Accumulated Fatigue

We explored the "northwest" direction of Tucson generally yesterday, 111km with some harder efforts for a 4 hour ride. Headed up over gates pass, down to Saguaro park, then stopped in at the park info center. A lady sold me $5 park passes for the 4 of us for a road loop in the park that eventually someone told me was gravel, so I got that refunded pronto. Headed north on Sabino up to an airport, east to the interstate, paralleled the interstate for a mile or so on a frontage road, then on Tangerine over to Oro Valley for lunch. Oro Valley seems to be an upscale burb of warm weather seekers.

Everyone is helpful to bike riders here, it's remarkable. At lunch, our waitress took all our bottles and filled them with ice water. The local cop came by and talked bikes with us for 15 minutes. A retiree lady on the youngish end of the retiree spectrum came and offered us a bike map. "I think it's in my car, I'll get it for you. But if I left it at home I'll drive and get it for you.". Then the adjacent store owner came by and talked bikes for a while too.

Of interest, the policeman said it's legal to ride 2 up on all roads other than national parks. This place has such a desireable mindset compared to motorists and the city at home. There's municipal signs on light poles that say "Cycling Friendly Community".

Dallas and Mckee showed up (herein referred to as "the animals") last night, so we had the full on group meal out by the pool. Lots of airforce activity from the base in town, cool to see low flying aircraft.

I'm thoroughly tired, last 4 days has been 2 hours, 5 hours, 7 hours and 4 hours for riding, which is a pretty good stackup for this early in my season. Today is rest, maybe 2 hours easy punctuated by coffee shops in town, a bike shop visit and some people watching, all connected by small ring spinning only. Tomorrow is Mt. Lemmon again (with the animals here no less), Friday should be another hundred miler out to Kitt's Peak observatory, the Saturday is the Shootout.

Wind has stopped, it's mid eighties all day, mid sixties at night. Nice!