only the one fella was very talkative as the other couldn’t hear that well. So Ed, explained to me “that it is a crying shame the way these folks carry on with tearing down crosses and monuments with God on them. And I am not a church going man, but I know from the way my Mother raised me that what the Bible does do is give us a moral highway to walk on even if we don’t go to church. I tell you, that this whole USA is near done if we don’t do something about it and soon”. That’s a summary of a 45 minute answer, and I didn’t have time for a second, so I bid them adios and walked back to the bike.

Next stop was the about to be very bust little burg of Duck Creek. From all the construction that was going on, it isn’t hard to tell that this place will be hoppin in a few years. I had me that Gatorade and some Yogurt like the Russian told me to do. YA ever eat something like that out of good advise, only to sit back when its done and say……man I should have had a Ho-Ho or a Ding Dong?

Its getting late by now, near to 6:30 and I am some 5 miles past the Duck Creek Merc, and I am done in so I pull of on a small dirt road and take a ride towards the rim on my right. I find a very quiet spot in the trees, maybe the prettiest camp yet. I pitch the nylon culvert I call home, throw down the slim fast style sleeping bag and build me a Titanium Cup-full-o-noodles. I read my Bible for a while, and then I rejoin my book called “Epidemic”, which is all about kids and parenting. I highly recommend it too any one interested in such things.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 4:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Day 10- and into Utah
Getting late here, so I best make this one quick.
I rode into Cedar City Utah today, which gave me about a 60 mile day. I stopped first in Modina and took some pics, it is mostly a ghost town now but was quite a place at one time. Just a long pull up the New Castle Summit, and a long coast into Cedar City. So here I sit at the local Librabry trying to get these blogs done before it closes at 9pm.
Not sure of route tomorrow, but will let you know the next time I have a chance to get to a computer
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Day 9 , Caliente bound, Tuesday Aug 22

I woke quite early for me, around 5:15. I hate to let the cat out of the bag, but I didn’t realize the sun actually went down, because it has always been up when I got up.
I had a bout a 40 miler to get to my next water in Caliente.

Wow, were the legs ever stiff. I kept looking down thinking that maybe the chain had come off, or a knee cap had fell off………but nothing. I was climbing Pahroc Summit and would have that for breakfast, along with a qt of warm water.
Next up was the climb to get my carcass over Oak Springs Summit, this one also was in excess of 13.5 miles on my odometer, and with the last 6 miles coming in at 6-7%. This was a leg burning exercise for sure. About half way up I stopped and drank a bottle of Endurox. It helped a little, and my spirits rose as I began to see just how beautiful the south eastern corner of Nevada really is! I took a brief respite in the Delamar Valley, and I ate another of those cotton pickin bagels while I watched the Airforce train pilots over where I sat and dined.

This is a wonderful valley, but I still had miles to go. I climbed one more pass and dropped into a new feature for me this trip, an ever deepening rim rock canyon that ran on for many miles. I finally came around a corner to the sight of an old trestle bridge and green trees. Primordial man always knows these truisms, where there is a bridge there is a creek and where there is greenery there is water, and where there is water……..there is SKINNY DIPPING, wahoo mama, I am havin me a bath.

I was coming into the tiny hamlet of Caliente, it is a real gem hidden in the canyons of south eastern Nevada, one that I will go back to some time with my family. But I had urgent business, and made the right hand turn to the direction of that bridge I had spotted. I was scouting about after having seen the small river that ran under the bridge, when I came upon a new young friend by the name of Quincy. This young fella was 13, and rather mature for his age at least in thoughts and mannerisms, so we set to talking. I asked Qincy the PULSE questions, and in his own words “shoot nothing wrong with education it just lasts too long is all!!”. And as far as that there War, I don’t think those boys are tryin is all, shoot we could whip’em easy if we wanted too”. I left my young friend and headed for the creek, had a good swim, and washed out my clothes once again. I was ready to ride into town and take a look around.

The town is real green set amongst the tall rim rock as a backdrop, so it feels real homey quick like. I rode the whole town and took it all in, stopped and took pic’s of many things of interest, and talked to some other folks as I done so. I finally had to give up on Cingular, and use a pay phone to call home. I managed to talk to Mom, and kids, that was great, to let them know that I was alive and doing well. I heade to the local Café and sat and ate a small burger and fries while I looked over a great mural done by Nevada artist Larry Bute.

