Ladybird

This dog is not big enough for this bicycle.

Yesterday's ride

May 16th, 2011

Distance: 31.4 mi

Rode downtown to meet up with some friends and rode up A Mountain then down the Aviation Bikeway. We exited the Bikeway at Highland and I rode back home. From there I rode downtown again and back home. I made sure to keep my pace and cadence fairly high the entire time. Felt great after the first couple blocks. My energy levels have been fairly low lately due, looking to fix my brain by using my body. Ha.

The view from A Mountain is great. It's just hard enough to challenge yourself with a little climbing without killing yourself. When I'm showing somebody their first harder ride it's usually the ride I take them on.

Ride Planning. Ride 1

Ride 1: 1 Day Tour of the Catalinas

Mileage: 110 mi

Elevation change: ~5,200 ft

I plan on leaving at around 8:00 A.M. for this ride. Although the elevation change will make this ride a difficult one it will also be a welcomed break from Southern Arizona's intense summer heat. I should be up in the mountains by around 10:00am when the sun is at it's most intense. There's around 24 miles of climbing straight up the Catalina Highway to Summerhaven. I plan on stopping in Summerhaven for some lunch at the convenience store and to refill on water then heading down the backside of the mountain into the city of Oracle. Descending the backside of Mt Lemmon will prove to be challenging as it's 30 miles of downhill down a dirt road. The elevation of Oracle is higher than Tucson's valley as well and I should be able to entirely avoid the mid day heat if I time my ride correctly. From Oracle into Tucson is almost exclusively downhill.

The Catalina Highway is one of the most picturesque roads in the country. Dramatic landscape shifts keep you pushing forward as you climb in elevation. A popular rest point is Windy Point Vista (5,800ft elevation, 18mi up the mountain) as there are restrooms and a beautiful, scenic overlook of Tucson but still no water. You have to climb almost all of the mountain before you reach a water source around Bigelow or Summerhaven.

Liz and I are planning on camping on Incinerator Ridge this weekend and riding from Incinerator Ridge up Ski Valley to the trailhead that leads to Mt. Lemmons Summit and then back to camp at Incinerator Ridge. I'll provide pictures and stories of these two trips once I complete the rides.

My bike comes in tomorrow. More material then.

- Nate

I decided today to keep a ledger of my cycling from now on. I just ordered a touring bicycle and will use this blog to track my notable rides, track mileage, and write articles on cycling in Arizona (or wherever this bicycle takes me).

After some searching I decided on the Windsor Tourist from BikesDirect.com. It was moderately priced for the components it had (Deore/Tiagra drivetrain, decent steel frame, STI shifters, etc). I intend on changing the tires (Kenda EuroTrek 700cx32) for some Continental Gatorskins (700cx28), the saddle, and using a pair of pedals I have (Xpedo). I also have a Shimano XT rear derailleur in my inventory I am going to use instead of the stock Deore one.

I haven't ridden much in 2011 after riding almost exclusively in 2010. I am currently planning to do a 3 day bicycle tour from Flagstaff, Arizona to Phoenix, Arizona on June 10th, 11th, and 12th with some friends I have never ridden with. It'll be around 260 miles of riding over 3 days. When I get my bike in on Tuesday I am going to get help with the build from my ex co-worker Jared and plan on riding Mt Lemmon that following Wednesday. I also intend on bicycle commuting to my job almost exclusively.

Until Tuesday,

Nate