September 10 rides

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Did my first ever cyclocross race. It was really hard, miserable, and fun as heck. Got pretty choked-up listening to NPR coverage of the 9/11 events on the way too and from the race.

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Solo ride a few miles up Mt. Lemmon this morning. Very cool out this morning after a massive thunderstorms last night dropped over 2 inches of rain in a little over an hour yesterday evening. I didn't even get out of the house until 8:30 am and it was in the 70's still. When I was going uphill a lot of cyclists were already riding down again.

I got my first flat in a while- it was a thorn in the front tire, before the road starts to climb. 2nd pic is right after the start of the climb up the mountain, where Soldier Canyon comes down and the road makes a sharp horseshoe bend. Third pic is as far as I went today, 3 miles, to the Babad Duag (Frog Mountain) overlook.

[bmccasland]

I rode the Green River trail, a not heavily used MUP. 6 miles downriver from where I parked to the trail's end, turn around and come back. Lovely day for a ride. Saw a hawk on the ground, lying prone but turned to stare at me when I passed. I think she/he just got a critter and was hunkered down to protect her kill. She was gone when I returned. By local standards, it was hot - to me it was warm but rather pleasant.

About 2 miles from my car realized that my rear tire was running low. I didn't hear a hiss, so thought I'd try my CO2. That sort of worked, and limped back. Could ride in faster than walking. Stopped at my LBS on on the way home and bought 2 new tubes and 2 new CO2 cylinders.

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@Fredwina: Best of luck in the new job and new city. Sad to hear about job loss (that is terrible).

I did two 32-33 miles rides, yesterday by myself, and today with women who are much faster than I am. It is fun and challenging.