Bicycling in Tucson

     Temperatures in Tucson are dipping a bit below freezing. I'm told that this is relatively unusual for December. February is the coldest month here in winter. With a low of 32 last night, the high today will still be 69 or 70 degrees. And although the sun will set at 5:15 p.m., there's plenty of daytime warmth for bicycling. My bicycle is one of the wonderful gifts I gave to myself in 2002. It's never gotten heavy use, or been exposed to the elements for long, so it still rides, shifts, and brakes marvelously. It's a road bike. Skinny 700x23 tires, older style steel frame, and a full set of Shimano 105's for braking and shifting. It's one of those things one buys on the verge of retirement that one knows won't be easily replaced on the retirement income. If I lost the bike, I'd find something comparable though, because an investment in bicycle safety and convenience is worth each nickel. Or maybe I'm just spoiled now. Pictures...someday.
     Tucson is in the to 10 cities in the U.S. for bicycling. The following quote is from the link shown below.

http://www.travelchannel.com/interests/outdoors-and-adventure/articles/top-10-cycling-cities-in-us
Tucson is the sleeper on this list but not to be left out. This desert oasis has more bicycle infrastructure than any other city in the US, boasting more than 700 miles of designated bikeways. You can ride year-round without bundling up, and the mountain bike trails outside of town, as in the Santa Catalina Mountains, are top-notch -- just don’t crash into a cactus!

Indeed! Don't crash into a cactus!

At the RV park I have direct access to what Tucson calls, "The Loop". It's a paved two-lane bicycle and pedestrian path that runs NW and SE from the community of Marana into downtown Tucson. From downtown, it runs intermittently to the NE, and intersects with another path along the Rialto River. Direct access to The Loop from the RV park has been a unexpected blessing. I cycled into town to lunch with a friend in a great community just east of U of A called the Sam Hughes community. It's an affluent little area that rents to students and likely houses many with connections the university. There are many consecutive days lately with zero cloud cover and light winds. It's perfect for cycling or most any outdoor activity. There is very little humidity and conditions are just ideal of being out-of-doors. I've now cycled a mile or so to a 10-acre city park that also houses a library with public computers. There's a bicycle shop down the street a bit and I'll be able to pick up a cuff-clip. You know, those metal bands that keep your pants from snagging the chainring. Vital item, and far classier that a rubber band. Happy wintering to those in the cooler climes. I'm a Tucson fan this winter!