How many bikes can we take?

January 27, 2023

Last year we tried on our snowbird wings in Tucson for the month of March. On previous trips we had so much fun riding around this desert paradise with its extravagant bike infrastructure. Dedicated bike paths run on both sides of the rivers and alongside decent on-street bike lines. It was an awesome place to get back on the recumbents and train for a good solid month for a spin down the northern Pacific coast in May 2022.

Barry in Oro Valley last March on his all time favorite ride, a Lightning R-84. He rode out the first part of winter at home on the rollers in the basement pretty consistently. Time to get back out in the sunshine.

We towed our little travel trailer out to an RV park west of town where our friends Hank and Brigitte were staying last March. It's on the edge of Tucson Mountain Park next to miles of beautiful single-track desert trails. Besides the recumbents, we brought along our gravel bikes and had some fun on the trails, even with a lot of hiking the bikes through the washes and drops. The new wings felt pretty good!

Lured down the garden path on my favorite, a Jamis Renegade gravel bike, an all-terrain party animal.

Back for more this year, we’re adding on February - my least favorite month to be home in St. Louis. The Renegade will have to stay home this year to make room for my new ride. Meet Louise, a three-year old Trek Fuel EX8 full suspension bike and a triumph of hope over experience.

Making friends with Louise on an early ride on the Bangert Island trails near St. Charles Missouri

I resisted the temptation to get into mountain biking for years. It's a whole different sport that has taken down a number of my friends with injuries. My fears were validated when I tried it again a couple summers ago and broke a rib falling on an easy trail. Still, watching all the cool kids (i.e. retired folks with a lot of time to ride bikes) riding out to have fun on those desert trails has broken down my resistance.

Louise is named for my aunt, Sr. Louise Elizabeth Paradis. I remember when we would visit her as kids, she was always cheering my sisters and brother on in anything we did. I felt like she was on my side. I really need this bike to be on my side too and will be channeling Aunt Louise's faith to keep the wheel side own.

I really really wanted to bring along the Bike Friday too after traveling on her for a month in Europe. She's even more fun since Barry switched out the straight bar for a small inexpensive drop bar as an experiment. I can already tell the change in position is a big help - both more comfortable in the rear and more efficient for generating power. Eventually I'll replace it with a wider bar that has more places for my hands.

Alas, I'll have to leave her at home with the Renegade. It really makes no sense to bring a third bike. I need to do some serious roadwork on my recumbent, a Lightning P-38, to get ready for a tour through the Northwest in June. And I'll need plenty of time on the trails to really settle in with this other thing.

The recumbents are riding down to Arizona on the rack behind our 20 foot Gulfstream Vista Cruiser. It's our second home and feels just big enough for two people. This is the longest time ever that we'll be living out of the trailer, "out" being the important part.

Barry has an older Specialized Rockhopper hardtail that he's bringing along to be sociable. Both mountain bikes are riding on top of the Subaru with Barry's front wheel in the car. We made a policy to not carry bikes inside the trailer a few years ago when a handle bar shifted and pressed on the stove knob while we were on the road, emptying a propane tank. Plus its a big pain getting them in and out of there.

Add 6 wheels for the car and the trailer and we're at 14, currently in Kansas pointed west.

We have lots of goals for this trip that can be reduced to (1) have fun (2) don't get hurt and (3) get back in fighting shape for the next road tour. There are a few side trips planned - an MTB clinic for newbies in Sedona, an overnight self-contained shakedown ride around Patagonia Lake, possibly El Tour de Zona, we shall see. All suggestions are welcome. We'd love to meet up for a ride with any Cycle Blazers who might be around too.

I've resolved to post any entries on this blog within 24 hours. No more cogitating for days or weeks on a post like the last project. It won't be every day and that's fine, just the things we want to capture and remember.

Can't wait to get back to the Old Pueblo.

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Scott AndersonHey, when do you arrive? We’ve extended our stay by three days and won’t be leaving town until Wednesday morning.
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1 year ago

Scott AndersonAlso, what’s this about a tour to the Northwest in June?
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1 year ago

Keith Adams"a triumph of hope over experience."

What a wonderfully evocative phrase!
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1 year ago

Larry MitchellLooking forward to your travels in Tucson. We just got back to cold, dark Alaska last night after our 2 1/2 weeks in the southwest. A return trip next winter is a must.
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1 year ago

Janice BranhamTo Scott AndersonScott, our RV reservation starts Weds 2/1. We have ambitions for a ride Tuesday along the Rio Grande in Socorro and then will drive from there to Tucson Wednesday. We might be ships passing then, but mebbe could figure something out when we're in Washington and Oregon in June. Still fleshing out that plan.
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1 year ago

Janice BranhamTo Keith AdamsThanks Keith, ya know these are the things we tell ourselves to keep going
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1 year ago

Janice BranhamTo Larry MitchellLarry, you really covered some top tier rides on your last tour. I admire your fortitude trooping back to the Klondike in the middle of winter. Looking forward to seeing you take on those last 4 states!
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1 year ago

Scott AndersonTo Janice BranhamOoh, so close! Looking forward to seeing how your time here goes. The desert should be in bloom by the time you leave.
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1 year ago

Kathleen ClassenSo Oregon, Washington, and I suggest maybe a side trip to Vancouver Island? The Olympic Discovery Trail on the Olympic Peninsula is terrific, and the Coho ferry to Victoria from Port Angeles is a hoot. Looking forward to reading about your adventures south.
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1 year ago

Janice BranhamTo Kathleen ClassenOoh, this all sounds tantalizing Kathleen. We're looking at starting from Glacier NP, and working our west on a series of trails through Idaho and Washington to the Columbia river. Still figuring it out.
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1 year ago

Kathleen ClassenWhatever you do will be wonderful. We will be here if you come our way though 👍.
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1 year ago

Janice BranhamTo Kathleen ClassenThanks! We would love to get there someday.
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1 year ago