Trans America Cycling Day 4 - Brawley, CA to Blythe, CA
The link to today's route and statistics is found here.
As we cycled out of Brawley we saw up close evidence of world-class agricultural operations. To satisfy America's appetite for sweets, we passed fields of sugar beets.
To help satisfy American's need for hamburgers, California's Imperial Valley has about 400,000 cattle on feed, and in terms of revenue production they are the region's predominant agricultural product. We cycled past Mesquite Cattle Feeders Inc., which feeds about 35,000 head. Randy from Oklahoma and others were misted by yellow water blown by the wind from a cattle truck. After clean-up at Motel 8, he was allowed to join the group for dinner at The Sizzler, where he ordered steak for revenge.
The Imperial Valley is the largest alfalfa growing region in the world. Many of the hay bales that we passed on the route are baled alfalfa.
Alfalfa is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family. It is cultivated as an important forage crop used for grazing, hay, and silage. The name alfalfa is used in North America, while the name lucerne is the more commonly used elsewhere. We saw enormous alfalfa hay bales while cycling. Alfalfa is a prime feed for the Imperial Valley cattle. Thank the alfalfa farmers for your Sizzler rib eye steak.
SAG stops today were noteworthy. SAG1 was at the sand dunes of the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.
SAG2 was at the border patrol station. John from Malta got nervous when we informed him that his picture was taken while riding though the border patrol entryway. Something about a Beirut caper I believe.
Between SAGs 2 and 3 today were some of the sweetest rollers on the planet. With the greater than 10 mph tailwind much of the way and a slight negative grade, cyclists could bomb to the bottom of a roller hitting speeds of 30 to 35 mph many times. With that kinetic energy and some high-rate pedaling on the upslope, the cyclist can crest the next roller many times at near or over 20 mph. Cyclists were in rhythm with the environment. As our Swiss friend from the 2017 TAC Southern Tier tour likes to say "Four wheels move the body, while two wheels move the soul." Cycling the rollers today was soulful, but for the truck drivers not so much.
Finally at SAG3 cyclists stopped to reflect on their wonderful day of cycling and those joyous rollers.
As we cycled out of Brawley we saw up close evidence of world-class agricultural operations. To satisfy America's appetite for sweets, we passed fields of sugar beets.
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| Imperial Valley sugar beets satisfy the sweet tooth |
To help satisfy American's need for hamburgers, California's Imperial Valley has about 400,000 cattle on feed, and in terms of revenue production they are the region's predominant agricultural product. We cycled past Mesquite Cattle Feeders Inc., which feeds about 35,000 head. Randy from Oklahoma and others were misted by yellow water blown by the wind from a cattle truck. After clean-up at Motel 8, he was allowed to join the group for dinner at The Sizzler, where he ordered steak for revenge.
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| Cycling past Mesquite Cattle Feeders with 35,000 head |
The Imperial Valley is the largest alfalfa growing region in the world. Many of the hay bales that we passed on the route are baled alfalfa.
Alfalfa is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family. It is cultivated as an important forage crop used for grazing, hay, and silage. The name alfalfa is used in North America, while the name lucerne is the more commonly used elsewhere. We saw enormous alfalfa hay bales while cycling. Alfalfa is a prime feed for the Imperial Valley cattle. Thank the alfalfa farmers for your Sizzler rib eye steak.
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| Ubiquitous alfalfa fields with Mexican mountains behind |
SAG stops today were noteworthy. SAG1 was at the sand dunes of the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.
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| Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area |
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| Fun in the sandbox leaving SAG1 (photo thanks to Barry) |
SAG2 was at the border patrol station. John from Malta got nervous when we informed him that his picture was taken while riding though the border patrol entryway. Something about a Beirut caper I believe.
 |
| Border Patrol Station at SAG2 |
Between SAGs 2 and 3 today were some of the sweetest rollers on the planet. With the greater than 10 mph tailwind much of the way and a slight negative grade, cyclists could bomb to the bottom of a roller hitting speeds of 30 to 35 mph many times. With that kinetic energy and some high-rate pedaling on the upslope, the cyclist can crest the next roller many times at near or over 20 mph. Cyclists were in rhythm with the environment. As our Swiss friend from the 2017 TAC Southern Tier tour likes to say "Four wheels move the body, while two wheels move the soul." Cycling the rollers today was soulful, but for the truck drivers not so much.
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| Chocolate Mountains, healthy dark chocolate, 85% cacao |
Finally at SAG3 cyclists stopped to reflect on their wonderful day of cycling and those joyous rollers.
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| Taking a blow at SAG3 |
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