Winter Training in the west 2008

Once again, I toured the Southwest for winter training. This time I didn't take a car. I rode over half the trip by bicycle. The rest of the time, I used a bus or train. I went to Palm Spring California to find some great riding on Thousand Palms drive and along the base of the Joshua Tree National Park (Dillon road). I also found a senic 48 mile climb up highway 74 and into the small artist village of Idyllwild. It was only 5000ft but hwy 74 has plenty of rolling hills to tear at the legs. I attended the Palms Spring International film festival and then headed back to Tucson.
Tucson is really a bicycle mecca. Ora Valley lead me to the Biosphere one day and then to the Kit peak Observatory another day. Of course my main goal was to ride Mt Lemmon (26 miles at 8000ft) and so I did. Check out the pictures.

I also threw in a couple of dirt road rides. One the Funnest was up Reddington road on the North side of Tucson. (picture)
On my way down, I decided to wait until the sunset and I am glad I did. What a great country this is!!!! Most days it was around 60 while Oklahoma was in the 20's
Boy it was hard returning this time.
Randall