Today, our bike club had its quarterly breakfast meeting - all the way across town (and "town" is one of the larger metro areas in the US). I figured that since it was a bike meeting, I'd ride there. So I was up and rolling well before sunrise heading diagonally down the canal paths and quiet streets.
Good morning, sun. Good morning, freeway.
Today I decided to ride my
alumicruiser - it is the bike which gets the most miles overall due to its combination of capabilities. Not as heavy as my neighborhood cruiser, can carry a lot more than my speedy bikes, has a more-efficient pedaling position than my more relaxed bikes, etc. Plus I added my most recent Secret WeaponŽ - a Ridekick e-trailer with a lot of battery range.
Sorry about the bag being so grubby. Hey, it works for a living.
I rode by the airport and into downtown Tempe, crossing the pseudo-pond on the 1931 bridge.
Just another run of the Mill day.
I wandered through the maze of the Arizona State campus, and visited the plaque commemorating my great-great uncle (the last sitting governor to order taking up arms against another state) on the building bearing our names.
More Moeurs.
Headed south on the aptly-named College Avenue toward & over the US 60 freeway, waving to other riders and taking in the suburban scenery.
A collection of chainrings adorn a SRP standpipe
Bike bridge arches over the Superstition Freeway
Looking down at the zooming traffic
Turned eastward on the Western Canal, where I had to swerve around several ducky obstructions in the middle of the path.
Bollards? No, mallards.
Made it to the restaurant, devoured decent food, saw friends and others, and the meeting... well, no need for pictures. But it was good.
After the belly was settled I returned north, noting the much-busier streets and passing the demolished remains of a once-thriving regional mall.
The mall has been mauled.
Made it up to the path along the mostly-empty Salt River, and was amused by the, um, "creative reinterpretation" of standard markings.
I don't seem to remember this one in Part 9 of the MUTCD...
And with that... stay tuned for the dynamic conclusion - right after I finish typing it.