 Our glorious sunrises!  Another ride up Sabino Canyon Road to one of my favorite overlooks.  Well! My condo building is being painted. Part of the process is of course, covering the windows and doors. It's odd how having these covered at night is different from being denied views during the day. My neighbors above me asked me to bring a knife and cut around the door frame so they could get out.  The painting begins and they did a great job!  More cactus are blooming as I ride a route that includes....  .....this spectacular view from the parking lot at Ventana Canyon Resort.  I'd passed a climb, dozens of times but never really tempted to ride because it appeared steep and so it was. Pitches of 18% but once on top, there was an enjoyable winding road to follow.  Project time! My friend Amy had a handyman quote on a variety of projects but after looking at the list, I thought I could do three of the four so volunteered. I'm always up for anything that involves wood and a saw. An hour later.....  ......not bad, if I do say so myself.
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 A healthy saguaro and....  ....more great views of our surrounding mountains.  After several days of hiking and cycling, I opted for the spa, lol. Feels great to sit in the swirling water.  The saguaros are blooming! Each of those flowers represents a potential new arm but statically , few ever make it.  With El Camino Rinconaado Now repaved, it adds to the growing inventory of newly paved roads off Redington Road. Nice!  An off day but still gotta do something so back to Sabino Canyon for a short hike. With the snowbirds departed, finding a parking spot is a little easier but this place is always busy.  Some water still flowing over the dam but most of it in the creek, "flows" below ground.  How bout that! My daughter Olivia at St. Andrews in Scotland. She went with friends for a week then solo for another week.  The oleanders are blooming. Supposedly, the leaves are poisonous to dogs although why a dog would munch on them is a mystery.  Outside my condo, the grass has been stripped to be replaced with stones, trees and bushes. A couple of roadrunners converged to pick up convenient bug meals.
 I was invited to a pot luck at the clubhouse, where I live. Hmmmm, the only option was to go to the deli department at my nearby grocery store and ask, "What would you take?" and so, macaroni salad won.  Doing a group ride that included a good climb through Saguaro East NP. If it appears I'm struggling, I am.  Beautiful sunrise, again.  My favorite road, Woodland, there's always something interesting to see. Side by side, a field that's not watered vs.....  ....one that is. Quite a contrast. Hard to believe but water is plentiful beneath our region.  Horse riding is so prevalent around here.  The repaving effort in the area continues. This road is a pretty good climb with a kick at the end.  And it rains, briefly.  The oddest design feature at the ground floor condo patios where I live. Narrow openings on the floor. Southern AZ....what could go wrong with the creatures that slither and scamper around? I took a 1x8, measured carefully and cut the length of the board, adjusted as needed and fit it into the opening. That was too much work so I thought the mass of a brick would work and so a line of them now blocks the other opening.  Then, I received a notice that all the buildings were to be repainted with a warning to remove any objects from the patio walls. Neighbors who have returned to Ohio asked me to take care of their patio so I climbed over the patio wall and took out the above. I'm a good neighbor!
 Now that the early mornings are warmer, I can get into and out of Sabino Canyon before the deadline, for cyclists, of 9am  A novel way of walking a dog. She said it took about 2 weeks to train the dog and the strap is not attached to the handlebar but to a hook on her clothing, so the dog won't yank the handlebar.  More visits to Saguaro East NP where there is a new, covered patio to take a break and enjoy the views.  Another good example of a blooming ocotillo.  The bougainvillea were not subjected to a hard freeze this winter and are thriving this spring.  On a very windy day, it's nice that cycling visitors have the option of hiking, here parked at Sabino Canyon.  It was too windy for me too so I hiked and saw muted views due to dust in the air.  Water still flowing over the Sabino dam but probably not for much longer.
 Participated in a group ride that includes a nasty climb at the end of Reddington Road.  Another unexpected surprise! Newly paved El Camino Rincondo. It's a 1 mile climb off Reddington. Not sure why these lightly traveled roads are getting so much attention. Paul MacCartney has a home nearby but doubt that's the cause. Anyway, glad to see so much repaving.  I've been taking evening walks and once again, love the changing color as the sun sets.  Wait what??? This too is being repaved? A horribly conditioned road that connects two sections of the bike trail. Amazing!  The ocotillos are blooming.  During a hike at Sabino Canyon, I passed the above feature. A lot of crevices and rocks so I thought maybe I'd see a rattler but alas, none were to be found. Probably a good thing.  The sun rises on another fabulous day.
