Discussion
On Sunday, April 5th, 2020 I departed my home around 9:30 am with temps around 70F. I had a general idea of where I wanted to ride but not a solid plan - other than to take it easy and enjoy the day. For this trip, I decided to take out my TerraTrike Rambler All-Terrain. I had just swapped the tires over to Schwalbe Big Apples 24" x 2" from the factory knobby tires and wanted to see how it would ride at 35psi. This trike is not a speed demon by any means, but the overall ride experience was pleasant. The ride up 7th Avenue was pretty nice, and I was surprised by how little traffic there was. This video was taken as I approached the Deer Valley Airport: I stopped for a quick bite at Sonic located on 19th Ave and Deer Valley. Sitting at the outdoor tables was not allowed during the pandemic, so I found a shady tree in the parking lot. Note this is not an activity I would even consider during the summer daytime hours. It's way too hot!. After eating I continued north and started to think that maybe I'll make it to the Tramonto area (Interstate 17 and Carefree Highway). Along the way, I paused to admire the pretty, yellow...WEEDS! Ah yes, in a few months these little gems will be a toasty brown ready for the slightest spark to ignite them. At one point I passed the Central Arizona Project canal and was thinking how nice it would be if they opened it up for bicycle traffic. Think about how many miles you could cover? Over time businesses could crop up to support riders. Ah well, maybe someday. The temps were starting to creep upward and I was in need of a bathroom break. Luckily I found this Circle K which had a great bathroom and not too many people inside. Lately finding places to stop for a break has become more of a challenge as many restaurants have either closed or limited access due to the pandemic. I was in and out lickety-split. The ride home was a little difficult for me after so many miles because my knees were hurting. Also, for some reason, the south-bound side of 7th Ave is loaded with busted Heineken beer bottles so I constantly had to veer out into the traffic lane or hop up on the sidewalk to avoid it. I could just see in my mind a carload of dudes drinking a case of Heineken and chucking the empty bottles out the car window as they drove down 7th Ave. Seriously, there's literally glass from the 101 south down to Bell Road so watch out! Be safe out there and enjoy the nice weather while it's here! -Jeff
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