Old Spanish to Colossal Cave

Greg here. Today's training ride was the longest ride either of us has ever been on. Forty-three miles. It was a blast. The BTE group headed out with Mac from his shop Sabino Cycles at 7 AM. I think the email the BTE cyclists received last week from Mac served as a warning because there ended up being only 10 riders in the group. We took the same route as a few of our previous training rides, riding along Old Spanish Trail, but continued all the way up Pistol Hill out at Colossal Cave Mountain Park.

I also rode my new bike on this ride... Wait, did I say new bike? Yes I did. You might remember the multiple posts before about the improvements to my beloved Nishiki Cresta. Well that bike is still awesome, but Jen and I want to set up a couple bikes as commuters/utility bikes to get groceries and such. The Cresta has rack mounts and long chainstays making it ideal for this use. Plus, the number of bikes a person needs is equal to n + 1, where n is the number of bikes the person currently owns. So on Friday night we went on a little drive to Phoenix and picked up a 1999 Cannondale R500 that is virtually in brand new condition.

Jen here now:  Greg didn't tell you half of the exciting things that happened on this ride.  First, he's smoking fast on his new bike.  When we were first dating, I would get a little competitive/hurt when it was obvious he was better than me...glad I'm over that!  He slows down and waits for me sometimes, which is sweet.  I enjoyed cruising along out to Saguaro East, chatting with Greg, taking in the views, along a route that kicked my ass a month ago.

The ride out to Pistol Hill was described by a fellow rider as a false flat, meaning the road appears nearly flat, but you're climbing.  She wasn't kidding.  I think I was averaging only 9 mph.  On the way back we helped another rider fix a flat, which gave me confidence for fixing my own flat someday.  Back at Sabino Cycles, Mac worked on the new bike for Greg.  A decade of dried/crusty grease can really mess with your shifting.  Thanks Mac!

We had to deal with quite a few angry drivers today, which was disconcerting considering we rode past a ghost bike (a memorial for a fallen cyclist).  The motorists were mostly upset about cyclists riding two abreast, even when there was plenty of room for the car to pass.  They'd yell or honk or drive as close as they could to the white edge line.  That's how people die...  Anyway, it was sad and frustrating because, apparently unbeknownst to many Tucsonan rednecks, cyclists can lawfully ride two abreast ARS 28-815.  So the next time you pass a cyclist, show them some love and give them the 5ft of clearance they deserve...oops, not that you're a redneck...whoever you are.  You know what I mean.

I'm stepping off my soap box now.  Jen out.