 I've added Saguaro East NP to my cycling schedule at least once and usually twice a week. On this day, the vehicle traffic was unusually high but it's all one way on this 8 mile loop, so it could be worse.  I escorted a friend on her first visit to Mount Lemmon. She had a great time stopping at the views and doing some rock climbing.  We stopped at Ski Valley and ate on the porch of the Iron Door Restaurant. Still some snow on north facing slopes but won't last for than a few more day. The ski runs never opened this winter. Just not enough snow and with water restrictions, can't make it either.  Higher we drove and now more snow as we headed to a parking area below the observatory where we.....  ....went on a short hike but with.....  ....amazing views.  Plenty of evidence of forest management where downed trees and limbs are gathered and burned to eliminate fuel for a potential future fire.  Yeah, the raw beauty of this place is awesome!
 Another spotty bought of "winter" rain with some wind, so I go for a short hike.  Beautiful southern Arizona. I'll miss it when in Ohio.  And so the clouds clear out as my hike finishes. Then....  ....my friend Amy asks if I can watch Jack for a few hours and oh, do something about a Lemmon tree. Unfortunately, the tree was victim to a faulty watering system last summer and it died but then, like a coiled spring, it leapt back to life....as a bush.....  ....I identified the two, strongest stalks, cut away the rest. Doesn't look like much but eventually the strongest of the two can be identified and the other removed.  As I was wondering around her house, I noted the garage floor was a mess so with a mop and bucket, cleaned it and also swept the back patio. Then.....  ....it was time to entertain Jack and no better way then watch an action movie. He reacts to noise, especially guns and explosions and dances around. It's pretty fun to watch! My enjoyable obligation completed....  ....the next morning I jump in with the Cactus Club group ride!
 I've upped my weekly mileage. Partly to be in better shape when I return to Ohio for a summer stay but also to support weight loss. My weight had drifted higher over the last couple of years and so, I've lost 5 pounds and plan another 4. That 5 pounds has made a huge difference on my bike. Cyclists spend hundreds of dollars to shave a few grams from a component so 5 pounds is significant.  I have no idea what causes a saguaro to shape like this.  The friend for whom I did the tree trimming had a set of golf clubs. I checked them out and noted the grips were in pretty bad shape and she should get them replaced. Only later did it dawn on me that I'd replaced thousands of grips, I could probably do it, save her a lot of money and probably I'd enjoy it. I had none of the right tools but figured I could do it anyway so ordered grips, grip tape and solvent. It took awhile but I removed the old grips and applied the tape.  Then, grasping the shaft in my left hand (having a vise would have been ideal), I poured solvent over the tape, quickly grabbed the grip and forced it over and down the shaft. I did it!  I never and never will, tire of our mountain views. I'll miss this when in Ohio.  I've been taking evening walks, just because and also enjoy the sunset effect on west facing mountains.  The numerous cycling camps and clubs have been enjoying our ideal weather.  After a long absence, I've been doing the 8 mile loop through Saguaro East NP. It's a wonderful mix of short, steep climbs and long climbs, following a circuitous course. Good pavement and vehicle traffic is all one way.
 The sun rises on a new day, casting light on the foothills then....  ....I eagerly had accepted a task to trim low hanging branches from trees bordering a friend's driveway. Me, on a ladder with a saw....what could go wrong?  Fortunately, nothing as I assembled a good size pile of branches.  Not bad if I say so myself. I so rarely get to do this type of work while in AZ so I was pleased that I suffered no ill effects such as back pain or other potential issues. Can't wait to get to Ohio and do a lot of this.  A rain event came through and deposited snow on the mountain but alas, still not enough to open the ski runs and at this point, given the forecast, not going to happen until next year.
We've been blessed with some amazing views, this at dawn and....  .....this from my patio at sunset.
