Riding Out of the Valley

Yesterday, I took an easy ride to the southwest and while parked in front of a gas station, baking because I started too late on a day where the temperature would reach the 90's, I noticed that spring had officially arrived with the blooming Palo Verde trees.  Yeah, I am joking cause it has been spring here since late November. I also was looking at.....

....a new pair of cycling gloves.  The shop person demonstrated these two cloth cavities at the end of the finger portion of the gloves.  When removing a glove, you insert a couple of fingers in those pockets and it makes glove removal easier.  Hey, what a great idea and it works.  Wonder how long that has been available.

Sunday I pushed off at 7:30am with the temperature already 65 degrees and headed north to Oracle and a loop up there called the "Cody Loop".  It is a 25 mile climb out of the valley with an average of only 2% but still, always climbing.  My legs had not completely recovered from the mountain ride of Thursday so rather than descend into San Manuel and face that hard climb out, I turned around and headed back.

I stopped at a gas station that had this interesting statue.  Finished with 55 miles and 2400' of climbing.  Geesh, checked out weather radar and see another glob chugging across Ohio.  Talked to a friend this Monday morning and was told it was again snowing.  Better weather is coming and so am I.  Thought I better get the bad news out there!