The misfortune continued

Barin dropped me off at Tucson Airport around 7:00 pm. The airport was like a morgue, but fortunately the counters for the car rental were still open.

What you have got to know, renting a Mid Size SUV in the US from Germany with all the trimmings costs about $150 for three days.

Now I stepped directly to the Budget counter, because usually Budget doesn’t charge any one way fees (if I book the car from Germany).

The charmless person at the counter gave me an over all price of $605 that included a one way fee of $150. No, I didn’t want to buy the car, just rent. I negotiated down the price to $510, but even this was too much for me. I told the guy that I now would try my luck at one of the competitors. He was not very amused about that.  

Normally on my trips through the States I always go with Alamo on the road. The counter was at the opposite end of the hall and two guys were already making some jokes together with the lady behind the counter. The atmosphere was relaxed, already and as usual I had to tell the two guys my human history.

To shorten the story after a phone call with her boss I got the car for 415 bucks. Not a bargain at all but obviously, my flawless features, tired eyes, outfit like a beat-up bum and my fantastic body after 25 days on the trail with curves in all right places made me irresistible. :-)

I packed my bike into the car and drove until Phoenix with a stop over at Dennis.

I stayed the night in Phoenix and after a more than a standard motel breakfast I headed on to Vegas.

I just was wondering why in the USA it was possible to go with 60 mi per hour over a junction with (green) traffic lights as I saw the flashing lights of a police car in my rear view mirror.

Conversation:
 

Officer: What have you done wrong?

I: I don’t know

Officer: How fast you were going?

I: 60.

Officer: How fast you may go?

I: 60!

Officer: No, 45!

I: But there wasn’t a sign.

Officer: Yes, there was!

I really hadn’t seen any sign. After a short discussion he finally let me move on with the comment that he wouldn’t like to ruin my vacation and because I was a foreigner.

Puh, I even bounced back from the edge of death. But – there was no sign! Really!

In Vegas I first stopped at the next bike shop for a big card board where I could pack in my bike for the flight back home. I got the same one like on my flight from Germany to Calgary. At least I thought I was the same.

In the Premium Outlet Center I did a complete outfitting, because I had nothing else like my bike clothes. And after 25 days in my bike shoes I was happy to slip in something more convenient.

The only downside was that I had to interrupt my shopping tour for a longer stay at the restroom. Apparently one of the sandwiches I ate on the way from Phoenix to Vegas was spoiled. The result was diarrhea. 25 days Tour Divide with nothing and on the first day after the race immediately an intestinal infection. Nice! Fortunately I had some Imodium in my race pharmacy, but I had to get sure not moving away more than 500 ft. from the next restroom.

I was also wondering that the guards at the Venetian let passing me by in my smart bike outfit and my 4 weeks old beard.

I parked my car at the self parking area and as I entered the lobby I felt a little bit like a fish out of the water in my outfit. But again, this is America, no derogative looks from other guests or the staff. Getting to my room was more like beeing a mouse in a maze but finally I stood in my King Suite with this super comfy huge bed and the stunning view over the Strip!

The next project was my damaged smart phone. Because there was my wife's birthday during the race and she needed a new phone as well, I decided to buy her a new one also as a small redemption for the last 4 weeks.

In the Sony Shop the staff told me that the electronic from my broken phone was just fine and only the display was cracked and it’s possible to replace only the display. That’s a thing what I had to do in Germany. As I tried to pay the phone for my wife my MasterCard went on strike. “Not approved” was the answer from the system. The cashier tried it several times but without success. One hour ago I paid the hotel with the card. What was happened? Finally I was not able to pay the phone. First I thought the hotel had overbooked my card. I went back to the hotel and checked together with the staff the bill. But everything was fine. Later I tried to pay just a very small amount for a Coke and some food with the same result. “Not approved”. Getting money on an ATM with my Maestro card was also not possible. I tried it at two different ATM’s without any success. Now, I had got a problem. Just with $80 cash and $100 in traveller checks I had to survive two full days in Vegas. Without my smart phone - no internet and I wasn’t able to phone home for finding out what’s the matter with my card. I called my wife from the hotel and later on she called me back with the result that my card was locked due to conspicuous behaviour. Meant – I left a trace behind me with suspicious transactions in a specific area. Renting a car, motel, shopping mall, 5-star hotel and buying a smart phone locked the card automatically. After some further calls with my wife I found out that the card is locked for 48 hours. And the joke – it can’t be unlocked again even by a phone call to Frankfurt where I would confirm that every transaction was fine. In the www there a forums filled with this topic where people stranded during their holidays. Apparently it is a current method not just for MasterCard customers. Nice! In 48 hours I will sitting (hopefully) in the aircraft and don’t need the card anymore.

The next day was my last full day in sin city and I had to take care for my parcel I shipped from Coyote (NM) to Vegas. The post office was a 5 mile walk and located directly at the old part of Vegas where the South Las Vegas Bld. hit the northern part. I didn’t take the car, because I hadn’t got a clue about the parking situation at the office. I put on my bike clothes and assembled my bike again. It was a little bit strange riding on the Strip with my Tour Divide outfit. The drive train was as worn out that I wasn’t able to use the four easiest gears on the big and the middle chain ring.   

I could see it coming! The officer in the post office shook her head: “No, the general delivery stuff we don’t make for years anymore”. She disappeared in the back office to check the tracking ID and returned with a google maps print out. The post office that is handling the stuff now was just 2.2 miles away, just a short hop with a bike. I rode and rode and rode 2, 3, 4 miles and I found myself riding in the fringe areas of Vegas where you by choice locking your car while driving through. I was really scared. 25 days TD and now this! After 6 or 7 miles I finally got to the post office and my parcel was really arrived. I got a lesson how to ship a parcel as a general delivery. I, a foreigner, knew it, but I would like postponing the lesson to the lady at the post office in Coyote.The officer accurately described me the shortest way toward the Strip and some minutes later I was riding against a strong headwind. I was recently amazed by the fact how easy and fast I was riding my bike after so many days of torture.
Back in the self parking area of the Venetian I packed my bike into the box or better said I tried to. The card board was smaller than the one I had on the outward flight. I had almost to disassemble my whole bike to puzzle it together with my other stuff into the box. Fortunately today’s weather was cloudy and the temperatures only in the upper eighties.
A 3 mile walk (one way) to the bank I did in the afternoon to change my traveller checks and hopefully get some money with my Maestro card. My wife phoned me before to tell me where I can find the nearest one.
I was able changing the traveller checks and even got money from the machine (no ATM)!
I finally bought the smart phone for my wife and even there were some money left to allow myself a last Frappuccino Vanilla Bean from Starbucks! :-)

The two days in Vegas were characterised by don’t running out of money and get the things in order for my fly back to Germany. Relax and enjoy looks different. But the positive aspect – no further obstacles for the rest of my journey!

Hoover Dam