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To help raise funds for the Alzheimer's Association before my Arizona
Cross State record setting ride, I placed a number of advertisements on
some of the cycling websites for the clubs I ride with. Adrian Stingaciu
responded to an ad I placed on the Orange County Wheelman website and he
made a very generous donation. Turns out that Adrian was also about to
embark on his own fundraising ride, but his was to support the Lance
Armstrong Foundation and was an unsupported, ultra light-weight ride
across America from Tybee Island Georgia to South Laguna, California.
Impressive!
Adrian and I traded several emails prior to his ride discussing the
route though Arizona and Phoenix. His original plan was to follow US60
through the state, but changed his mind after reading my ride report on
the Salt River Canyon. Instead he planned to ride through Show Low,
Payson and Fountain Hills, cutting through Phoenix on Bell Road.
Adrian planned to camp out along the way, carrying an absolute minimum
amount of supplies and finding suitable places to stop when he was
tired. He called me on Sunday night from Show Low, but I missed his
call. He called again on Monday afternoon from Payson just as I was
getting ready to head home from work on my bicycle commute so I invited
him to spend the night at my house. I've ridden north along the route
between Fountain Hills and Payson, but never south, so I wasn't positive
on how much climbing there would be, but I did know that places to find
water would be difficult at best. So when I got home I jumped in my
truck with a cooler full of ice cold Gatorade, Propel and water.
He called me again from the rest area at the junction of 87 and 188, but
I was going through a canyon and almost immediately lost the call, at
least I knew where he was. When I got to the rest area, I didn't see
him, but a couple ladies I asked said he had just left. He wasn't too
far along and I pulled off the road a bit in front of him. He was
surprised and glad to see me and changed his water out for Gatorade. I
described his route for him then left to stage some fluids at the tops
of the bigger hills, hoping he would find them as he passed, then headed
home to have dinner with Annette and my kids.
About 8pm I headed over to Fountain Hills and Adrian called just as I
was about to turn onto Shea. He was waiting at the Taco Bell just past
the intersection. He had just been buzzed by a semi and was a bit shaken
up, so we sat for a while and chatted about his ride. July 4th weekend
is probably one of the worst times to travel through Arizona in a car,
much less on a bicycle so Adrian got to experience the worst kinds of
drivers. Drivers who won't give you any room even on a two lane road
with the second lane completely clear. He said of all the states he's
ridden through, Arizona was by far the worst for not giving any amount
of courtesy to a cyclist. A sad, but true comment that I would have to
agree with.
Adrian's a vegan, so when we got home we scrounged through the pantry
and fridge and surprisingly found quite a bit of stuff he could eat!
After a couple helpings of organic brown rice, Asian vegetables, organic
peanut butter on flour tortillas he actually filled up! We stayed up
until after midnight talking about his ride. Annette informed me in no
uncertain terms that I'm forbidden from even thinking about doing that
kind of a ride! I can ride across the country at some point if I want,
but I'll be required to spend nights in hotels and have my cell phone on
at all times. There are probably a few more restrictions, but it's not
something I'm thinking about doing... yet...
On Tuesday morning we drove back out to Fountain Hills to start riding.
I had a hard 300k brevet coming up the following weekend, so I wasn't
supposed to be doing any hard efforts or staying out in the sun more too
long, so I only rode with Adrian for about 15 miles before heading back
to my truck. For someone who has just ridden 2000 miles, he was riding a
lot better than I would have expected.
It was great meeting and riding with Adrian. Cycling allows you to meet
some truely amazing and friendly people. You can read Adrian's daily
journal or make a donation to the LAF
click here. He successfully completed his journey across
America on Saturday, July 8th at 10:15am after 21 days, 23 hours and 15
minutes. Overall he rode 2,681 miles and averaged 122 miles per
day!
To Adrian -- your ride goals and attitude are awesome, my friend, just
awesome!
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