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.