Weekend Rides!

[azfiddle]

Does Friday count as weekend? I'm on vacation and have the new bike. I rode the 8 mile loop road at Saguaro National Park so my DH (still on the disabled list after his commuter accident) could take some photos. He took several nice action pics and "portraits" at the end. Beautiful Arizona spring weather- so I rode home from the park- total just 16 miles.

Saturday I got out a little earlier, and rode about 5 miles up the Mount Lemmon Road. The base is at about 2700 feet and where I turned around was about 4000 feet elevation (maybe a little more). It's not that hard- just a steady climb of about 5-6%. The constant uphill is a zen experience- coming down is just exhilarating. Total about 30 miles.

[kfergos]

It was a gorgeous day, somewhat cool to start with but sunny with some clouds, a perfect spring day in the Northwest. I did possibly the hardest hill ride I've tried yet -- between 5900 and 6300 feet of climbing (depending on which GPS reading website you trust) in 37 miles, with another fairly flat, fast 13 miles after that to loosen the legs up. We rode around the Issaquah Alps, for you Seattle ladies. We rode down Montreaux; I cannot believe people ride up it. The view from some of those neighborhoods on Squak and Cougar Mountain was *spectacular* -- could see downtown Seattle and Puget Sound plus north for miles.

Before starting, I was really intimidated and not at all sure I'd finish the ride. 20 people left the parking lot to start with, and by the time we got back to the parking lot, 7 of us remained. I hung on the entire time! Just refused to quit, regardless of how slowly I was riding. And I wasn't the last one up most of the hills, either.

...I've vowed to swap out my 12-26 cassette with something a little more conducive to hill climbing before the next ride like that!