"If you don't like the weather in Arizona, go 2 hours in any direction"

I finally made it to Prescott, and its snowing like crazy out.

A retired couple, Carol and Johnny, put me up in their rv for 2 nights in Salome over the weekend while I waited out the rain, I got to attend the Mcullen Valley chili cookoff, featuring a recreation of the shootout between Billy the Kid and Joe Grant, and more chili than anyone should ever eat. I don't think there is anyone under the age of 50 in Salome but everyone is very friendly. Carol and Johnny sent me off yesterday with some bottled water, informing me that they say its no good to refill water bottles, and the book of Mormon with their phone number written on the inside cover.

From Salome I biked through the desert for a bit until I hit a mountain, after much internal debate and whining of whether to camp out for the night at the base or just try and make it up, I finally worked myself up to just go for it, the flatness of the desert has spoiled me. The climb up was long but gradual and a beautiful ride. It brought me up into the mountain towns of Yarnell and Peeples valley.

The scenery was beautiful and seemed almost surreal, I was surrounded by fields and mountainous terrain covered in leafless gnarled trees that looked like they belonged in a horror movie. All of this was set against a grey overcast sky, it was breathtaking. I stopped at a pizza place for a cup of coffee and directions. The employees seemed more than eager to tell me all the possible camping sites ahead. We finally settled on a bridge about 5 miles ahead, I finished my coffee said my goodbyes and headed to the spot. It ended up being a nice soft sandy spot under the road, there was some barbed wire fencing blocking it off from the road but luckily I had just discovered the wire cutters on my pliers. I set up camp and built a nice campfire, then went to bed uneasily listening to some howling coyotes.

Then today came the snow, it started off lightly raining, then turned to painful sleet and fast winds, I did about 17 miles before stopping at a general store in skull valley for a burrito and 3 cups of of hot cocao. I hung out there for a bit to warm up and try to wait out the storm. A woman came in from Prescott and said it was snowing harder up there and offered me a ride, normally I'd decline, but biking in the snow sucks real bad. So I took her up on the offer, threw my bike in her pickup, enjoyed the snowy mountain scenery, and chatted with her 4 year old daughter.

Its kind of nice to see snow, its really coming down outside. My uncle should be getting off work just about now, so I'm off to a hot shower and dry clothing.