Saturday, Early

We went out again yesterday (Saturday) just before 6am. We headed up to Tempe Town Lake and from there north on College to wind our way along the canal that is just east of the zoo. It's the same route we took last time (it's about 20 miles). However, this time, it was MUCH cooler. We even had to wear our windbreakers until we got to the ASU campus. Those mini-hills were still a climb, but I think we did much better this time (Karen at least stayed on her bike this time and I didn't have to stop half way up).

I did have to change a flat on Karen's bike the night before. We must have hit something sharp during our shorter, weekday morning rides. We were still waiting on the word from Performance that they had bought tire liners (Tuffys) for us (they lost Karen's other ones when they traded out her wheels for new ones). I finally bought some and put the front one when I changed the front tire. Her back tire still doesn't have one, but does have a puncture resistant tube. I'll need to take that out and put a tuffy and regular tube in (she feels that the puncture resistant tubes create too much drag on the road).

I had an awful time getting her front tire off. And even with Nathan's help (our eldest, machanically minded son), we had an awful time getting it on. The tire fits the rim very snuggly.

Back in the saddle...

Over the past two weeks, we have been back on the roads in the morning. Friday we went on a short 12 mile ride, and this morning we went on a 20+ mile ride. We started around 7am and took a new route north of the boat landing at Tempe Town Lake. The route goes up College to Marigold, and from there it goes along a canal and is on the east side of the Phoenix Zoo in Papago Park. We cut the ride somewhat short due to the heat (it was reaching 90° and the high humidity was not helping at all). We got to McDowell road, cut west to the Galvin Parkway and from there took an asphalt path through Papago Park down to Van Buren. We took Van Buren east. It curves south and turns into Mill Avenue. From there we were back to Tempe Town Lake and then ASU and then home. It was a nice change with some small (though very steep) hills and some sharp curves.

I have been asked to lead a group of Explorer and Varsity Scouts on a 50 mile ride in December. We'll be following a number of the paths we have already trod through Indian Bend wash and Papago Park. It should be interesting. Although I probably should have a support vehicle ready in case some of the Scouts (or more to the point, Scout leaders) "give out" during the ride... ;-))

We returned our one tire pump to Performance Bike. They were kind enough to give us credit for it. We picked up a higher end pump from them instead (with the exchange I had a $10 out-of-pocket cost). It works much better on my wife's bike, but still refuses to work with the tubes on my trike. The main problem is with the puncture resistant tube on the trike's rear wheel. Either the Presta value stem is too long somehow or is too big in diameter. I was having some problems with my front wheels as well (even though they are not puncture resistant tubes). I am still considering getting tubes with Schrader values and drilling out my wheel rims to accommodate them.

Karen still has not decided whether she is doing the 35-mile portion of the Tour de Tucson with me or going for the 67-mile portion. We will need to be signing up soon.