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Ride Postcard
4 hours
47 min
Jun 30 7:44am
29.7 mi
2483 ft
2483 ft
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Today I started out heading toward Rose Canyon campground. I knew it was likely I would not make it the whole way as I have not previously ventured above Babad Do'og lookout.
I took the opportunity to stop and take photos along the way. Both at Babad Do'og and Molino Basin overlook viewpoint I spent too much time off the trike taking pictures. My legs felt it when I got back on and started riding again. They had to loosen up again.
I starting feeling like I was beginning to lose some energy, but I increased the rate at which I was eating Cliff bars. I seemed to have enough energy, but I was beginning to feel some hot foot. I stopped at Bug Spring Trailhead and ate a nectarine and the rest of a Cliff bar. I took a few pictures and took my time.
I was tempted at this point to continue to at least Windy Vista, but I saw that I was probably only about half the climb to that point. I was thinking about a post one of the people in the Tucson Recumbent Cyclist Facebook group made where he asked, "On a trike?". I was determined to show him that it was possible. However, wisdom ruled the day and I started back down.
I averaged 33.4 mph down to the bottom. I hit a max of 43.4 mph. By the time I got home, I was done in. I had no oomph to climb with any speed that last 900 ft hill to home, but I had no problem making it. I still had one more gear I could have shifted down to. I just love the low range of my gears (all the way down to 15 gear inches).
Now, my trike and gear with three water bottles weighs in at 91 lbs. I had an extra 10 lbs of water/Powerade with me. But, I also left home my cable lock. The cable lock weighs 1.674 lbs. That means, the weight of my trike, gear, and fluids today was 100 lbs.
Though I didn't make it anywhere near Rose Canyon, I did make it 9 miles up the mountain and 2060 ft of climbing at an average of 4.6% gradient. I feel a sense of accomplishment and good about my day. Part of why I feel good about the day is that I turned around when I needed to and didn't let my pride drive me to push myself to the point of suffering.