Adios Arizona...or is it hasta luego? Days 100-102

First tune straight out of the box: Lust For Life by Iggy Pop. Hear those tom drums! The sun was shining! I'd had a good sleep! I had the lust for life! I was semi-transformed to an Edinburgh street, being chased by the police...oh. That wasn't me, it was Trainspotting - check out the video! I've been on the 70 for a couple of days and would need to keep that enthusiasm up as I had many more days left. Meeting Jordan and Jamie helped. They both work in the reservation hospital and Jordan had seen me running for three days and felt compelled to wait for me at the top of the hill and find out what this crazy beard and its human were up to. This is my absolute favourite type of encounter, as I imagine what people think as they pass all the time! On through Bylas, one of the only real settlements of note with lots of just general marvelling at the scenery. We stopped for a break at a really cool ghost gas station. Someone had daubed “Help your soul – Free your mind” on the delapidated and broken doors. I reckon I'm doing just that right now. Running felt so easy today and I sort of just got lost in the music and surrounds, with my escaping mind. Hey, if it's uneventful as this for the rest of the run I'll take it. A sudden dive in the energy levels at the end due to maybe not eating enough wasn't a concern, though maybe taking my eye off the ball should be!

Start: Highway 70, 9.5 miles east of Apache Gold Casino RV resort. Finish: Jct of Highway 70 and Ashurst Road. 42.0 miles. Day 100 Tune of the Day: Iggy Pop – Lust For Life. The sun was shining, turn on shuffle... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQvUBf5l7Vw

Taking my eye off the ball obviously extended to the use of sunscreen. Nads had remarked that I looked a bit red when I came in, but it was bloody hot. This morning, my face, neck and shoulders were still pretty crimson, especially down the right side of my body which had been having a stare-off with the fireball for the previous day. The weather was going to be even warmer today, so maybe I got lucky with my laxity being yesterday. I set off down the Old West Highway, mostly through farm country and then...a Liverpudlian ran through Thatcher without incident (I was very well behaved – for American/Aussie and other readers who don't get that – Liverpool and the former Prime Minister were not the best of friends!). Home to one of the best “Welcome to...” signs I've seen with a swooping eagle being outdone by some kind of mean old lizard with a Stetson, six-shooter and an eye for trouble on it, as well as some really quirky residences, such a feature of small town America. I had a longer than expected rest in a Walmart, where I immediately bumped into someone else who'd seen me a few times in the last 100 miles and I also got talking to a local who knew pretty much...everything. The weather, terrain, highway laws, the problems in various towns, as well as things I can't really mention on here and even though I had an eye on the clock, a lot of the info was pretty useful. He's a big HAM radio man, so I told him to let the local truckers know I was going down the 70 and to give me a wave as they went by. Soon after Thatcher merged into Safford and this faded again into the open country that I've grown so fond of, with snow-capped Mount Graham keeping watch. On the horizon, a landmark loomed. Now this was more of an imaginary one, but at least there was a good physical marker – a crumbling grain silo/depot that formed the backdrop for my 5,000km celebration. That's 5 million metres. I remember wondering when I was little if anyone had ever counted to a million. Now my feet had done 2 and a half times that each in less than four months. I hope they didn't mind too much as the last ten miles or so were all going to be uphill. I was wondering what emotional bribe I could give my psyche to help me with the last few miles when it happened. The blue sky suddenly changed into a mixture of reds, oranges and yellows as the best sunset of the trip so far descended on us. I took so long getting photos and videos that it began to get dark. I realised I needed to get on my toes and put the hammer down for the last stretch. 200m before the end, a car pulls up and the occupants ask where I'm running to. "Maine". Cue much excitement in the car... "Unbelievable! I'm walking across the country!" 
The voice was Chris, the cheery beardy chap, from Suttons Bay, Michigan, accompanied by his two intrepid companions, Eloisa and Ryan. These guys have only just teamed up, as Chris has walked all the way (over the winter) from Washington DC, self supported, pulling a cart and had just crossed the same state line with New Mexico that I'll cross today. Now I feel a bit guilty typing this on my phone as he's crossing in aid of his own initiative, Let's Talk, designed when he was at university in St Andrews, Scotland. The aim is to get America talking, face-to-face again, instead of an over reliance on technology. God knows, if recent world events have shown us anything, people need to talk and listen more. This was such a crazy chance meeting, if I hadn't been delayed at the shops, or taken those beautiful sunset photos (up later), I'd have covered those last few hundred metres and been in the RV, all of us oblivious to the others' presence!! Madness. Meant to be. Would be great if you can give his page a Like, I know how much your support means to me. He's got 600 miles to go before he finishes in LA! Go Chris!! https://m.facebook.com/LetsTalkUsaProject/ Turns out he'd also had a good brush with the sun in the last day or so, though his exposure was just the lower half of his face!

