Month: August 2013

Hybrid Loop by Saguaro Lake

Posted on August 25, 2013March 10, 2015 by Rich

The days for conditioning rides are drawing short. I took the loaded rig for our weekly meeting of the minds at ASU Karsten, where Jesse and I solved all manner of problems related to golf, finance, and race relations. On the way back, I decided that the day was shaping up to be nicely overcast, and figured a few bonus miles were in order. At first I thought I’d jog up Alma School, then east on McKellips to head home, which would add about 2 miles. That route was soon modified to go up the Beeline and then south on

Getting Ready: Floor Check

Posted on August 23, 2013March 10, 2015 by Rich

Did the ever popular floor check today, you know, laying all my tour gear out on the floor as an inventory. Since it’s a relatively short tour I think I’m just going to bring a paper notebook for trip notes, and my iPhone for email, maybe a book of Sudoku puzzles. And since the trip is Florida in September, we’ll require much less for warmth. Even the inevitable rain riding will likely be so warm as to not need leg warmers or rain pants or even those Rainlegs I used in 2011. I’m thinking just a rain jacket and

Fountain Hills Loop #3

Posted on August 21, 2013March 10, 2015 by Rich

Today I was reminded that we’re not riding bicycles, we’re riding rigs. A full load conditioning ride today. Both front and back panniers and handlebar bag. I filled the back panniers with the usual tent, sleeping bag, mattress, pillow, and an assortment of lights. In each of the front went a 5 lb dumbbell and an extra filled water bottle. The bike felt about right, maybe 5 lb more than usual and weighted a little heavier in the front than usual. The ride tested a bit of recent maintenance, too. New rear tube (slow leak caused by not one but

Fountain Hills Loop #2

Posted on August 14, 2013March 10, 2015 by Rich

Another conditioning ride to Fountain Hills. The skies were wonderfully overcast for the morning segment, presenting beautiful riding conditions. Out by Saguaro Lake, I spent time on the lookout for a good stand of flowering senna for a ride photograph, but my eye soon caught sight of this beauty decked out with its own yellow flowers, later identified as Cooper’s Paperflower. I also took a shot of those purple groundflowers I saw last ride, and learned they’re called Trailing Four O’Clock. Once out on the Beeline, I finally found lots of flowering senna grouped together. Breakfast at Flapjacks in Fountain

Fountain Hills Loop

Posted on August 7, 2013March 10, 2015 by Rich

Let the conditioning (for Florida) begin! Relative to my riding thusfar in 2013, today’s Fountain Hills loop ride was significant, which isn’t saying much. I took off early in the morning down King Kong and then eastward on Bush Highway, then by the somewhat steeper grades around Saguaro Lake. This was a repeat of a frequent conditioning ride taken in prep for RA2011. I’d never tried this ride in August. The monsoon humidity in the air felt heavy when stopped and wonderful when moving. Hills around the lake were a bit challenging for me but nothing too bad. I

Tour Plan: Florida Coast

Posted on August 4, 2013March 10, 2015 by Rich

Jack and I finally have a fall 2013 tour taking shape! The plan is to meet at the northermost point of the Atlantic coast of Florida, then ride south along the ocean all the way to Key West. We’ll plan to generally follow the Adventure Cycling Association’s Atlantic Coast Route, but of course deviate from it whenever we want. As much as we’d like to camp every night along the way, the Florida Atlantic coast doesn’t appear to offer very much in that category, except perhaps the option of setting up a tent alongside parked RVs. A fraction of