Finished up dinner, and mounted my Velo to make the ride north to Panaca. The plan was to stay at Cathedral Gorge State Park, but that was foiled by all the grale roads that get me there. So I bought 2 qts of Gatorade in the local Bi-Rite and made the long……..very long trudge up the grade out of Panaca headed for the Utah State line. I made it to the line, some 18 miles out from Panaca and it was 8;45 when I pulled over right under the State sign. The ground was so hard and rocky, that I couldn’t drive a tent peg, so like all cowboys I choose this as a perfect time to teach my “Survival tent” a lesson, and I just slept on top of it. I was reading my Bible this night with a “torch” as a Brit would say, and to my dismay the bag was covered in ants……..discusting little blighters. SO I stood uop, and give my bag a good shake, threw it down and headed to my bike bag and extracted a small slice of Jerky. With this, I proceeded to rub the jerky in the dirt forming a box around my bag leaving the jerky as a prise some 10 feet away from my head. Cowboy logic says if a man can smell coffee in the morning all the way down at the barn, then surely an ant can smell the jerky trail I had set for him. I closed my eyes telling the Lord I was too tired to contend with ants tonight, after all I said, you made em you do something with’m. It did not take long to be asleep, funny thing you know those dreams we have, I was having one and woke up just knowing that I was covered in ants I felt like I was about to suffocate. I grabbed up my flashlight and shone it on the bag to see not one single ANT, any place. SO I went back to sleep for a very peaceful sleep. When I awoke in the morning, I rolled over to see a solid road of red ants marching down my jerky path, they didn’t even know that a larger meal slept in there midst, so I waved and they just wiggled there little antennae.
A little info for my friend Par from Sweden and Rob in South Africa, some folks have asked for more info on my bike. It is a Merlin, full Titanium frame, with some modifications to get it to the right length for me. The shifters are Shimano, Ultergra 9spd rear cassette and a triple front running 46-34-24. I went with Shimano since it offers up a lot more groupings than does Campagnolo. The seat is a new design one, that I will not say the name of since they may be offended by my doing so, but it developes serious teeth at about the 60 mile mark
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:43 PM | Permalink

Day 8, Monday August 21
I was up early, but it took forever to get packed since everything seemed to have filled with sand as I slept, for being up at 5:30 I didn’t get riding till 7:30. It was 55 degrees when I got up and 71 when I started riding

I was headed for the tiny stop of Rachel, and I was getting low on water so took very little for breakfast. Lesson one, be careful where you buy your water bottles. I had bought 4 of the largest I could find from a Company I will not mention as I don’t want to give them bad press. But depending on the make-up of the plastic it can really make for distaste-full water, more like Kerosene than water.
I crossed 4 long passes in a row, each topping out at 6000 feet plus, and most would be a climb of 4-6 percent. There are two of these whose climb length is in excess of 12 miles. I topped a hill and thought for a moment I had already passed the “PEARLIES”, it was a strait ski ramp type slope down in front of me, with several green circles that spelled irrigation and water. Not only that but I could make out what looked like buildings off way in the distant. I licked my dry lips and set my mirror on vibrate ( that’s the only setting that works), and plunged down the mountain. With all the weight I carry, I try to keep it under about 25-28 mile per hour.

Whoa Moma, RACHEL, here I am, and how thirsty was I. But once inside I was like a church mouse, so dry I couldn’t hardly get my lips to make the word……and I think my toungue had completely left the building. Finally “water” did come out, and I knew that I would live for another day. The gals who run the place were quite amazed that somebody was stupid enough to not only attempt the ride but also admit it in public. Anyways they took real good care of me, and oh how sweet is that Rachel water, let me tell you as fine as any Evian. I had a fabulous Ham and Cheese Omelette, and thirty nine glasses of ice water. While I ate, the gals washed out and filled all my bottles, as well as my water bag, and one local hay grower gave up two qt. bottles of Gatorade from his own stash.

When I left Rachel, I was full , content and very heavy.
From the moment you leave Rachel to the east it is up-hill into the Coyote Summit. This one runs on at some length, with a 5% grade to it, my bike was reading 106 and I was paying for the intake of water at Rachel, not to mention I had a very strong headwind to contend with. As I was coasting down the other side, I already knew what lay ahead of me since I could see the dead strait line that lead to the next range of mountains. I was fair pooped with the last Pass. Funny thing these Nevada valleys, the drainage is quite oftemn in the very center and it rises in both directions from that exact point, now it may run at 2-3 percent to the foot of the actual climb of 5-6% but it is still a hill and you have to gear down and ride up it as well.

MY bike was now reading at 112-113 and I was dead on the pedals. I recall telling the Lord that if he wanted my celestial body in heaven before the buzzards of Nevada got to me he had better bring on the shade.. This particular range is very dry, with Joshua trees and dirt that is about all, and facing a stiff head wind I was doing about 7.5 across the valley floor. Before I knew it, I was riding under a dark mass of cloud that stayed with me nearly to the foot of the posted climb. While this took place my on bike temp dropped from the 112 range down to 100 range. I hit the foot of Hancock Summit and read the sign that said next 6.5 miles is 6%, which with the valley run-up gave me a total of 13.75 miles of gear down climb. Poochie Maggie, I was done in, and it was a hot climb to the top. I told the Lord that I was so tired that if there was a shade tree at the top I was going to just up an bury myself. This is a pass that had been up to this point entirely Joshua Trees, offering no shade. But right there at the very top was a tiny 8 foot tall Juniper with one side deformed and giving great shade……..boy howdy, I was off that bike with my shovel so fast……… Sorry, but I fell sound asleep before I got the hole for my carcass dug. I must have slept for an hour and felt very refreshed, so I said my thanks to he whom provides in such abundance and mounted my velocipede to conquer yet more miles.
Coming off of the Hancock Summit you make a hard left at the mid-way point and then catch a glimpse of the awaiting valley below, and what a sight it was. There is a long running string of Cottonwoods along the valley floor, and you know when they run in a line it means a creek not a spring. I could hardly wait to see what it held, but I still had several more miles to pedal before I would find out.

