Well,

I am on my annual “trip away” in Arizona. Staying at our little hide-away in the southern desert and riding my bike. A lot.

Ostensibly, the reason for this trip, annually, is the Tour de Scottsdale held on the first weekend of October annually.

I sort of lucked out this year and find myself here for a full 2 weeks, by myself. I am sorely lacking in my Continuing Education hours for this year, work and life tend to get in the way, but as luck would have it there is a conference being held in Scottsdale next weekend that qualifies for my CE hours, so ........................

In an attempt to atone, I offer up herewith, an actual weekend’s worth of ride reports.

I flew down from the Great White North ( referred to by my erstwhile “friends” as the GWN) on the 1st of the month, Thursday. A friend met me at the airport and drove me home, a couple of beers later he left me here, to go grocery shopping and spend an exciting evening riding the rollers in the garage.

Friday, up early, and head out on the bike to try and get a gauge of exactly how badly my fitness has fallen off. I had not really been on a bike in any way since August so this was going to be interesting.

My neighbours, on both sides here in Arizona are from Seattle - they give me no end of grief over the Canadian Flag on the bike I keep here, all in good fun, but I always make sure to keep that side of the bike visible ...........



A beautiful Arizona morning, heading out into the desert, the plan is to go to the end of the pavement.



My normal view ..........

My favourite view .......



I always know I’m “home” when I see this guy, Always looks like he’s saluting my return.



Someone should name a brewery after those ......... oh wait ...................





Fat Rolling Orange .........





The conclusion at the end of Friday’s ride?

Loss of fitness is real, and has afflicted yours truly, greatly.

My planned target for Sunday’s ride is now to finish by sundown.


Maybe the pics will help??

So Saturday, we meet up at Barry1021’s casa and decide to ride the foothills. In truth, the plan was to head down into Bartlett Lake then climb back out, a rolling change was made that had us going to Seven Springs instead.

Doesn’t matter, it was a great ride.

Hal, Obsessing over tire pressure. He spent long time trying to get those “just right”, while I was lying on the driveway, trying to stay awake.



Ed (Spudbiker) ready to go ....



Barry, last minute adjustments, with expert (?) advice.



The boys are rolling into a beautiful Arizona morning, why on earth is the fattest kid in the room up front********************



One of my favouritest bikes, ever ..........



Roads like this, with this much traffic ............ you could do all day ( which may explain why we missed the YH gathering)







End of pavement, seems that really means “ let’s all stand around for a bunch and eat and drink stuff instead of just getting our asses moving” .......................



I never get enough of these sorts of views.

Are going to Bartlett or not? John and Ed arriving in ...



One of the prettiest ladies I know .....





Hal, and his super duper custom Strong ..





Your humble reporter ...





I went to check in on Saturday, I swear I almost crashed my car when I saw this ............

So, Sunday arrives, the day of the Tour de Scottsdale.

I was going to say Sunday dawns, but it didn’t dawn until long after I was up and on my way.

I am pretty sure that the pins were asking if I was really serious about being up and about at this time of the morning, there wasn’t even a sign of sunrise yet.




Gathering at the start line, not a promising looking sky.



I always go for this bike. It is just flat out perfect.







Ride done, in the plaza ....




I just really did not know what to say to this ...



The finish / party plaza.





I finally convinced someone to take a picture for us , by this time Barry1021 had left to go the airport to pick up Mrs.1021.

In the picture: Boston, Token Canuck, Philadelphia and Ann Arbor





One of my favourite girls, took me to the party, and brought me home again.







I have more pics to post later, and will do so.

As I pointed out, all of the pics are HERE

Monday,

I got up way too early and wasn’t sure if I would ride or not.

Next thing I know, I’m on the bike heading for Saguaro Lake.

Sunrise ......



Some desert, and a famous mountain



Rio Verde



I caught this guy watching me, max zoom I’m afraid .....



The desert along the way .........









Early enough, no traffic ....

Saguaro Lake.









I even found a gravel road on the way back!!!!





I still have a few days, hopefully more good rides to come.

Well,

I may as well add another day in here.

Another day that I wasn’t sure what was going to happen riding wise.

I got up very early this morning, just after 4.

I made a pot of coffee and drank it, worked on my yogurt and toast with PB sitting out in the back, watching the sun come up.








Then I decided I was still hungry so I made some pancakes, and more coffee and decided I may as well go for a bike ride ................. Really, what were the chances??


Anyway, fairly soon after turning off the main road I ran into a roadside cheering section ....



I stopped and watched them for a while, then when one of the guys with horns decided he didn’t like me there, I decided it was time to leave ( a bit blurry), I was in a hurry.




Anyway, I found myself on Highway 87 again. I was riding with no real idea of where I was going, but found myself heading north. So is it going to be Payson, or .....

I turned off on the Bush Highway and thought I’ll take the run over the hump to Mesa and then come back again, an out and back .........








Silent Sentinels.

Wouldn’t it be fascinating to know what history they have seem played out right below where they stand?




So, here’s the question.

Is a perfect road, the one with fresh new pavement, or is it the old broken up chip-sealed one - with no traffic???

I know what the answer was, to me, this morning.

Some of that boring scenery that gets so old when you’re out on a bike, feeling good and the day is just rolling.







One of Mr. Strong’s best works. Simply at home out here and makes it all so easy.




And just for MOPI, more of that stuff that just gets in the way of the scenery ................











I got home, had a nice lunch, soup and sandwich, then fell asleep in the sun n the backyard... pure heaven.

How often do any of us get the chance to something so simply decadent.

Anyway, mid-afternoon I got in the car and drove up to Barry1021’s house and went for a ride with Barry up in the Cave Creek area.

Nice.

So, day that started with my not being sure if I was going to ride at all, or where.

I end up with just a tad over 90 miles for the day. It feels wonderful, but as I sit here typing this out, a cup of tea at hand ............. I’m getting tired.

I admit it.

I’m tired ( must be age).

I was jealous after the 4th post. Now I hate you, in a good way. You are a brave man riding tubulars in the dessert. I was out that way once and it looked as if there were gem stones along the side of the road glistening in the sun. On closer inspection the sparkles were from years and years of broken beer bottles.

Wow! I am sorta starting to hate you too! LOL
Those are great ride pictures and rides. Makes mine look so boring.
Oh and the De Rosa is sweet! ( both of the ones I saw)

+1

wow that was lovely. what a motivation to ride just for the views. thanks for sending that up.

+2. Do you need to speak to a professional about your relationship with bicycles? I think I saw an episode of some CSI or SVU that had a plot line about a guy who anthropomorphized (?) his bikes like that.