California Love

Wow. So much has happened since my last blog post that I can do nothing other than list format:
1. Riding from the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas was death, pure and simple. Multiple hundred mile days through the desert at 100 + temperatures? Yikes. The ride into Kingman was especially notable for its hellishness, because as I collapsed, heat exhausted, at the host, a dust storm blew up out of nowhere. Wow. Who knew that happened post-1930s?
2. Las Vegas: A totally surreal experience. None of us were quite prepared for the glitz and glamour, being primarily clad in dirt, athletic gear, and tan lines, but we were prepared for the all you can eat buffet. That buffet will never be the same again. I made a sincere effort to stay out late and enjoy Vegas, but mostly enjoyed sleeping in a real bed. Our build day the next day was cut short because of our general exhaustion and I spent the rest of the day by the pool with a pina colada. Delightful.
3. Riding into California was notable for the rollercoaster on the state line (strange, I know) and for the continued hellishness of the riding. One of our stops (Baker, CA) is known for being the "Gateway to Death Valley" and has a 134 foot thermometer, commemorating the highest temperature recorded in the US! Yay! Let's never bike there again!
4. Today was the beginning of the end. Our last long day (87 miles) was yesterday, and we rode into Valencia, CA after just 35 miles! AND there are now trees, water, and civilization! Wonderful! The only blight on the day so far is that I had my first wipe out. In traffic. I'm fine, just a little banged up, but I was greeted by the enthusiasm of the Valencia Fire Department and thoroughly embarrassed. Oh well. At least I finally have some scars to prove how hard core I am. We plan on spending the rest of our day at Six Flags Magic Mountain, so I should get a move on.
Will write from SANTA BARBARA.