don't go off the trail

All this, and more!
Notice the first aide kit...

Leonard called over his shoulder this recommendation as we started on a new loop in the Fantasy Island trail system in Tucson. Soon, I knew why: if I didn't keep my speed down, I'd go barreling into one of the hundreds of cacti that lined the singletrack. The trail twisted left, then right and left again.

Prickly pear, barrels and others whose names I don't yet know were just feet apart.

Despite the feeling of emptiness in the desert, we encountered a few of these rabbits.

When we finished riding all the loops we wanted, I looked at my odometer: 24 miles! How the trail designers made a system this extensive on a piece of desert said to be less three square miles gives me hope for the potential mileage we can tease out of the project on the Anchorage Hillside.

Of course this trail has little elevation change except where it dips in and out of the rock-filled washes or rises to a low viewpoint. I think I could ride this trail system many times and not get bored. But a guide to cacti would be helpful, along with some Slime for my tubes.

be careful what you ask for

Jon, finds some slickrock in Sedona.

Just outside Phoenix.

We came for the heat, and heat we have. This evening, sitting outside a cafe in Tucson, AZ, I looked up the temperatures in Anchorage. In the mid-thirties around much of the city. I'm adjusting to the combination of darkness and warmth here. Because in Alaska, if it's warm, it's not dark. I associate dark, starry nights with bundling up in a down jacket and Uggs. On this trip, we take every opportunity to eat outdoors. In tank tops or short-sleeve shirts.

But I've also had to remember to hydrate: I think, therefore I take a sip from my hydration pack. That's the only way to deal with the temperatures as we make our way south. The biking continues to be challenging and fun, but the biggest challenge is the heat. I take my time pedaling. Take my breaks under sparse, shady trees or cacti. Try to eat. Reapply sunblock.

Leonard above Sedona.

Today, after riding for five days straight, we took a rest day, which means we slept in, then did a short hike in the Suguaro National Park before heading into Tucson for dinner and a stroll around the University area.

That's a tall one!

Tomorrow, we ride again. I'll do my best to be ready.