Saturday morning I still had a touch of vertigo, but needed to keep moving. I decided to stay in the valley and take farm roads and take it easy. I have forgotten what a long ride on level ground was like! I pedaled through vineyards and orchards of fruit and nut trees, occasionally passing through small farm towns. The miles ticked by and the thought came into my mind that I should do a century. Although the head continued to be woozy, the legs felt good from the day off. When I got close to Visalia, I decided to call the Blaney’s, a YCS family that moved up this way. I got Carolyn on the phone and low-and-behold, they were in Yucaipa visiting! So we missed each other, but I said hello to their town of Exeter as I rode through. Wrapped the day up with 105 miles.
This week has been HOT. Triple digits every day, and it’s a challenge to stay hydrated when your water bottles have 100 degree water in them. Every gas station or general store I go by, I ask to fill up my bottles with ice from their fountain drink machines, and they last about 90 minutes until they are back to outside temps.
Sunday, I had another hot day pedaling to Bakersfield. The vertigo was almost gone this morning, so I’m hoping its working its way out of my system. The route was rolling hills and hot again, and their were no services between Porterville and Bakersfield so the water bottles were very hot. Tomorrow sends me into the mountains again, as I will be climbing up to Tehachapi, about 4000′, where hopefully it will be a few degrees cooler!