Author: Rich

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

Tame 2013 Riding

Posted on May 27, 2013August 8, 2013 by Rich

Tame cycling this year – perhaps I needed a mental break from it all, and of course life gets in the way. Following the one day with the J&P Tucson ride, I picked up my riding in March, but started experiencing some as-yet undiagnosed digestive issue. In any case, I started laying off the cycling and started concentrating on golf for a while. Much travel in May, a week in PA and another in CA. At least it gave me a rest. The last few rides since returning have felt pretty good, both physically and mentally. Thrilling stuff, I know.

J&P Tuscon Tour 2013 – Day 1

Posted on February 15, 2013February 25, 2013 by Rich

I certainly opened up 2013 with a whimper. Twenty days of my January were spent lounging in my bed, fighting what turned out to be two strains of the flu. Makes me think twice about not getting a flu shot! The related fatigue lingered over into February. Jesse signed up for the J&P Tucson ride pretty early, and a few of the Team RA guys were going along for segments too (Frank, Gary, and Roger). Wednesday the 13th I pedaled down to my dentist’s office for a checkup, then stretched it out into a 30 mile jaunt running errands around

2012 Riding Year In Review

Posted on January 12, 2013December 16, 2015 by Rich

Taking stock of another year in the saddle. 2012 was another good cycling year, owing almost completely to the stupendous UTCO tour Jack and I did. Of course the ride across America was a really big deal in 2011, but in some ways, the tour across southern Utah and Colorado in July 2012 was even more enjoyable, the only downside being Jack’s early discomforts with altitude. At 3030 miles, 2012 was my 4th most prolific riding year, despite having August and September wiped out by travel and December wiped out by a family emergency. It’s also the first year since

Return to Arizona Riding

Posted on November 23, 2012December 16, 2015 by Rich

2012 has been quite a year of travel. Spain/Slovenia/Germany in June, the Utah-Colorado bike trip in July, 6 weeks of car-touring and golfing in Florida and the Gulf coast in September and October, and 2 weeks on Barbados in November. Of course it’s been great but I’ve yearned to get home. Our regular Sunday Breakfast ride group, which started this past spring, has evolved and merged for the most part into the regular Tuesday Breakfast Club, and the gang continues to meet most often at Jim’s Coney Island Cafe in Scottsdale. In this photo L-R: me, Jesse, Gary, my son

UTCO Summary

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Rich

Summary – I am a verbose author, and could easily carry on about this fantastic trip, this dream cycling trip. But I’ll make it much simpler: IT WAS GREAT! Days: 16 Riding days: 15 Camping Days: 9 Motel Days: 6 Distance: 771.6 miles Total Ascent: 41,383 ft (ascent from http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com) Summary of Posts: July 6, 2012 – Drive to Cedar City UT July 7, 2012 47.5 miles – Cedar City UT to Panguitch Lake UT July 8, 2012 51.5 miles – Panguitch Lake UT to Tropic UT July 9, 2012 57.5 miles – Tropic UT to Calf’s Creek Campground UT

UTCO16 – Monarch Pass

Posted on July 22, 2012August 1, 2012 by Rich

From Sargents CO to Salida CO Miles 33.6 Total Ascent 2,814 ft (ascent from www.bikeroutetoaster.com) I awoke real early this morning. Stable horse syndrome. This is the last day of our tour. In only hours, we’ll be at our end point. Just like last year, it saddens me a little bit, but I’ll see my Linda again. I lay awake in my sleeping bag breathing the cold air, waiting for 6AM to arrive. When it did, I started to pack up, and had it all finished before 6:30AM. When Jack emerged from his tent, he took one look at my

UTCO15 – Sargents

Posted on July 21, 2012August 1, 2012 by Rich

From Dry Gulch Campground CO to Sargents CO Miles 50.0 Total Ascent 1,342 ft (ascent from www.bikeroutetoaster.com) Light pattering rains made for great sleep last night. We set out fairly early, making our way around Blue Mesa Reservoir. The road rose ever so slightly, but we could hardly tell due to a mild tailwind pushing us along. Another glorious morning to be riding. The wide shoulders continued on SR145 as it wound through some stunning canyons beside the Gunnison River. The morning sun glistened off the water and fly fishermen waded around, like a scene from a gorgeous postcard or

UTCO14 – Sapinero

Posted on July 20, 2012August 1, 2012 by Rich

From Montrose CO to Dry Gulch Campground CO Miles 52.3 Total Ascent 4,441 ft (ascent from www.bikeroutetoaster.com) Another early morning, up and packing. We were dismayed (at this $30 rate) to find the rest room didn’t even provide toilet paper – fortunately we both had personal emergency supplies. We spun down the rode and quickly found a Denny’s in Montrose. Their breakfast menu has hundreds of items, and we laughed when both of us picked out the blueberry pancakes. We turned east on US50 in Montrose. Not out of town yet, I decided I needed to check in on my

UTCO13 – Montrose

Posted on July 19, 2012August 1, 2012 by Rich

From Telluride CO to Montrose CO Miles 65.9 Total Ascent 1,893 ft (ascent from www.bikeroutetoaster.com) Woke up early this morning, looked at my watch, and I must have dreamed that it said 7AM. I fell back asleep for what seemed like 90 minutes, then woke up again. It was only 7:05AM. I’m not sure of the significance, if any, of this. We packed up and rolled into town, finding a promising breakfast place we’d scoped out last night called Maggie’s. A vibrant lady took our order and helped serve us, one of those ladies who might have been 63 but