Day 3: Sunday

Time in motion: 3:55:22
Distance: 52.9 mi.
Average: 13.5 mph.
Maximum: 25.3 mph.
Climbed: ?
Temp: 65-97 °F

We awoke and were on the road shortly after sunrise.  I ate some Pop Tarts and half a Gatorade and we were on our way.  Unfortunately, I did not realize until later in the day that I had only half a bottle of liquid with me and there were limited services along the route with a good deal of heat.

The ride through the Yuha Desert  from Ocotillo was beautiful.  I cruised toward the rising sun at a steady 20 miles per hour.  The sun lit up the mountains to the south as the moon was still visible overhead.  I noticed some colorful plants along the shoulder and snapped some pictures.

As I cruised over the desert, enjoying the light tailwind, I started to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary (it’s Lent, and yes, I realize it’s a Sunday).  Just as I was meditating on the crowning of Jesus with thorns, I noticed a sign for “Crucifixion Thorn Natural Area.”  I laughed at the coincidence, snapped a photo, and continued my prayer and pedaling.  Then just as I was finishing the Rosary by meditating on the crucifixion of Jesus, in the middle of the nowhere I came across some strange looking castle-like structure topped with a giant cross.  Both of these in the emptiness of the Yuha Desert.  I’m not sure what God’s trying to get at here.  I smiled and continued on my way.

Eight miles south of Seeley we turned north, leaving the smooth highway SR98 for the extremely rough Drew Road.  Quite thirsty by this time, I endured the last eight miles into Seeley.  Our Adventure Cycling Maps say there is a restaurant in Seeley, but the guy at the convenience store seemed amused when I asked where I could find it.  If there was a restaurant, it is now closed.  Still without breakfast but finally hydrated, we rode on to El Centro.

The road between Seeley and El Centro was just as rough as Drew Road, so Jesse and I were both glad to arrive in El Centro, a town of more than 20,000 people.  We stopped at Wendy’s and ate lunch.  It was delicious.  I like Wendy’s.

After El Centro we turned north and rode through Imperial and on to Brawley.  Along the way I saw a sugar plant along the road that indicated the sea level on the side of one of its silos.  I was surprised to see that we are, in fact, quite a few feet below sea level.

The last few miles into Brawley were hot, dry, and windy.  I think it was about 97 degrees.  We found the Travel Inn after a little hunting for the best room.  Then we stocked up on granola bars and Gatorade (4 bottles each) for tomorrow’s ride.  On tomorrow’s route, there is a stretch of 87 miles with only one spot, Glamis, where we can refuel.  Nobody that we asked tonight could tell us if that store would be open for business tomorrow or not.  So we aren’t going to trust it.  We loaded up for the long haul, went to Pizza Hut for supper, and now we’re relaxing.

The transition from the Yuha Desert to Imperial Valley was very stark.  There’s a tree row that perfectly demarcates the border between desert nothingness and green, irrigated fields.  There is an impressive series of irrigation ditches and pumps to keep the fields wet.  If I recall correctly, the Imperial Valley is irrigated by the Salton Sea, quite a distance to the north.  But the water there is very poor, so I’m not sure if that is the case.

All day we saw R.V.s, lifted pickups, and trailers loaded with toys (dune buggies, 4-wheelers, etc.) all heading west, perhaps back to San Diego, after a weekend of playing in the desert that lies ahead of us to the east.

I thought there was an evening Mass at one of the Catholic Churches in Brawley, but there was not.  We arrived too late in the day for the morning Masses, obviously, so I have unfortunately missed a Sunday Mass – my first since confirmation.  Normally this is not permissible, it is a sin.  But I discussed the possibility that I might be stuck in a small town with no Catholic Church on a Sunday with my pastor, who has the power to excuse me from that obligation in certain circumstances.  And so he did.  I was disappointed, however.  The website of the San Diego diocese misled me.