I was shocked at how marvelous this little oasis was, it is the junction to turn down to Ash Springs, and I was on the White River of eastern Nevada, where Hwy 93 meets up with Hwy373 and 318 all meet. I could hear running water and looked off to my right to see a great pond formed by a swift running cool river going thru a narrow irrigation gate. Sorry Pastor Mike, but the nudist in me just took over on me and I had to get in, even if I was only some 50 feet from the highway…………I thought what the heck folks pay a lot of money to go to France to see this on the Riviera. I parked my bike and stripped and had a blast, the water was just right, not that shocking cold. And the water ran so fast thru the spillway that I could hardly stay on my feet, so I had me a “Cowboy Spa”, I crouched down and let that fast water play against my back giving me one of those Shiatsu Massage. I managed to get all my clothes at least rinsed out, and hung on my frame to dry to their proper shape like my Mom used to do with our sweaters when I was a kid. Yes, I got lots of horn honks, and I only mooned one trucker when he went by for the third time. What a break after a very long day of riding, but still more miles to go.
It was now about 7:15 and I managed to convince myself I would enjoy another Bagel with Peanut Butter, like a fool I fell for it. I left the River and heade right up hill into the White River Pass as I think it was called, its not as tall but runs on a good ways to the top. I rode till 9pm, and was totally done in, I even smelled like I had not had a swim, it was 89 degrees on the bike with a fresh wind in the face………time to quit.

Set up the tent and mattress, down went the bag and followed by a tired cowboy with out his spandex skivvies. Let me see, supper was two red twists and a swig of water, only barely had time to say my Prayers before my eyes closed and I was gone.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:36 PM | Permalink

Day 7, leaving Tonopah to heavy!

Its Sunday, and I was Praying as I headed out of Tonopah with about an 85 pound wagon pushing on me from behind. This added weight really messes with the bikes handling , making any side wind a potential wreck, or any slip when looking down at the mirror. Really any little thing and you will be picking straw out of yer butt wondering just what happened. I had 4 bottles 20oz. each, and the bladder of 1.5 gallons, giving me a little over 20 pounds of water on board.

I got a good early start, with a slight tail wind and a downhill start out of Tonopah, I was headed for “Warm Springs” on Nevada Hwy 6. A very bleak ride until you get closer to warm springs and it gets quite nice. Dropping off the hill down to the now somewhat distressed Warm Springs resort at about noon I realized also how hot it had become and decided that if there was shade I would take a break in it.

Warm Springs, was at one time a real attraction, with a sort of spa pool outfit, and the natural live running warm water…..about 80 degrees warm……..running non stop through the pool which is now all locked up except for fence climbers and rats like me. There is an old bar there, with all the needed items to open back up, also a great rock corral that is also now defunct. First things first I thought, and a full check of the fence around the pool proved that a slim man could indeed get in……….and once inside an man with no morals could go SKINNY DIPPING. Horrah and poochy Maggie, we going swimming. Yes cars drove past, and I done my relaxin for a good 45 minutes as the water was hot and day was hot I didn’t want to pass out in the pool……..no lifeguard on duty remember!! To be honest, I think that most folks took a look at me swimming and thought that some hunter had left a goose decoy behind was all.

I had parked my bike under about 4 large CottonWoods down by the Bar, so I slid under the fence and headed to the bike, On the way by the bar I found a 5gal pail and an old chair………perfect, a cowboy lounge chair. I promptly, set these up in the shade and the fun started as I relaxed there in the shade with my feet propped up……..the tourists came for you see Warm Springs is where the “Extra-terrestrial Highway” begins. Van loads of tourists would stop to take a pic of the sign that leads them onto the weirdest road in the west. Mom would have a sulking Dad and all the kids scramble out of the van in that 112 heat so they could stand under the sign for a good family pic………don’t forget ya gotta get all the little ducklings standing in correct order…….whew baby its hot, and finally the pic is done. That’s when from my shady perch I would holler down to them, “Don’t miss the hot tub and cold drinks at the Bar”. They would turn in a lightning spin to see who had heckled them from the Ghost Town Bar, and could not see me for green foliage. The adventurist amongst them would walk over just a little from the group for a better view. And that’s when I would wave. But you see from there perspective, it would look like the tree just waved because I was sitting directly behind it. I think that 15 seconds is the longest it took to hear all 13 doors on the minny van close, each kids name called twice and THEY BE GONE!

