Sonoita- Tucson airport

November 28, 2021

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Last night is the only night we didn't go to dinner. Jacinto had brought two meals to the room from the brewery. By the time I got in, took a shower, fixed my flat, and ate, it was so late that lunch had become dinner. I could hardly get the journal posted, I kept getting kicked off of the internet. Once I had the text posted, I gave up. I did some stretches to combat the difficulties of the day, and called it good. Jacinto stayed up watching boxing. It wasn't too difficult to pass on that.

Sometime in the wee hours, I head a group of very, very happy people talking in the common area for an extended amount of time. It seems they had no sooner gone to their rooms that a baby cried, and cried, and cried. Besides that, I slept the sleep of the well exercised. I was awake at 5:30. The internet worked fine at that hour.

I had thoughts of leaving at 8 AM. The temperature forecast convinced me I should stay put. It was currently 36 degrees, but forecast for 50 at 9 AM. That sounds like a good temperature.

It's a good thing I had been saving leftovers. I had a banana and two yogurts from the provided breakfast to supplement. That should get me downhill to Tucson. Today was our payback day. Ten miles of climbing, and then a downhill tour finish!

I was out the door at 9:30. I hadn't been looking forward to today. The highway to Tucson from Sonoita is busy. It connects to the Interstate as well as being a feeder for Tucson.

Road surface was good, and the shoulder was ample. Traffic was light for the first ten miles. This is a pleasant surprise! I don't know where the vehicles are, but they aren't here. What I didn't know . . . . .

At the top of the climb was a new to us border stop. The officer waved me through, saying I still had a long way to go. Jacinto said he didn't say a word to him, just waved Jacinto through. Jacinto still maintains riding a bicycle would be a great way to sneak into the USA. We've spent several trips pedaling the border area, and always get the most minimal of inspection. I told Jacinto that they had been watching us for days, slowing moving through the area. Plus, he obviously was a real cyclist, since their check point was at the top of a ten mile climb! You have to be in pretty good shape to make that climb in good condition.

I was happy up to mile ten and the downhill. Life should be even better at this point, right? You would think so. Traffic picked up. There were motor homes and trucks pulling trailers. Many of those trailers had ATV's. Is it still hunting season? I had my first rude honk of the trip - a gray Toyota Tacoma, part of a long line of vehicles behind a motor home. I wasn't the source of his problem . . . . traffic continued to pass in long lines, with little respite in-between. The generous shoulder narrowed on the downhill. In some areas, it disappeared and was bordered by a guardrail. Of course it was on of those areas where a giant motorhome pulling a white trailer passed far too close. A trailing SUV honked at me. Heck! Just where am I supposed to go.

I no more than took a deep breath from that fun, than a big European style motorhome, 4x4 with giant wheels (and an ATV in tow) passed and honked. It was a really unique vehicle. I didn't need them to honk to get my attention.

I was more than ready to be off of this road. I came upon the turn for the Old Sonoita Highway. We had ridden that before. If I turn here, I can't turn on Sahuarita Highway, which will take me after a couple of turns to the bike path. What to do? I was on the downhill, and it was only three more miles to my turn. I stayed the course.

Remember that cross wind that the shrubs were blocking? As I made the turn, I suddenly had an amazing tailwind. I imagined this is what riding an E bike is like. There were a few undulating dips in and out of washes. Ffffttt. They were of no concern to me. I soft pedaled the entire five miles, and easily averaged 18-20 mph. Sahuarita Highway had new, baby smooth pavement, and a REALLY wide shoulder. I envisioned finding my way back here again. I took a right onto Houghton Road. This goes past the fairgrounds, where I've heard that the bike path is being extended. I looked and looked. I could see construction. It looked like the road is being widened to four lanes from two. The shoulder disappeared to mere inches. Where in the world is all of this traffic coming from on a Sunday? I passed a high school. Maybe it's a good thing after all that I passed here on a Sunday. How many more miles to the bike path? It doesn't appear to be starting near the fairgrounds yet.

I got to the intersection that includes the Interstate onramp. For riding in such congestion, I was feeling good. A strong tailwind will do that to a cyclist! After crossing the interstate, THERE was the bike path. Hurray! I rode 2.5 miles on a new piece of bike path, until I crossed Rita Road. That's where Julian Wash starts. It's one of my most favorite pieces of The Loop (the name for the giant bike path looping around Tucson in 55 miles). I like the artwork on Julian Wash and the lack of bicycle traffic. The two things I like most about riding The Loop is the butter smooth surface, and that there are very few street crossings. Most of the intersections go under the roadways. I also like people watching. That's three things I like about The Loop. There - that's why we are coming back in December and I'm coming back for a month alone in February!

My eight miles of bike path was finished too quickly. That's fine, as I'm almost to the motel. I did not take Valencia to the motel, but went around on back roads.

I was just checking in when Jacinto walked up behind me! He had averaged 17.7 mph. To paraphrase AD Carson - Jacinto was 'kicking his horse' the whole way to town. Having 3,000 feet of downhill certainly helped!

Our big excitement for the afternoon is to wash clothes. Between the wash/soap/dry, it is $6.25 to wash one load. Jacinto was horrified. He said that washing clothes in the sink is certainly cheaper.

I got the photos up for the journal, then we went to Panda Express for some green food. We agreed we are also going to dinner tonight. I'm lobbying for Cheesecake Factory. Jacinto says Denny's. Let's see where we end up.

Jacinto is flying out tomorrow. He has to go back to work. I'm staying another week. I have a long time friend who moved to Oro Valley last year. Jan is a former Ironwoman competitor. We did our first bicycle tour together, back in 1992. I stuck with touring, and she moved on to competing. We are going to ride a little loop through Amado and Patagonia. It's a direct repeat of the first part of this tour. Think of it as your regular Saturday afternoon ride - except a couple of days longer.

I'm going to keep the journal going. You can see how an Ironwoman adjusts to life in the slow lane.

Ten miles from Sonoita, a guard rail shot.

This is a big intersection for a county girl. I have green carpet to follow!

Jacinto took the Old Sonoita Highway. This photo is from there.

Today's ride: 49 miles (79 km)
Total: 335 miles (539 km)

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