Start: Jct of Highway 70 and Ashurst Road. Finish: Jct of Highway 70 and Hackberry Road. 41.2 miles. Day 101 Tune of the Day: Muse – Sunburn. Looks like it wasn't just me who'd been slack on the suncream today! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9SZaOJEWXU

Still buzzing from our encounter last night and the natural art show was a good fillip for a man who had another uphill start. This wasn't so bad to day and it wasn't long before we were descending to the Arizona town of Duncan, a cute little place of around 800 people that seemed a nice little community, though very sleepy, with many businesses appearing closed when I arrived. There was a grand old hotel called the Simpson Motel still in operation that would have been lovely to stay in, a theater (cinema) that seemed to have last shown a film at the time of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull (2008) and a pie shop (closed – sad face). There was however a fully functioning Post Office where I picked up some Science in Sport replenishments and posted a few bits myself. After an interesting chat about the recent election (Always a delicate issue…) I went outside where a lady advised us to take some of the green peppers at the side of the road – they were free from a local farm Very nice they turned out to be, too. Soon after Duncan it was adios to Arizona, possibly for the last time, who knows? Certainly if we return, things will be getting really serious, so I hope we do and also because I like Arizona a lot! We were still enthused about New Mexico though as it was one of our favourite stretches last time, with the initially barren appearing landscape revealing more and more subtle beauty, the longer you looked. We were going to be a bit more “urban” if that is a thing in south NM, as we do not want to travel previously run roads, with crossings only allowed. As such we were going to shadow the I-10 for a good bit, which has got its pros and cons – readily available amenities and internet versus less scenic route, more traffic in places and actual availability of roads for me to run on. We stopped for the day just shy of Lordsburg, where we dropped into last time to pick up a certain Mr Richard Beer. I didn't think we'd have as nice a surprise this time...or was he keeping it quiet?

Start: Jct of Highway 70 and Hackberry Road. Finish: Just past Jct of Highway 70 and State Route A024. 39.9 miles. Day 102 Tune of the Day: Foo Fighters – All My Life. “Done, done, onto the next one!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ04WbgI9rg

3,000 miles of Livin' on the Edge. Days 98-99

Hangover or no hangover...drumroll...no hangover! Just the long drive back to where I'd been forced to chuck in the towel yesterday. This was followed by a trek past the tens of RV Parks that had knocked us back yesterday as they only cater to over-55's. We had to beg to get a space in the KOA which was full to the brim. I past the sign signifying the start/end of Apache Junction and got onto Highway 60 again, which would take us up into the mountains before dropping us onto the 70 for our entry (re-entry!) into New Mexico. I often pass things I wish I had more time for and today it was a local gas station that had a 10 tap craft beer filling station – buy a container and off you go. Wonderful idea…

The terrain was mostly open desert and scrub to begin with though as we climbed into the mountains and the Tonto National Forest (The largest National Forest in Arizona and named, reputedly, after a splinter group of Apaches who were deemed foolish for living in such a remote location, away from trading routes), it became quite spectacular with valleys and peaks, dotted with Saguaros and Palo Verdes. I managed to sneak onto another road construction site which is nice to switch off from traffic and have a slightly softer surface underfoot all the way into the last town of the day – a little place called Superior with a littler museum – the World's Smallest Museum, apparently. It was unfortunately closed, but you could make out some of the artefacts of daily life that it contained. I wasn't too upset as I'd had another point of focus occupying my mind all day. This was the day we would pass the 3,000 mile total at a lay-by a further climb up from the town. Nads was waiting and filming as I unfurled my banner stating the achievement and it was great to have it right at the end of the day as it was met with relief, as much as anything. While we were mucking about taking photos, a couple of cars pulled up to see if we were OK. The drivers were Kenny and Sheba, a local couple who'd had quite an eventful day themselves involving a detour, corn on the cob and a breakdown. You can make up your own version of events! They were very excited and glad they'd stopped, offering dinner at theirs, water for now, a lift if we needed it...the moon on a stick. We explained that we were OK, Kenny grabbed a photo and they promised to follow the journey...would they?