Another occasion caught me a little off guard. First a small truck pulled up and parked just out of my sight to the right off where I sat, this rig was driven by a lady. Then in short order another flat bed work type truck pulled up behind her truck, and I can see all of this truck from where I am . Obviously this is some sort of a love thing going on and as I sit minding my own business not wanting to loose the only patch of shade in Nevada I am wondering what to do. That is when valor and poor nerves told this young man to make a move on his beer cooler on the back of his truck, this left his women unattended for the moment and her dignity still intact. So when he reached for a cold Beer, I asked him in a quite civil voice if I may also have one. I can still hear that resounding click of his false teeth as they hit the ground, his eyes were so big I thought we may have to call a Doc. Realizing that his jig was up, he gave me a sheepish grin and said he only had one left and ……..well, ur, I er, gotta be getting on down the road.

Well the fun was due to come to an end, it was nearing 5 and I was wanting to get riding. So I mounted up and headed up the ET highway, I rode past the largest flock og Hungarian Partridge I have ever seen, there must have been 200 plus hanging out along the warm springs run-off some ½ mile doen the road. I road till about 7:45 that night and camped in a lonesome place called Adaven Valley. Had a ½ bagel and slug of water and turned in. I had road up 5 passes that day, and one of them was over 11 miles on my odom.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Day 6- Bishop to Hell

Yes, this was one of those days, that we survive and wonder why or how. I was going on local advice as to water stops and road conditions, which was a mistake. I had all my bottles filled, but not my 1.5 gallon bladder bag that I strap to the trailer.

Rode out of Bishop at about 6am, it was a beautiful ride headed for Chalfant as the first little town which did actually have a small store where a man could get things if needed. From there further uphill into Benton, which was sort’a fun. I asked here about water stops further on at Coleman and found out it was not very likely. So I filled my water bladder and strapped it down to the bike.

I ate a bean burrito and a cup o noodles that I bought at the store. While cooking and eating a fella from Livermore Cal. Came in and we got to visiting as bikers do. He used to ride, but quit when a tourist knocked him off his bike with a extended mirror on a motorhome. Now he rides a nice touring Motorcycle and wishes he had the nerve or lack of brains to ride his velo once again. I asked the PULSE questions, and was surprised at how distraught the fella was over the state of education. In his words most of these kids are to poorly equipped to get any sort of job, but even worse school seems to make most boys into girls. They dan’t want a job that will make you sweat or dirty, and they haven’t the skills to hold down a corner office job. As to the war, just get in there and clean the damn thing up, I have had it with this trying to fight a Guerrilla war on politically correct terms. If we keep this up, only the allied forces will taste the coming defeat.
Heade out after maybe 30 minutes in Benson, and proptly hit the long pull of 35 miles approx over Montgomery Pass. The stop overlooking Boundary Peak was a real stunner.

Dropped off the other side into hell. It was a furnace and nothing out there but more valleys and mountains. SO I done as all folks this foolish do, I Prayed and pedaled and for fun and kill the monotony I would switch the order around.

I had a serious dry throat going on and it must have shown on my face, because two fellas in a little SUV went by me honking and waving …………and not to much longer the same SUV came up beside mne and they said it looked like I could use some COOL water. A father and son, from Pennsylvania, they were out west celebrating the sons 18th birthday, Dan and Eric is all I remember of their names. They had a ice cold 1gal water in a cooler, so they pured me a bottle full and I drank it fair quick and they suggested another……….surprise, I beat them both too thier own cooler. In the end after we had talked about the illusive “Coleman Junction Mart”, which was no longer as of about 1965 that is. They finally decided to give me the whole gallon jug that they had since it was only a short drive for them to Benton Store. And you think that Prayers don’t work.
It was late afternoon when I finally hit this Coleman Junction and it connects with Hwy 95 South at this point. As I was surveying the situation a State Patrol stopped beside me and asked if I was contemplating riding #95…………….an intellectual….ah,yup, was my reply. Son he said, I can’t stop you but I sure wouldn’t recommend it if you know what I mean. This is one of those roads that you know the black rider of death has a home address on some place, narrow, no shoulder, loose gravel right off the edge of a chip top, and filled with 70 mile per hour 18 wheeler’s. Doesn’t it say “Tempt not thy Lord”
Executive Decision #1- Grill of a truck or stick out yer thumb…….give me a minute will ya, I am thinking. OKAY, thumbs up Lord I need a ride. Here is how it happened. You can see forever from the corner, and there is no sense trying to stop a car or van right. SO, I finally see a white truck coming up to the stop sign some 500 yards away and it is the first truck I have seen. I stick my thumb up and he stops, rolls down the window and says to me……”ya made it a lot further than I thought you would, I passed you this morning when I pulled into Bishop……wanna ride??”. William, as it turned out had gone to Bishop to take his daughter to the BMX races in which she competes. So I got a ride to Tonopah with Bill and his sleeping daughter. That’s 39 miles I didn’t pedal, so I will make it up by riding back and forth on bikini beach when I get to the east coast.
I seen quite a few wild horses along the way, mostly right after I dropped off of Montgomery Pass. Went to the far end of town and bought a few bagels and ham and cheeses and some Yogurt, I remember my Russian cycling friend talking about yogurt. Any ways I ate rather good, watched the locals and wondered wbout what tomorrow would bring. My free advice in Bishop had been quite wrong and was a serious thing for me. I commenced asking around and gathered all the information possible.
Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Day 5 –Aug 18th, Friday
This was a tough day for me, because my wife and kids made the turn for home earlier in the day and headed over Tioga Pass for Coalinga. So yes, I hate to admit but I rode in tears for a while, the realization that I would not have their support really weighed heavily on my mind.
The agreement, was to ride for Bishop, even though my initial plans were for me to turn east at Lone Pine and take the Westfall Pass. I had now become somewhat jaded as to road conditions and what a road may look like. So, I let common sense do the work for a change and am glad that I did.

