Steve, Star of the Blog

Steve drives down early Saturday morning to Dog Mtn.

We didn't want to carry lights, so we left right at Sunrise. This is heading East on Moore Rd--you can see Mt. Lemmon dead-ahead as the Sun comes over Pusch Ridge.

Its still a bit cool, and there's a few cold spots when you ride near a wash. Steve and I are heading South on La Cholla--part of the Mt. Lemmon 200 km Brevet course.

Before you know it, we're through Oro Valley and headed East on Calle Concordia. The sun is rising over Pusch Ridge and this road will end on Oracle Rd.

The morning is perfect for cycling. Even a flat can't dampen spirits.

Steve and I made good time climbing Ina and Sunrise--my commute route is a good portion of the Brevet course--now we're starved. Its best to shot down Swan Ave and head straight for the Hungry Fox!

The food is great! Traditional American Heartland cooking! All the regular patrons of this restaurant are obese--you can eat this food, but if you're not working the farm, working cattle and driving calves, or training for a brevet up Mt. Lemmon, Gentle Readers of This Blog--you will become a fat tub of goo...

After eating 8,000 of the most tasty heavenly calories in your life, mes amis, you must get back on the road. Steve and I will climb back up Swan from downtown Tucson back into the mountains. This climb alone will burn 4,000 calories from the get-go!


Climbing up Swan Ave into the Catalina Foothills...

Okay, I talk Steve Star of the Blog into one more climb--that light below is the intersection of Sunrise and Craycroft. Normally I turn and head down this road into my office. Instead I talk Steve into turning left and going up a few more miles into the mountains. He was overjoyed to burn off another 2 or 3 thousand calories on one of my whims!

This is a three or four mile loop carved up in the foothills. There's some pretty luxurious homes up here. It does feel remote and rugged. We can see the Rincon Mtn Range from up here as well.

We are just just below the top of Pusch Ridge.

At the Sabino Canyon visitor center there's water and bathrooms. For us, a rest stop in the shade as well.

It's time to head back home. Temps are reaching 95 degrees--its getting hot mes amis. We've ridden 40 miles, and to get back we'll have to climb considerably.

This was a good ride. Great weather and easy going. Often because I'm running late for work, I have to really hammer on my commute--it was nice not to have that pressure, and just make it to breakfast for biscuits and gravy, and hot coffee.