Start: Dutton Family Theatre, Mesa. Finish: Highway 60, 1.5 miles north of Superior. 39.5 miles. Day 98 Tune of the Day: Alice Cooper – Poison. Phoenix http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq4j1LtCdww

Well the answer to that question was a resounding yes! Sheba messaged me first thing to see what are whereabouts were going to be as she wanted to grab a photo, as she didn't the previous night, buy us lunch and possibly bring her Aunt along too! This was fine with us and we agreed to meet her in Globe about 25 miles in. First of all I had to negotiate a reportedly dangerous tunnel and a tough first few miles, with a 1500 foot climb on the cards. On the approach to the tunnel, there was an unusual, but poignant sign. The words were “The consequences of jumping from this bridge are FATAL AND TRAGIC”. Above it there was a number for a crisis hotline. This makes you take a step back and contemplate a lot of stuff, when you wonder what sort of turmoil people have gone through to find themselves requiring the info from these signs. I hope the hotline is the decision people would take. I looked over the edge. I started running again. Quickly. The tunnel wasn't so bad and to be honest, the hill felt fine and I met Nads at a place aptly named “Top-of-the World” and onto Miami – the Copper Capital of the World, apparently, complete with ugly scarred hillsides where mountains are reduced bit by bit to nothing. I didn't get to see the historic centre, but it was a sad sight from the 60, with most businesses closed and it resembling more of a ghost city in this part of town. I hope that once the mining companies have finished here they do something to help the town, but we all know how those things usually go, hey? I chuckled as I saw the most bizarre sight of a herd of cows grazing hay on a 60 degree slope, more suited to mountain goats, or the Bighorn sheep that roam these parts. Apparently it is to encourage vegetation on the slopes to try and make these spoil heaps a bit more attractive. Globe was a much bigger place and seemed to go on forever...but most places seem like that to me before lunch. We met Sheba, though her aunt couldn't make it and she was true to her word, buying us lunch, regaling us of tales of the area, how many people she'd told about the run and the full story about the corn on the cob incident. I'd met Sheba on the road, prior to lunch, with her whooping from the car window, then filming me on the approach! We were chatting away so much, I was now getting behind, so we tore ourselves away, but not before she'd given me two very kind gifts, a type of stone called an Apache Tear and also an amethyst, polished by her dad, who unfortunately isn't around anymore. I found it hard to accept as it meant a lot to her, but she wanted me to have it to help relieve stress and that's what it'll do! II couldn't help but be in a good mood after that and I was also pretty well rested, so the privilege of then being able to run through the San Carlos Apache Reservation was really something else. I'm not one for being all new-age, but I felt that I had some sort of connection with...something...the history, the land, the people...I don't know. What I do know is that it was a really uplifting experience and listening to the Tune of the Day made we wonder whether we can arrest the slide this world seems to be in… DEEP. Lucky Nads was up the road to take me back to the RV Park and get me out of this contented melancholy. I was probably hungry.

Start: Highway 60, 1.5 miles north of Superior. Finish: Highway 70, 9.5 miles east of Apache Gold Casino RV resort. 41.0 miles. Day 99 Tune of the Day: Aerosmith – Livin' on the Edge. The lyrics seemed very prescient, 25 years after they were written and this came on as I was running through some amazing scenery in the Apache Reservation. It made me want to hug my two charities for the work they're doing. I am of course, always Livin' on the Edge currently… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nqcL0mjMjw

Total: 3041.72 miles

Flight thru the Phoenix. Days 96-97

No issues to report overnight. Good. In fact the first run was pretty unremarkable too apart from when I reached the van I was immediately told to be quiet by Nads. No change there, as I'm often booming whne I come into the mothership due to me having my music on still, but this time, it was warranted. Nads had noticed some movement in the distance from the RV and then realised it was all around us. There was a group of ground squirrels popping up frm their burrows, that I'd scared underground on my approach, but bit by bit, they began to re-emerge and the advantage of Jenny's blacked out windows meant we could watch them without needing to hide! This is one of the few times we've actually seen live land based wildlife, so it was a real treat. The second surprise of the day was the town called...Surprise. I wondered if anything unexpected would happen and as soon as I thought that it did. I found a calendar called “Finding Jesus” on the floor, still in its wrapper and reduced to 20 cents as it was the 2016 version. I'm not winding you up, but this is like a Where's Wally, but for the Messiah! That cheeky Jesus is lurking in the crowd in 12 scenes such as music festivals and sporting events. We haven't sat down properly to digest this, but it was certainly worth carrying back for 7 miles, despite the plastic making my arm all sweaty.