The road to Bishop was a fast one, with a new shoulder for the larger part and I found myself running at 21-25 mile per hour. Not much for Lance I know, but not bad for an old fat guy. I arrived in Bishop just after 12:30 and rode the length of town to see what there was for me. I talked to a few folks about the ride from there to Tonapah and learned very little of ant real use………..except” What the heck ya’ wanna do a fool thing like that for?”
There is a great camp ground at the south end of town, called Brown’s Towne, and I shaded up, put up my tent, washed some clothes and had a 7 minute shower, I know because that is how long the token runs for and then they surprise you with a shower of ice-cube water. Then you spend a 1/2 hour trying to scrap soap off of goose-bumps, because yer to embarrassed to walk back to the office in the nude to get another token……….I sure wish Adam & Eve would have left well enough alone and I wouldn’t have to carry an Grape leaf anywhere with me, ah but that’s another story.

I headed into town and bought a double scoop of Baskin Robbins Double Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream, just to tease my ice-cream eating brother Bill……..wish you were here.
Rode around town again, and stopped at a “Tickle & Bate Shop” as my daughter Nevada has come to call them, I purchased a map and asked some advice. As it turns out, it may have been the worst advice given to date, but more on that later. I rode to the far south side of Bishop and surprised the folks at the Gulf and Country Club, I rented a club and a basket of balls and headed to the “Slicing Range” too drive a few in the wrong direction. All Gulf clubs change the name of the driving range after I have played them.
Back to the camp ground for some Noodles and crackers and a cup of English tea.

Good Night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 8:17 PM | Permalink

Day 4, JW rides, well barely today.

I woke up early, after having slept on the campground picnic table since the ANT population was so high in the campground. Got off to a good start to finish off Walker pass, which was quite easy to face first thing in the morning.

Photo by Jeremiah Watt
Title Walker Pass
But as luck would have it, things went down hill quickly from that point. I took a pic at the top, and mounted my bike to descend the offside of Walker. My bike developed a serious whine coming from the back wheel, soon that developed into slinging the chain off and giving me serious stopping trouble. So, I went to looking around and it seemed the problem was my rear cassette. I commenced down the hill, and had to ride the brakes the whole way and pedal into it to keep the chain tightened up so it would not be flung off. Boy howdy, did my hands get tired sqeezing those brakes for a a full 12 mile downhill run. I stopped at one point and a small whisp of smoke came off my front wheel, not sure if it was the brakes, the rim or the rider???
Okay Pastor Mike, here is one for you. I had pulled over to the side of the road and met up with Colleen, and we were both talking and Praying about the situation at hand. The problem is the the closest town was Ridgecrest, and we both thought that it was no chance to to get it fixed there. I am on Hwy14 before it joins into 395 north. As Iam standing there debating the best options, I see 4 bike riders coming up the hill that I had just climbed. So I asked as the rode beside us where the best place might be to get abike worked on………..to which one of the riders said” why heck Bob here owns the best bike shop around, don’tcha Bob!!!” Now is that a Prayer answered?????????
And just like that Bob stepped off and I told him what the bike had been doing, and almost that quick he told me what the problem was. The bigger problem, is that the wheel set is a rather high dollar outfit, and the likelihood of parts to do the fix are slim. We ended up having to buy a whole new wheel set, so that we could head out and get back to riding. I rode during the hottest time, and seated like a fool in my long sleeve jersey. I am trying to keep the sunburn in check.

Photo by Jeremiah Watt
Title Lonesome Roads in Nevada
All totaled today I got in 54 miles, and once again was in dire straits if not for my wife and kids.The scenery isn’t that great right along this stretch so I didn’t stop for a lot of pics, just enough to give you a flavour of the countryside. I am at a really beautiful campground in Lone Pine, I just swam and spent some time in the hot tub. I have been fed well again and ready for some sleep, just 20oz. of Endurox to drink and I am ready.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Day 3, JW rides America and takes her pulse

