The Joys of Riding in the Summer.

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.

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