Distance today = 41.76 km; Total distance = 3213.59 km; Location = Blythe – 33 36.596′ N, 114 36.441′ W; Start time = 0859, Finish time = 1450

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/156305378

Another lovely day of running in the desert, although it did get quite hot by the time I finished. The dry cloudless conditions each morning make me really feel like getting out on the road.

It was also my flattest day so far, with a total ascent for the day of just 15 metres, most of which would have been when I crossed the freeway on an overpass.

In recent days there has been nothing to eat along the way, so I've just had a banana that I take with me, and then eat when I finish. I've found it to be better than the daily burger I was having for lunch around LA. Today, however, I had my first burrito for lunch. A small shop was selling burritos in the town of Ripley, so I had one with beans and enjoyed it immensely. I just might make it a habit.

When I finished today, I did something a bit different. But first, some background. About 40 years ago (when I was a kid, for those who might not be aware) I read a Hardy Boys book called Mystery of the Desert Giant. It was set in and around Blythe and focused on the ancient geoglyphs (huge drawings scraped into the rocky soil) in the desert nearby. Some of these are estimated to be as much as 12,000 years old. The reason I remember so much about it is (I think) because it was the very first Hardy Boys mystery I read.

So today I headed out to the see the desert giants after finishing running. They weren't as big as I had expected, but still well worth the visit. It was also interesting to see Blythe. I'm sure that when the Hardy Boys were here, there wasn't the saturation of fast food outlets, not that Chet Morton would mind. Will I ever find Bayport?