We woke up after sleeping with the windows open. It gets to about 55 during the night. Very pleasant during the night, and in the morning you can hear the mockingbirds and curve-billed thrashers. But it's a little chilly getting out of bed.
After coffee, we lounged around a bit. I did some uploading work for violin class and Scott read. Then about 11 we headed out for a bike ride!
We did the same route we did the last time we were in Tucson. It took a little digging to recover the exact place we had parked and picked up the trail. The whole system is called the Loop, and it goes by a bunch of city parks. So each section might be called something different and there are all sorts of spots along the way to park. Some are full-fledged parking lots at parks, some are at nearby businesses, and some are little patches of gravel along the trail that people seem to be aware of. Anyway, we drove for an hour and parked at the Oro Valley Marketplace. It was the exact spot we started at last year.
It was just beautiful. The weather was perfect. The scenery was varied and lovely. The mountains are just stunning, and you just lift your head up anytime, especially on the return trip, and they're right there gleaming above you monumentally.
After coffee, we lounged around a bit. I did some uploading work for violin class and Scott read. Then about 11 we headed out for a bike ride!
We did the same route we did the last time we were in Tucson. It took a little digging to recover the exact place we had parked and picked up the trail. The whole system is called the Loop, and it goes by a bunch of city parks. So each section might be called something different and there are all sorts of spots along the way to park. Some are full-fledged parking lots at parks, some are at nearby businesses, and some are little patches of gravel along the trail that people seem to be aware of. Anyway, we drove for an hour and parked at the Oro Valley Marketplace. It was the exact spot we started at last year.
It was just beautiful. The weather was perfect. The scenery was varied and lovely. The mountains are just stunning, and you just lift your head up anytime, especially on the return trip, and they're right there gleaming above you monumentally.
The trail had a lot of bikers on it and a few walkers. It goes by a school where kids are playing outside every time we go by, two golf courses, several housing developments of various styles and socioeconomic levels, horse ranches, the wide river bed, shopping plazas, and fields with different vegetation.
We saw some of the same birds as last year. No pics but here are some from the internet. We saw about 5 phainopeplas, 2 roadrunners, a scarlet flycatcher, a black phoebe, a Gambel's quail, and other things I couldn't identify. The flycatcher is stunning and we saw it up close. The phainopeplas are cool because they are pretty too with their intense eyes, blue sheen, and showy crests. The roadrunners are extremely entertaining how they dart around. One we saw on the bikeway in front us, and as we got closer, it took off and flew down into the river bed. So they do fly. Phoebes are always cute with their big attitude in tiny bodies. The quails are very skittish.
Oh, and we saw what we thought were prairie dogs, but on investigation, it seems they are round-tailed squirrels. Super cute, popping in and out of their little holes.
We saw some of the same birds as last year. No pics but here are some from the internet. We saw about 5 phainopeplas, 2 roadrunners, a scarlet flycatcher, a black phoebe, a Gambel's quail, and other things I couldn't identify. The flycatcher is stunning and we saw it up close. The phainopeplas are cool because they are pretty too with their intense eyes, blue sheen, and showy crests. The roadrunners are extremely entertaining how they dart around. One we saw on the bikeway in front us, and as we got closer, it took off and flew down into the river bed. So they do fly. Phoebes are always cute with their big attitude in tiny bodies. The quails are very skittish.
Oh, and we saw what we thought were prairie dogs, but on investigation, it seems they are round-tailed squirrels. Super cute, popping in and out of their little holes.
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We rode for an hour out and then turned around when it started to get flatter and more industrial. The ride back was harder. Nearly "grueling" towards the end, if you ask me. For one thing, it is almost entirely uphill. I guess we didn't realize going out because, as Scott said, "you don't notice when things are easy." In the end the grade may not be huge, but when it's miles and miles all uphill and you're already tired, it's a lot.
Another thing is that the bike seat is still a problem. The recent improvements are very helpful—the raised handle bars are a game changer, and Scott tilted my seat back—but the seat still worked with my clothing choice (regular shorts and undergarments) to make me very uncomfortable. And it started on the ride out. By the ride back, it was painful. Hopefully legit bike shorts will solve the problem.
On the drive home, we saw a better place to pick up the trail. It's at the place we turned around at when we were biking, near a Top Golf and a Home Depot. We'll be able to park at the Home Depot, it's only 20 minutes from the KOA, and, best of all, we'll be going uphill for the first leg of the trip, when we're fresh, and downhill on the return.
When we got back, we had dinner. Then we went to read by the pool. It was very nice. The photo below is from earlier when Scott was there and he had the whole place to himself. When we were there, there were people in the hot tub, people in the pool, and people reading around the edges.
Another thing is that the bike seat is still a problem. The recent improvements are very helpful—the raised handle bars are a game changer, and Scott tilted my seat back—but the seat still worked with my clothing choice (regular shorts and undergarments) to make me very uncomfortable. And it started on the ride out. By the ride back, it was painful. Hopefully legit bike shorts will solve the problem.
On the drive home, we saw a better place to pick up the trail. It's at the place we turned around at when we were biking, near a Top Golf and a Home Depot. We'll be able to park at the Home Depot, it's only 20 minutes from the KOA, and, best of all, we'll be going uphill for the first leg of the trip, when we're fresh, and downhill on the return.
When we got back, we had dinner. Then we went to read by the pool. It was very nice. The photo below is from earlier when Scott was there and he had the whole place to himself. When we were there, there were people in the hot tub, people in the pool, and people reading around the edges.
In the evening, we played cards and went to bed around 9:30. We did some NYT's puzzles, and watched some Would I Lie to You? clips before someone couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.
Here's a picture Scott took in the evening of the trees at the KOA.
Here's a picture Scott took in the evening of the trees at the KOA.
