Not What I Was Expecting

Geesh, my first full day in AZ and look at this..  A tropical depression moved through the area out of the Pacific, the 3rd such event in the last month. AZ has experienced a very nice monsoon season, exceeding the usual amount of rainfall for both the season and year.  While waiting out the rain, I unpacked the yellow/black Trek, which will become the AZ bike and packed the old grey/black US Postal Trek to send back to Ohio.

The sun sets right at 6:00pm so at 3:00, the rain stopped and I made a dash for Sabino Canyon, about 16 miles away.  The parking lot was nearly empty.  I exited the parking lot at 4:00 and headed towards the Blackett's Ridge trail, usually a popular destination as a fitness hike. Above,Thimble Peak is an obvious landmark, but Blackett's Ridge is the bump just to the right of Thimble.  Reaching the trail end under an hour is considered a very good time. 

I reach the top in 52 minutes and looking back, am treated to some great views of the valley with clouds interacting with shafts of sun and some rain curtains seen too.  It would be a bad idea to linger with the clouds assuring an early dusk so I shoved myself off a rock and headed down.  About halfway, it began to rain, not violently, just a good steady soaking rain that stopped, just as I was soaked of course. 

Some breaks in the clouds approach from the southwest.

There it is, sunshine approaching.  Looked for a rainbow but did not see one.  Funny how it takes me as long to descend as it does to ascend but the trail is very "bouldery" and rough and with the rain making the rocks slick, I didn't want to fall and get my stay off to a bad start.  Tomorrow (Thursday) I have to buy a raft that I can take with me to float across the river on Saturday's hike.  Not sure if one of those cheap floaty type things you find at Walmart is suitable or not.  May have to do some research. Also should take the bike to "Oro Valley Bicycles" to have them check the tension on the reassembled bike fasteners. I found a very small diameter "O" ring that came from the bike but was not reinstalled.  It must be important, maybe from the front brake assembly.  Well, much more to come.