Author: Rich

UTCO2 – Red Canyons

Posted on July 8, 2012August 1, 2012 by Rich

From Panguitch Lake UT to Tropic UT Miles 51.5 Total Ascent 1,461 ft (ascent from www.bikeroutetoaster.com) A late morning awakening to a full bladder. I can typically make it through the entire evening without leaving my tent, but it is always a delicate balancing act between proper hydration and over-doing it. Temps last night dropped beautifully, down into the 40s. It’s perfect sleeping weather when you can rest warm in your sleeping bag, but still breathe the cold crisp air. My tent site selection had not been ideal, since its surface had me constantly rolling into the side of my

UTCO1 – Cedar Breaks

Posted on July 7, 2012August 1, 2012 by Rich

From Cedar Creek UT to Panguitch Lake UT Miles 47.5 Total Ascent 5,273 ft (from www.bikeroutetoaster.com) My darling Linda stayed and joined us for breakfast at Main Street Grill. I use the word “darling” passionately, of course, but in this case I use it actively as well. To arrive at this starting point, Linda has driven us all the way up to Cedar City, and will drive herself back today. And then she’ll repeat the process some 18 days from today, to an even further finishing point in Colorado. A darling. After casting farewells, Jack and I were suddenly and

UTCO0 – Drive North

Posted on July 6, 2012December 16, 2015 by Rich

Today Linda, Jack and I drove up to Cedar City Utah, taking the route through Flagstaff and just missing Page. Once north of SR64 (which goes to the Grand Canyon), Linda and I were on new roads, mostly on the Navajo Reservation lands. We took 89A and 89 northward, crossing the Colorado River at the very impressive Navajo Bridge. In Utah, we took SR14 westward into Cedar City, and only then did we realize that tomorrow’s cycling route would roll eastward on this same road. I sort of disliked getting the preview. Today’s drive was the inaugural trip for our

Summer Tour: UTCO

Posted on June 25, 2012August 1, 2012 by Rich

Jesse and I have continued our Sunday Breakfast Club rides to Jim’s Coney Island Cafe in Tempe. Our regular Tuesday group has since moved there too. The food is decent, and the atmosphere and service are excellent. Any Sunday or Tuesday morning, you might catch one or more of us there – c’mon out and join us. I need to stay on the bike. Jack and I corresponded sporadically throughout the spring, talking about, but not getting serious about, a summer tour. Well, we’ve finally dared each other into it, although neither of us needed much prodding. The two of

Help Change This Perception

Posted on May 12, 2012March 17, 2015 by Rich

I encountered a rider today. I was approaching an intersection’s green light, and he came at 90 degrees to me. Well, you can guess what happened. In front of all the stopped cars, he plowed right through the red light and turned onto the lane in front of me. It annoyed me right away, so I approached from the rear, sizing up this dude. He was adorned in all the latest cycling fashion, and cruising along on a slick Italian graphite steed. Earphones firmly in place, too, another safety issue. He strangely bounced with each pedal, almost as if sprinting,

Sunday Breakfast Club – Jim’s Cafe

Posted on May 6, 2012June 25, 2012 by Rich

37.6 miles total Another edition of the Sunday Breakfast Club. This time we picked out an unknown place called Jim’s Coney Island Cafe, located on Scottsdale Road between McKellips and Curry in north Tempe. I took the usual roll west on McKellips, assisted by a modest tailwind. Crossing the river bottom, a cyclist came up and passed me on the left, so I decided to pick up on his wheel. About 100 yards away from Alma School Rd., we saw the light yellow, and then red, so I began to coast. The other guy, though, simply stood up on

Sunday Breakfast Club – Butterfield’s

Posted on April 29, 2012May 8, 2012 by Rich

60.0 miles total After a round of golf at Orange Tree yesterday, my friend Terry pointed out a very popular breakfast place there on Shea Boulevard, so Jesse and I decided to give it a try. Once again, I used McKellips for my crossing west, and the Greenbelt north through Scottsdale. I’m starting to tire of the Greenbelt riding, due to pedestrian traffic, and due to the bump-bump-bump of a sidewalk seam every 8 feet, but in the early morning it is still a very nice ride. This time I crossed through Silverado golf course, too, which is quite beautiful

Sunday Breakfast Club – Randy’s

Posted on April 22, 2012May 8, 2012 by Rich

44.0 miles total Same route plan as last week, and this time I was successful in taking McKellips Road west out of Mesa. No reservation dogs! Still, I’m not going to recommend this as a great cycling route – the shoulder ranges from good to thin to cracked up to “no escape,” but the traffic is very light on Sunday mornings now that snowbird season is ending. I got on the Greenbelt right off McKellips in Scottsdale, and so had five miles of it heading north to Chaparral. There are lots of walkers there, so it’s slow and go, but

Sunday Breakfast Club

Posted on April 15, 2012April 30, 2012 by Rich

49.0 miles total Jesse and I have modified our Sunday riding plans to start meeting at various breakfast venues in Scottsdale and Tempe. This gives me a chance to explore the crossings between Mesa and Scottsdale, as well as the northbound options into Scottsdale. Today’s plan was to meet at the Breakfast Club on Scottsdale Road. From Country Club Road in Mesa, I took McKellips due west, but ran immediately into a Road Closed sign at the river. Backtracked, went north on Country Club to McDowell, and found two patrolmen barricading that way, too. I stopped to talk with

Fountain Hills 2012-2

Posted on April 1, 2012May 8, 2012 by Rich

58.0 miles What a great day to ride! Temperatures dropped from yesterday’s 90s to today’s 70s, coinciding perfectly with our 2nd meeting out in Fountain Hills. Today’s was the usual splendid roll out by Saguaro Lake, with a brief stop at the river below the lake for some photos. Particularly noteworthy were the ocotillo, fully decked out with leaves and flowers. Southwest winds assisted the climbing around the lake. The turn onto the Beeline faced me directly into them again, but at 10-15 mph, they were only a small factor, since the remaining 8-10 miles to Fountain Hills are a