 I made a left out of my palatial estate and rode the 2 mile climb up Kolb Road. Relatively new pavement with nice views.  I've been riding a bit more and supplementing it with a weekly hike. Usually, given how close is Sabino Canyon, I go there.  Sabino Canyon creek provides enough water from snow melt or rain to feed lots of trees.  We received some snow so I rode to a nearby neighborhood that gives an ok look at Mount Lemmon but the snow had mostly melted and provided no dramatic image. Then.....  .....to The Views golf club, which has great views, to hit some range balls. My golf muscles have atrophied so much! But, I take some satisfaction that I make reasonably solid contact and hit the balls fairly straight.  More rain as our January had an above normal amount of rain as I again hike in SC.  This precipitation did produce snow at the higher elevations.
 A relaxing evening at Ventana Lodge. The fire isn't really needed but it adds to the atmosphere.  I've learned to park at one of several pullouts on my favorite road, Woodland, to begin rides on the east side.  During a 44 mile ride, I paused at the end of Speedway where I viewed the Rincons. Surrounded by four mountain ranges, this is the least interesting one. Sure, the hike to Rincon peak is a beast but otherwise, I'm unaware of any interesting destinations and the hiking up there is kind of boring.  The wash on Wentworth had been coated with a substance that would harden. The worker advised me not to cross.  I entered Saguaro East NP and I wondered how many people are aware that the roof coverings are bombay doors from WWII bombers. Pretty creative use for them.  Very nice view of Cathedral Rock catching the rising sun.  We headed to Sonoita and wine country! A relatively new winery, Los Milics, opened and it is quite a step above the surrounding vineyards.  An interesting view from the patio on this pleasant day!  On our way back, we stopped at the northern most winery, Charron. Roses were blooming as plants continue to be confused by our winter without winter. By that I mean no hard freezes and temps above normal.  Still having some energy, upon our return, we stopped at Three Canyon Brewery to listen to live music.
 I was out the door prior to dawn to catch the sun hit newly fallen snow on Mount Lemmon. The foreground in the front range and too low for snow, this time. Alas, although it snowed a few times up there, not enough to allow for the opening of the ski runs.  Whoa! A real, live taxi! Been awhile since I saw one of those.  Went to the Tortolita Preserve in Marana to hike. Here too is a good view of the new snow, from the perspective of looking east.  Such an unpleasant looking cactus yet birds make nests in there, somehow.  Tucson mountains in the distance as we make our way on a 5 mile route. It's actually one of the few "boring" hikes in the region although the views are good. Elevation gain is only 350'.  Approaching horses caused us to get off trail for a few minutes.  As we neared the end, we saw one of the larger saguaros once can find. This would be about 175 years old...maybe 200.  It pales in comparison to this monster, which was also in this Preserve until it toppled about 2 years ago. Easily the largest I've ever seen.
 A cycling friend from central Ohio, Ken B, was driving to Encinitas but pausing in Tucson to climb Mount Lemmon. Complicating factor was his dog but I was happy to provide dog sitting service, this past Saturday. I walked and watered the dog, named "Lance" while providing....  ....a comfortable spot to rest. Meanwhile, on this day with temps in the lower 70s, lower 50s higher up, Ken battled an unfavorable southeast wind. A southwest or west wind is best as the first 10 miles, including the start at LaBuzz is to the northeast. Two other sections are similarly oriented. Nevertheless.....  .....Ken almost broke 2 hours for the 21 mile climb from the base to above the Palisade Gift Shop where the road bends down for a bit. With the better wind, he surely would have smashed the 2 hour mark. Of the people I follow on Srava, Ken slots in at #3. Lot of well known, central OH cyclists on the list. Ken picked up the dog and was in Encinitas around 9pm. Long day.
 My friend Amy was going to be out of town for a night so asked if I could watch Jack, aka Jackaroo or Jackster. Of course!!! I love dogs and have often thought of getting one. Jack made himself at home, rooting around in my bed.  Unfortunately, the weather this weekend was not great. A system moved through and dropped about 1/2" of rain over the two days Jack was in my care.  We watched for breaks in the rain and got out for several walks and....  ....drives, of which Jack is not a fan. He perked up as we entered a McDonald's drive thru where we both got an Egg McMuffin. I spoiled Jack quite a lot but it was fun and left me again thinking about getting a dog.
