The Joys of Riding in the Summer.
When the temperatures climb into the 100’s many in Tucson abandon their bikes for the cooler confines of air condition. Personally, I find the summer offers some of the best riding. Two of my regular rides start 5:20AM on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The sun is up, my gear is only a bib, jersey and 2 water bottles. I can go from my 2nd snooze button to my ride in under 5 minutes. It definitely beats the winter regime of waking in pitch dark, charging riding lights, layers, more layers, full gloves, and those ever pesky frozen toes.
I Put together my top reasons why I love riding in the summer.
10- Snow Birds have flown north and the roads are less congested and feel safer.
9- No need for lights when you start at 5:00AM
8- All you need is a bib and jersey or shorts and a tee-shirt.
7- Prior to Monsoons there is little debris on the roads.
6- Night Riding is Perfect . Among my favorite night rides are the Tuesday Night Ride, Full Moon Rides In Sabino Canyon and all Mountain Biking.
5- Vacations in Colorado. Mountain passes over 12,000 feet, long and steep dirt descents, single track, gentle afternoon rains, “that mud stripe”, waterfalls, river walk trails along rivers that flow.
4- Everlasting dawn as a full Moon gently gives way to the rising sun on the only morning I’ve ever made it to the top of Stewart Observatory without being passed. (Granted, I did start at 3:30AM.)
3- Mt. Lemmon, especially after Windy Vista and definitely after Palisades. Meeting the wife and kids on Mt. Lemmon for picnics.
2- The smell of creosote and the desert after a Monsoon, especially in Saguaro East.
1- Quality time to ride with the kids.
Damion
…. And one more reason from Jeff (please don’t use my last name)
“You can sweat off a hangover in under 20 minutes”.
This was Originally published in Tucson Pedaler when I was publishing that paper nearly a decade ago. I just came across it and it seems fitting considering the temperatures this week.