I put my campus bike in the locker over the weekend. Normally its parked over by the Pain Clinic during the week, so I can step out the door and ride it to lunch somewhere off campus, or ride to the pool for lunch-time lap swim.
Here's the new Alvernon Rd Bridge. Kind of confusing here because you think the bike path just off Alvernon Rd will take you on your way to the bike path.
It doesn't get you very far, as you can see. You have to ride over the bridge and make a dangerous left onto the bike path at the stop light. Coming in to work, there's a way that goes under the bridge, but you're on the north side of the river. I'm not sure if it goes under the Alvernon Bridge--must be a bridge or two before. I'll figure it out one of these days. Its not safe and very ass-backwards.
You'd think with all the planning and money put into this project, they wouldn't have screwed this up--
Pretty much looks like this for several miles.
The river is dry as a bone of course, and there always seems to be a hot dry head-wind on this section.
Be sure to take this bridge and ride the rest on the way to Campbell Ave on the south side of the river bank.
You can continue on here on the dirt, but its rough and you can't go very fast on a road bike. Used to be this was the end of the trail. Last year when I first started my new job, this is as far as I could get on the bike path.
The new bridge here is what you would want to take--you know its right because you'll see the Racquet Ball club there on the south side of the river. I believe one day last year on an exploratory ride I rode up to it and it was mostly a dirt path to the club. The bridge is way cool, mes amis...
The thing about my commute is that I ride right into the sun comming up on the way to work, and ride right into the sun as it sets. As the sun goes down, things cool off quickly in the desert. But right then and there, its about 97 degrees--that's actually quite cool. When its 103 that's when its a hard ride.
This is the bridge at Campbell Ave. River Rd is a few blocks north. You've got to ride over the bridge, but don't ride on the pavement with the cars--ride on the narrow sidewalk to the other side. This is a busy congested area, and you're feeling like a god because you easily move past the traffic and frustrated mortorists. I know because I've been there myself. It always seems that the light turns green and you just sit there not moving--then the light turns red and you get to move up about ten feet...
You need to make a quick right turn and go under Campbell and stay on the north side of the river bank--on the way to work, I could continue on to the left, but it quickly turns into dirt until you get to where that new bridge is at the Racquet Ball Club.
Now its about four miles to my car from the Mountain Bridge. I used to take the Mountain Bridge up Mountain, then to Glenn. Glenn goes all the way East and to my office. A nice road but lots of lights and stop signs. River Rd is fastest, but now I have the river path. Not the fastest but still a good ride.
Sadly, the cars we own sit unused, on average, 23 hours a day. One good thing is that where I park the car, trees provide shade all day.
Front wheel comes off, and the bike fits nicely in the trunk. Then I have a quick 8 or 9 mile drive back home. I just leave the bike stowed as-is and ready for the next morning's ride of glory!
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