Making Mud For The Two Wheelers

It's been raining all day.  Constant and sometimes torrential.  And it's cold.  In the fifties.  The ever-present dirt is turning to mud and it's messy.

I actually like when it's cold and rainy here since it's such a departure from the constant, relentless sun and warmth.  And I like how it feels when you're holed up in the house.  It feels right to stay in when it's cold and rainy. 

The local news was worried about the rain negatively affecting the annual El Tour de Tucson ride.  It takes place tomorrow and attracts over 9,000 cyclists.  Because much of the dirt is hard-packed and not used to all that much rain, when we get a lot of it, the roads and washes (dry river beds) start flooding.  Many of our roadways have significant dips in them that fill up with water and can go from innocuous thoroughfares to dangerous roadways in a very short time.  Not a place you want to be, especially on a bike.

I've always seen this event as a bit of a nuisance, with thousands of cyclists descending upon the town, clogging up the streets.  As if traffic isn't bad enough in the Old Pueblo.  But now that I actually own a bike and ride it, I should probably be a bit more pleasant when it comes to my fellow cyclists.  Hah!  Fellow cyclists. 

Here's the route if you're interested.  I'm sure this time next year, Ed will have me in bike shorts and a numbered bib circumventing the city.

Oh, dear Lord.


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2012: Have A Delicious Thanksgiving!
2011: The Boneyard Of The 309th
2010: These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things
2009: I’m Only Interested In Breasts
2008: What Price Fun?
2007: True Blue
2006: Hitchcockesque
2005: The Borscht Belt