Yes in a way, I want to take the pulse of America from the heart of fly-over country. I will explain a little more as I go along, but I have a feeling that there are more than a few folks fed up with the current politicians views, as well as a seemingly biased media. But enough of my opinion, I want to know yours.
#1- Can we win the battle in Iraq, and should we win this battle for reasons greater than what the current crop of hair spray politicians seem to give us as reason.
#2- What about the whole concept of a war on those who fall into the camp of being a terrorist, this takes us deep into other countries that harbor these people, how far should America go?
#3- What about education, we see and hear of enough conflicting studies and educational reports to think that most of our kids can’t think there way out of an out-house. What do you think needs to be done?
#4- Globalization, is the modern economists version of panacea, but is it really. Are there larger and larger regions of our country that are being left behind as manufacturing moves overseas? And about those jobs, what sort of job is being left behind for those who still need a job in USA.
#5- Any one whom would take the time to do any research into the founding of this country would have to at least acknowledge that God played a huge part in not only its founding but also in the orchestration of the writings that would entail the formation of these United States. So, the question is, as our country is steered more and more towards secularism, much like has happened in western Europe, is the actual fabric that makes America great, becoming to raveled to hold together in the tough times that many warn us are ahead. What do you think?
LET ME KNOW BY SENDING A POST, AND BE APART OF THE PULSE THAT BEATS IN AMERICA. Depending on how you answer, we will either classify you as a VIEN or an ARTERY………..just kidding.

looking up the Kern from Bakersfield

Today was a very tough day, a lot tougher than I was ready for, and I have no shame in telling you that I would have quit if it hadn’t been for my wife’s Prayers and my kids constant encouragement. So I am thankful for a great family, and a Lord who oversees my each footstep………or should I say pedal stroke!

Very pretty place to drive, but not a bike route I would recommend!!!

We got somewhat of a late start, since I had to run back to Coalinga and photograph a saddle last nite after I rode 75.8 miles. I also had to do a little work on my bike. SO the morning started at 9am in Bakersfield. I rode around the north side of town and took the china grade loop road so I could hit Hwy 178 heading up the Kern Canyon. Serious Canyon, and no place for a bike pulling a heavy trailer. I consider myself lucky to be alive and to stupid to know when to quit.

More rock wall for company, as cars pass by at 60mph, tooting horns and gesturing with fingers I would like to break for them......ah, well I Pray.

Once you are past the first 26 miles of the canyon, it gets a little wider for you and the cars both. From that point, it is 106 degrees on my bike thermometer, and I am wearing a long sleeve jersey to beat the sunburn back a little. My right leg is already well done, so I bath in sunscreen. Anyone got good advice in brands of sunscreen that actually work??

I had a cowboy friend that worked on the Onyx Ranch, so I stopped here because of that. Talked to the lady who owned the store and asked her a few questions.

We stopped in Lake Isabella for a great lunch, and then the steady clickety click of the chain, as I rode on up the Kern River Canyon. That is a great ride, with lots of beautiful scenery. I stopped at the Onyx General store, and asked the owner a few of the PULSE questions. She was kind enough to be open and honest, to generalize the War on Terror will only be won if we are willing to use a much firmer hand. And yes, we certainly can win this overall conflict. She feels that Americans are becoming fat and complacent, with equal number of folks who just don’t care or don’t feel it will affect them and there introspective lifestyle.
We camped about ½ way up the Walker Pass, and its my job to finish it up over the top tomorrow. Mom really fed us fine tonight. We had baked rice, grilled Salmon and English Bangers………….what can I say, I married UP and got a great ranch cook.

What a women I and my kids have been Blessed with to call Mom.
I had a 63.5 mile day today

What a beautiful way to end the day of riding, sunset over the Walker Pass Campgrounds, elevation approx 10,000 ft.
Good night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Day 2- JW rides America.

It was roller coaster type day from the time we left the La Panza campground. We awoke at about 5:30, and started building coffee and fried eggs, fresh tomatoes………why are we raised to always reference them as fresh…..just a curiosity is all. We had some fried potatoes ( Dan Quail style).

Sis and I left together and done the first huge hill but made it to the top only to find a drop and another as big as the first. The rest of the day all looked about the same until we rolled off the top and hit the valley headed for Bakersfield. I had myself on HWY 58, that really sucked, since there was heavy traffic and most drivers couldn’t read English it seemed. Need I say more, it got so bad that I just pulled over to find a side road and made it to another road with a shoulder and room for me.

_A place called California Valley in central Cal.
It was sort of a hurried day, since I had to drive back to home to take some pic’s of a VERY NICE WBS saddle.
We hit 70 plus miles, and 104 degrees

Good night and God Bless

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 10:14 AM | Permalink

We got sort of a late start since Sunday was a sort of a hectic day. The kids had a Youth Group celebration to honor a fine young man Jared Warren from our local Church. So the kid’s got home about 11:45 rather late for having an early start. I Had plenty of engraving to get done and stayed busy with that till about 12:30.

Photo by Jeremiah Watt
Title: Leaving Cayucos

So Mom and I agreed to get out of Warthan Canyon by 6am which we did. That put it us on the coast at about 8:15. I hooked my loaded trailer to my bike, eagerly stripped of my blue jeans …….and then realized I had forgot to put my bike pants on??? Just kidding.