As we got more urban, my right arm was starting to get tired by the increased frequency of waving to cars. I kept thinking I'd give up, but the last car always seemed to give an enthusiastic response and I was sucked in for another round. It was pretty warm, compared to what we've been used to and seeing as we were almost in Phoenix, this was NOT a surprise. Phoenix is th ehottest city in all of the USA and here's a handy explanation why: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-weather/2016/06/16/why-is-phoenix-so-hot/85950934/

It was actually like a gorgeous English summer's day and very fitting when I realised I was at the corner of Yorkshire and Grand. Anyone from Yorkshire, or who knows a bit about the place will realise how cool this was. It made me wish I was back home a bit and maybe in Birmingham, as Black Sabbath were playing their last ever concert at that moment. I finished the day off listening to tunes such as Iron Man, Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath and the Tune of the Day, which you can catch below.

Start: San Domingo Parkway, just south of Allah. Finish: Highway 60 near Walmart, Peoria. 33.5 miles. Day 96 Tune of the Day: Black Sabbath – Paranoid. Sabbath played their last ever gig today in Birmingham. Pretty much the founders of heavy metal. All the good bands are going away… :( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkXHsK4AQPs

An early start for me as I'd a fairly big day. This was a result of arranging an interview 21 miles away with the guys from the Arizona Republic, the biggest newspaper in the state, which I was pretty chuffed about. I was also doing this unsupported as I was running through the heart of the city and we've found that this type of plan isn't an RV's friend, with specific experience of Phoenix when we visited for the NFL in November. I took my hydration pack, a few Nakd bars, a waist bag with the bottle full of milk and my usual amount of porridge oats, in the hope that they would soak (No jam or syrup – error!)and set off. I deviated from my usual plan so I could have my breakfast at the Phoenix Art Museum and this meant a 12.5 mile opening run. On some of this, I was joined by Frank, an Ethiopian-American, who'd just moved to Phoenix. Stereotypically, he was an ace runner and I was finding he was pulling me along a little quicker than I would have liked, but it was still bearable. As a result of my lack of knowledge of Phoenix tourist geography nd my selection of the quickest route, I saw very little of the good stuff and was in more of an industrial area for most of my city traversing. My notable sites, were more quirky, including a massive metal Breast Cancer ribbon on a trailer that took me back to the Louisiana Wear it Pink girls and ladies, the Grand Canal, which wasn't quite like Venice and then the important one. Three tiny little scrutlets (mine and Nads' name for little scruffy dogs) were foraging for scraps of food on the street, I assume they were strays. Two ran away as they afraid, but the cutest one was very friendly and came right over. I genuinely thought of going: “Mine now” and radioing for help from Nads, giving her the best surprise ever, as she said if we find a stray it may well find itself in the UK next year. I couldn't bring myself to tear him away from his two pals though, who were hiding, looking out from a nearby bush. I hope they get picked up and rehomed as they were little cuties.

I ran past the Tovrea Castle, a sort of folly on a hill, beloved of Phoenix and soon enough I was at the Tempe Bridge, though feeling very flat. I was cheered up briefly by the arrival of Alexis and Patrick the AR news team, who made the interview fun and Patrick took some fantastic pictures as I ran over the bridge into Tempe, a buzzing, hipster type area, right up my street, all around the colossal Sun Devil Stadium. I kinda thought it would be great to live there, but then I remembered how hot it gets… I forged on, feeling pretty rubbish and negative, worrying about the length of the run, how tired I felt and just generally wanting to stop. I was given the opportunity 6 miles before the scheduled end when the battery on my GPS ran out as I'd obviously not charged it fully. Seemed like fate to me. I called Nads back and we headed to the RV Park - at least we had something fun planned. Well...planned was a loose term. We walked into Apache Junction and found a great little restaurant called Dirtwater Springs where we bagged a prime spot to watch one of the best Superbowls in recent history, though my heart broke for the poor Falcons and had some good beer – Alaskan Amber and some Fat Tire. Of course we left with everyone saying “Bye Forrest!” I spoke to Nads on the way home about my worries and emotions on the run today. Every now and again I have a blip, though I was worried that this could be something a bit more serious. I resolved to sleep on it and get on as normally as I could tomorrow.

Start: Highway 60 near Walmart, Peoria. Finish: Dutton Family Theatre, Mesa. Day 97 Tune of the Day: Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Two Tribes. This always reminds me of the Superbowl as it was what Channle 4 used to have as their accompanying music in the mid Eighties! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTOQUnvI3CA