 A beautiful dawn!  Got out for a ride that as usual, included Woodland Ave where a group of miniature horses had gathered.  One strolled over to say hello.  A two day rain event moved through and behind it.....  ....Snow! Not on the front range but beyond.  Kind of a cool day so decided to hike to Maiden Pools, up Ventana Canyon. The trail head is about 1/2 mile from home to very convenient. There are 12 wash crossings with no water in the first but the next had plenty of water.  As I crossed each, the water became deeper. At one crossing, a rock on which I was standing, suddenly pivoted and a foot got wet. I ran into a couple, descending and asked, "How many more crossings are there?" They said 3 but actually it was 5 and the last was pretty sketchy.  Then, a pretty good climb ensued with great views to the southwest.  Pretty steep was the climb.  Reaching the top of the climb, I looked back into the canyon and wondered if the water was rising, additional runoff from the recent rain. Fortunately no although I did slip once again on my return.  The final obstacle was remembering to duck under the arm of this saguaro. Finished with 5.5 miles and 1300' of climbing. Good day.
 Grandson Anthony, 10, shoveling the first of two rounds of snow.
 During a 40 mile ride, I noted the back entrance (free) to Sabino Canyon had more parked cars than I've seen. Many more outside this pic.  Od how the outcropping of rock was shaded and surrounded by sun.  I was coming down Soldier Trail Rd when I passed this interesting fence. Between the concrete pillars, a couple of guys were digging holes to thrust 9' sections of mesquite trunks into the ground and then placing branches in between to create a fence. Quite expensive.  Now this is an oddity, a tree, having dropped its leaves, requires raking. People raking leaves or mowing grass is rather unusual here.  Arrived at Catalina SP for a hike. The entrance is $10, which is ok but if there is a second person in the car, it's $20!!! Ridiculous and if more than 2 people, even higher. By contrast, other area parks have a per vehicle fee.  We headed toward what I know as "Hidden Falls" a cool side canyon.  Rich, green grass is all over.  Water is flowing lightly in the wash.  We pass the "green rock" and I intended to make a loop out of this hike, I was unable to find the faint route over to the rock so this was an out and back hike  Alas, no water was coming down the falls. The water we had crossed came from one canyon over so....  ....headed there but the trail dove into the canyon and we decided to come back and explore that. I'm certain the water flowing through here also comes through Romero Pools so water ought to flow for a while.
 The forecast for Granville, OH, for late January. I spent decades there so know very well the harsh conditions. People used to advise me that I should learn how to embrace the 4, distinct seasons but I never could. For about 5 months, Ohio is nirvana for cycling but one winter, I was outside, wearing the full Carhartt's outfit, splitting wood (I MISS that), wind is howling, temp around 15 degrees, cloudy....I turned into the wind and distinctly remember, stating out loud, "I need to get out of here".....  ....and so I did. My exit was not as planned but it occurred and I am so, so grateful that it did. But, as unlivable, to me, are Ohio winters...well late fall and a big part of spring too, there is about 3 months of AZ summer I'd like to avoid. So, looking at renting around New Albany as I did two years ago and enjoying the grandsons, children, woods, cycling, etc... Lastly, my good friend Amy, about whom long time readers of this silly blog will recognize, put a bug in my ear about a place in ID, across from the Grand Tetons, that needs experiencing so I may do that too.
 We attended a New Year's Eve party at which I thought at 10pm, we'd celebrate the new year with the east coasters. That's kind of how things usually roll out here with the now, 2 hour time difference. But no! On to 12am our time. The host played an electric guitar for 3 hours and he was quite good!  The new year rolled in with a new system straight from CA. Upwards of 1" of rain came in over two days.  So very rare to have one day with continuous rain and then it passed and is my custom following rain I.....  ....once again headed to Sabino Canyon for a 2.5 mile hike past the usual attractions.  The child in red, on the right, loved sliding down the slope into a shallow pool.  I close on Sabino Canyon Road where the hill side is blanketed with cactus. Once reaching the road, the hike gets kind of boring as I return to the parking lot.  And then another system arrived and with it, as always, dramatic views of clouds and mountains.  And now, an extended period, at least 10 days, of glorious sunshine!
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