I was ready and wanting to get going, so I walked my bike right out to the end of the pier and left from that point on my trip to attempt to cross this America.

For you folks that have never been to the California coast, its hilly, real hilly. My daughter Nevada joined me once I got out of town and on the back roads. By the time we had road 11.6 miles we had been riding on a constant uphill for over ten miles of that distance. The real killer of this hill comes right at the end, the last 1.1 miles are at 8.8% grade. I had trouble with my bike wanting to do a wheelie on me while trying to climb that grade all because of the weight of the trailer.

We rolled into the lovely little town of Templeton, and had fried chicken and a great greek salad………….I am so used to Haggis and Neeps, it was nice to have a change. We sat for a while waiting for the folks fro California Classics, but they got delayed so we headed out.

Photo by Jeremiah Watt
Title: Tiny Town of Templeton- home of California Classics
Both my kids were riding with me, and we stopped to say hello to one of California’s Masters of paint and rawhide, that’s right we stopped to visit with Ernie and Blanche Morris. It about made him swallow his false teeth seeing Jeremiah ride a bike in and wearing spandex.

Photo by Jeremiah Watt
Title: One of California's Vaquero at work---Ernie Morris

Photo by Jeremiah Watt
Title: visiting Ernie & Blanche in their studio

After that the trip went to hell in hurry, I was taking backroads over to the valley so I could get across I-5, but let me tell you that once you get out there it is a maze of tiny roads going everyplace. I got separated from Colleen,and with all the hills there was no cell service, and so finding each other was quite an ordeal. I had turned the wrong direction at one point and rode almost 12 mile out of the way, my first thought was to shot myself and get it over with……………but then I remembered Pastor Mike’s last words of advise ……..so I stopped and Prayed instead. Besides I was low on bullets.

And so here we are, ended for the day with 63 miles in the right direction under our belt, camped at a very remote La Panza campground, not much here folks…. except us.

I will close by telling you that there are plenty of ranches out this way, and it is just great to see how much open country there is. I cannot imagine what this area had to look like when we had ranching before the automobile or those damndable velocipede’s.

In the words of Edward R Murrow, I will close with Good Night and God Bless!

Photo by Jeremiah Watt
Title: California Countryside

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 11:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

ANOTHER WARNING- WE DO NOT DEAL WITH THE FOLKS AT FOREX BROKERAGE UNTIL THEY STOP SPAMMING THIS SITE!!!
Cycling and our preparations are just about done and the time has come to load the trailer, double check the list and the road on Monday. I’ll show you here what I am riding and maybe a few reasons as to why I ride what I do. This is my first long trip on a bike, so no doubt I will have a different idea when I Get done with this ride.
I am riding a great bike that I got in a"horse trade" with my cowboy friend Wes Sheppard. Thanks Wes.
I had to get some work done on the frame to make it ready for me to ride, rebuilt the drive to a 9spd x triple set up.
A new set of high end Mavic Krysium SSL wheels, also a new seat that is being made using Herman Oak Leather......afterall I am a loyalist to the US tanners.
Photo by: Jeremiah
Title: a last training ride before I head out

The little trailer is running at about 45-48 pounds when loaded, so its quite a lug to get it up some hills. A full quarter of my total weight is the equipment required to do my blogging for the ride. I will be packing a small trailer mounted Video camera, that can be seen mounted to my home made traveling tri-pod near the rear of my trailer. I can also mount my digital cam on this post and get some HQ stills.

So how will I eat you ask, well I plan on spending most of my time in the ditch in a tent and my cooking will be done on a tiny little 4x1x4 stove using fuel blocks. Don’t think I will be having tri-tip or a roast, mostly noodles and Cous-Cous, lots of Tofu, plenty of Peanut Butter and fig cookies. I’ll pack some En-Durox that is meant for rebuilding muscle mass…………..my kids figured it would take ad 8-10 minutes to completely rebuild a massive fella like myself. I am not real sure just what it does, but can tell you it does something because you really notice a difference in your legs wgen you take it. I was thinking a trying those new Landis Testosterone Patches, but wasn’t sure how much it hurt to pull it off the parts you sit on……..so I opted for another Peanut Butter sandwich instead.

My clothes will be sparce and functional, just bike clothes. All spandex all the time, with an occassinal skinny dip in a creek as we ride by. Pack a couple extra tubes, one folding bead tire and a bike repair kit. The guys and I have come up with agreat little traveling repair stand for those times when I do have to work on the bike drvetrain.

