Two Wheel Journal

J&P 10: Tucson to Florence

Posted on February 14, 2010December 4, 2014 by Rich

I awoke around 6am, but rolled over and dozed off again, especially when I saw that Phil had decided to do the same. About 6:45am I decided to get moving, and just about then a key went into our lock and the door opened. Only then did I realize that “Phil” was actually a pile of pillows on his bed, and that the real Phil had been up for quite a while getting coffee. Phil left again, and I eventually got dressed and headed out across the cold parking lot, still well before sunrise. We had debated last night on

J&P 10: Casa Grande to Tucson

Posted on February 13, 2010December 4, 2014 by Rich

Breakfast was included with the room at the Holiday Inn, so Phil was up by 6:15am. A nice looking buffet table turned out to be meagerly supplied, and the breakfast area was quite understaffed. The eggs and pancakes were passable, the bacon not so. Other riders slowly drifted in and scrounged up their morning fare as well. Just about ready to go, Phil stowed his bags in the RV. We generally congregated for a while out front, just socializing and seeing what other riders were doing. Pretty soon there were 7 or 8 cyclists all ready to go at the

J&P 10: Mesa to Casa Grande

Posted on February 12, 2010December 4, 2014 by Rich

Took off about 9:15am in order to meet the tour group at the Starbucks at Dobson and Warner Rds. by 10:45am. The bike handled quite well. I could feel the extra weight, especially in terms of slow starts, but not as bad as last year. I left the house no less than 3 times, each time remembering something else, like bringing the garage door opener with me, or taking a daily vitamin. Heading south down Lindsay Rd., I was increasingly bothered by a nice creak every time I pushed on the right pedal. I must have missed that with the

J&P 10: Preface

Posted on February 11, 2010December 4, 2014 by Rich

Having a century under my belt in December, I kept up a decent riding schedule throughout January in anticipation for this year’s J&P Tucson Tour. This being my second year for it, I knew better what to expect and how to pack. My front tire, which had been rotated from the rear a few months ago, was showing serious wear, so I decided to again change both out for my touring tires, reasoning that they would handle the additional weight better, and be more resistant to road debris. Just like last year, those tires were a real beast to get

CG100 Pre-Ride 2009

Posted on December 1, 2009December 4, 2014 by Rich

Way pre-ride: About midway through 2007, I overheard a club member say, “If every club member would volunteer for one ride a year, we’d have every base covered.” That made immediate perfect sense to me, and so a few weeks later I volunteered for the 2009 Casa Grande Century ride. Turns out that with a new CGC route that year, there were more than 80 turns! The focus was on course marking. Coupled with the fact that the club had only a few decent marking signs, I volunteered to make a whole set. This effort actually turned into a pretty

J&P 09: Casa Grande to Mesa

Posted on February 16, 2009December 4, 2014 by Rich

Up at 6, and as usual, Phil is up quickly but I’m dragging a bit. There is a free continental breakfast in the lobby, a cheese Danish, and I really enjoy the raisin bran and whole milk – tastes like another dessert! We’re out on the road a little early this morning, by about 7:45am. Before we go, I hear Sharon say that many riders will usually meet at the McDonalds or The Good Egg at Chandler Heights Blvd and Alma School Road, and so I make an arrangement with her to pick up my panniers there. We head north

J&P 09: Tucson to Casa Grande

Posted on February 15, 2009December 4, 2014 by Rich

Phil’s up quickly again this morning, about 6am. I used my cell phone as an alarm clock and it works very well. In the morning darkness, we hoof it across the street to the Waffle House, which some of the riders have dubbed the Awful House. Phil gets a nice big plate, while I order just a waffle plus 1 egg and some OJ. Just as we’re finishing, Jan, Carol, and Diana show up and occupy the booth next to us. Mary Ellen calls around 7:30, then arrives at our room to pick up her bike. We soon head to

J&P 09: Florence to Tucson

Posted on February 14, 2009December 4, 2014 by Rich

Phil awoke quickly at 5:10am, and I rose more slowly. The HIExpress had quite a good help-yourself free breakfast, including cheese omelets, bacon, and biscuits. While we are there, more than a half dozen actors in Elizabethan costumes join the breakfast, and so we guess there is a Renaissance Festival somewhere close by today. Just as we’re leaving breakfast, Bob Turner shows up and informs us that Sharon will come by about 7:45am for any bags we want to deposit in the van. After all my knee twinging yesterday, I make an easy decision to go with Plan B and

J&P 09: Mesa to Florence

Posted on February 13, 2009December 4, 2014 by Rich

Tom’s last email indicated that the group would meet Bob and me at 11:30am. I figured that riding with the loaded rig would be slower, and so I budgeted 2 hours for the 18 miles. However, when 9:00am rolled around, I was so amp’d up to go, I just rolled on out of the driveway and started out onto Recker Road. My bike was certainly a different beast with its load. Of course, the extra weight made start-ups slower, and accelerations took a lot more pedal effort. Handling was particularly sensitive to grooves in the pavement, and even rolling at

J&P 09: Preface

Posted on February 12, 2009December 4, 2014 by Rich

At the end of September, my friend Mary Ellen Coe sent me a pointer to the J&P Tucson Tour. I asked further about it and she simply told me it was a bunch of fun. 2008 was a strong cycling year for me, basically culminating in the El Tour de Tucson ride in late November. In early December, I rode in the Phoenix Metro Bicycle Club’s Free Ride. Mary Ellen and I pushed hard the last 25 miles or so, doing 22-24 mph the whole way, and as a result I strained my knees plenty. The pain lasted a week