Day 49

(You might have to go back to Day 46 to keep up to date?) Waken at my usual body clock time but it seemed a bit dark ... Hmmm.. discovered later that I've crossed into my last time zone ... now in Pacific Time. Washed, shaved had a bit of a raw breakfast and made a move to get on the road .... Ah! Don't tell me I've another front puncture?!!! That's the cactii for you or it's payback time for not paying the camping fee! Not a good start to the day. I push the bike onto the road, change the inside tube but for some unknown reason I'm having new problems with my front brakes sticking ... hate working and trying to adjust these V-brakes ... there's a knack with them that always causes me trouble. Aagh! There are numerous lay byes and pull off points along the road to see the canyon from different angles ... great. The road is still climbing ... this is cruel; surely I've paid my dues by now ... no, the road still climbs and I have to bear with it. This has taken the shine off my visit to the Canyon!


Up ahead a car has pulled over and the two occupants are standing, holding out a cold drink for me ... I recognise them as people I met in Monument Valley ... I stop and appreciate the nice touch. Thanks. Oh dear ... I notice that my front tyre is nearly flat ... this is not one of my better days. I can't be bothered to fix it now so I'll inflate the tyre and hope that it will pull me through to the village where I will fix it properly. Notice that the tyre has many small cactus thorns ... I suspect I'm gonna have a lot more problems unless I do a thorough cleanup? Anyway arrive at the village area ... it's spread out and not easy to find things. Think I'll get something to eat then hunt out for a Wifi hotspot and then see the Canyon from a different viewpoint. I took a walk down and around the famous and historic 'El Tovar' hotel ... this is where the rich and famous would stay. I'm sitting on the front porch on a rocking chair. Very, very pleasant.


Having problems uploading photos ... I really need a good Wifi connection to get the best out of this 'phone.


There I was enjoying the comforts of a big settee in the hotel when to my horror I remember that after inflating the front tyre outside the restaurant, I placed it on the wall and didn't stow it properly on the bike. Stupid me ... it's an age thing! ... and to make matters worse the tyre needs inflated now to allow me to go back. I go to the hotel reception desk and inquire if there is a bike shop in the neighbourhood ... no luck but there is a stall up at the Visitor's Centre that hires out bicycles ... maybe they could help? It's 3 miles away and they close at 6:00pm .... Sssugar!!! This is not my day!! I walk up to the restaurant ... no one has handed in a bicycle pump and it's nowhere to be seen ... OK, scamper up to the bike hire place ... they're just about to close but can't sell me a pump. They loan me one for the evening ... fine, that partly solves my problem ... I use the wash hand basin in the gents toilet to locate the puncture, fix it and return the pump. So here I am without an essential piece of cycling equipment 50 miles from a town that may or may not stock what I need! Gee!! ... This Grand Canyon visit is going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons. It's getting late now and I've moved up to Mather Point, with hundreds of other tourists, to watch the sunset. I daren't risk another puncture so camping in the scrub is out of the question. Instead I've 'eyed' out a snug little park bench on a prime site overlooking the canyon and I'll just get out the sleeping bag. No sign of rain, clear starry sky, long wide bench and trust that the park rangers don't do a midnight scan for hobos! To be honest ... this wasn't a good day at all ... it started bad and things just didn't work out in my favour at all. I'll sleep on it ... surely things will be better tomorrow? Travelled 25 miles along the south canyon rim ... and I've had enough.

Location:Grand Canyon Village