CONTEST QUESTION #3 yes there are prizes for each question asked!!!!!!!!!!!
This will be answered at the very end of the bike trip, but we are asking you to guess what will be the highest mileage day of my trip. And the closest guess is the winner. Just a little something to get you involved and participating in the whole adventure. So you have until Friday 18th is the deadline for placing an answer to this question. Best of luck

If you are into Prayin, now is a good time. Wann’a wish me luck only, hey that’s fine, all I really want is to have a safe trip.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 1:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Here is a little announcement from the desk of Jeremiah Watt
#1- as many of you now understand I do a lot of silver and gold work, and out of that type of work I have brought out a couple of DVD and Video Series that deal with doing that sort of work. One of the things that folks have always made comment on is the fact that we unabashedly give recommendations as to companies for you to consider dealing with. So, I hereby Want to give you a recommendation based in frustration, not enjoyment. The folks at Forex have been inundating my blog with crap and I can’t get them to stop and take their spam crap someplace else. So mark it on your calendar that I am making my announcement here to tell you to avoid these SPAMMERS like the plague until such a time that they learn to differentiate doing business in a proper manner.
#2- Here is a post that is a little more fun to announce. Jeremiah, that is me, is going to be riding his bicycle from Cayucos California out across the hinterland of USA, until I reach the east coast of this beautiful country. I will be needing your prayers, and wishes of good luck, hoping to fend off my failing antique body parts, and avoiding being just one more grease spot on the grill of a Mac Truck as we say out WEST! All totaled the trip will be approx. 4400 miles, and I am planning on an average of 75 miles per day. I will let you do the math on total days of riding……….I am still trying to figure that out so if you come up with an answer be sure to email and win the FIRST HSBT free prize.
#3- I will be posting almost everyday while on he road via my new wireless connection, which is what I am on with this post as well. I will not announce the entire route to be taken. But I tell you that I travel thru the center of fly-over America, I have a goal of meeting one interesting person per day, I will capture my daily travel on still and video mounted camera. I will make every effort to post some footage for each day that I can get cell service. Test question number #2, how many official mountain passes will I be crossing in my trip across America. We will save all entries until the end, and the person who guesses the closest will be the winner of my last pair of unwashed bike pants…….these will be a heck of a collector item to frame and put in your sports room alongside Floyd Landis’s B sample from Tour de France.. Really, we will have some fun and find something exciting as a prize for question #2.
You can follow us almost daily at the “JW rides America”. The entire adventure will be edited and repackaged as a feature length movie to be seen on the big silver screen at some point………well okay maybe not.

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 4:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My America is adopted, your America may well be yours by birth, but our America is the most beautiful country in the world. On August the 14th, Jeremiah will be leaving the small California coastal town of Cayucos, beginning right out on the end of the pier with his new steed a Merlin full Titanium and pulling his Little Bob gooseneck trailer.
I will [post some pics of the daily trip from the laptop and when ever cell service allows me to connect with all of you.

Photo by: Jeremiah setting cam on fence post
Title; Losing the dougnut rolls, its 110 today.

Jeremiah will have about 50 pounds of goods in the trailer and will be self sufficient while on the road. I am going to make my trip right across America, right thru the heartland of this great country..........I tell my kids I want to see cowboys on the alkali flats of Nevada, climbers in the red rock canyons of Utah, hikers in the tall granite spires of Colorado. I'll be passing thru the heart of Kansas and waving to farmers out combining grain. Hear that soft morning breeze as it rustles early turning leaves in Missouri and on into the heart of the hardwoods in Tennesee, Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia, all totaled it runs to about 4400 miles by my mapping. I want to ride into that small town america with one gas station and a white store with the towns elders sitting in the front playin checkers........is it still there? Heck if I know, but if it is I'll bet I can see it at 13 miles per hour.
We had an unusual visito one day. A fella from Russia stopped in whom is also a cyclist and that is how we met. While visiting he informed what a beautiful country we have here, and asked if I had seen it all? No I exclaimed, but I will some day. Our new friend Vladamir, has rode all of USA 2 times, all Russia, all Europe, all China and Mongolia, all of Alaska down to Halifax. Very intersting fella, quite the tough guy as well.

Photo by: JW
Title: Valadamir from Russia with my family
Here is an even more unusual shot, one that could make alot of moeny if I sold it to the tabloids. It is of me and Warren Wright, you kow, the saddle tree maker from New Zealand. Warren and I rode the infamous Parkfield hill by bike, and had a blast doing it. It is really more than a hill, it runs for 7.5 miles and will make you work to get to the top of it. Warren is a very in shape fella and likes to stay that way.

Photo by: JW
Title: JW and Warren on Parkfield hill
Last I want to mention that my older brother Niel, has already made the ride from Canada to Mexico and I sure can't let him have the higher mileage ride under his belt now can I. It is not a contest, although we have fun teasing each other about it, it is a goal and achieveing that goal.........kind'a like learning to spell my kids tell me. I like to get some exercise and the cycling gives me a good work our and lets me see some wonderful scenery, from summer heat to winter rains, I ride in it all and jjust wear more clothes to get it done.

Photo by: JW
Title: Hwy 198, Mustang grade 17 miles west of JW house.

Photo by: JW
Title: North Fork road in Priest Valley California, what a beautiful place to call home or close to it!
We will be posting at least one more blog from home here, we will be running a contest of sorts so that you readers can participate a little............some of you seem to be lacking in the typing skills department somewhat???

Posted by Jeremiah Watt at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)