To Tubac

October 29, 2016

Heat wave

Hot, hot, hot! We arrived in Tucson at hopefully the tail end of a historic heat wave. It was 93 in the city today, which is an improvement from Wednesday's high of 98. They've suffered under their hottest October on record.

We knew this was coming of course, since we pore over weather forecasts obsessively. The days heat up really quickly here, so we get as early a start as we could. We breakfast in our room on microwaved burritos and terrible coffee and were out the door by 7, not long after sunrise. It's Saturday morning, so he streets are nearly empty as we leave the urban core, scissors the dry bed of the Santa Cruz River, and join The Loop.

The Loop is an interconnected set of paved bicycle trails intended to eventually circle the entire city. This morning we follow it south along the Santa Cruz (which we'll follow for nearly all of today's ride as it gradually climbs toward the Mexican border), through green, attractive Santa Cruz River Park. We have a lot of company this morning, as many other riders have the same idea, riding early to beat the heat.

Southbound on The Loop, the bike path network that girds Tucson

Tucson, framed by Mount Lemmon. We're hoping to climb it when we're back in town in two weeks.

El Paseo de Los Arboles (pathway of the trees) is a crowd-funded commemorative park that borders the west side of the loop, along the dry Santa Cruz River. Planting and maintaining the trees in the park is sponsored by individuals who pay a fee for commemoration rites.

In El Paseo de Los Arboles. Note that each tree is numbered. Periodic commemoration plaques list the trees in that section, identifying their sponsors.

A bit after 8, we arrive at San Savier del Bac Mission, an important historical site and major tourist draw. It's easy to see what to do with our bikes when we arrive because about a dozen other bikers beat us there, out on a club ride. After chatting with a few riders for a bit, we broke off and went off to explore the mission.

There is a lot written about this impressive structure, so I won't try to upstage the dedicated contributors of Wikipedia. Here are a few highlights though, to tempt you to come and see it for yourself or read more about it:
- It was founded in 1792 in the middle of a Tohono O'odham (formerly known as the Papago) settlement;
- it was built on the site of an earlier church built in 1700 and destroyed by Apaches in 1790;
- it is the oldest surviving example of European architecture in Arizona;
- it is widely considered to be the finest example of Spanish Colonial architecture;
- it is a pilgrimage destination, with thousands of pilgrims arriving each year on foot or in horseback cavalcades.

And, whether you care that much about its history or cultural significance, at least come and admire the impressive structure and beautiful interior.

San Xavier del Bac Mission. The shadows are from the ocotillo roofs of a row of vendors' stalls.

We stayed at the mission for about an hour, losing out on one of the best riding hours of an oppressively hot day. Then, as we got ready to go we used up more time chatting with an interesting pair of women, both bikers but arriving by car today. One of the women is French, from Annecy. Her face beamed when we told her that we knew of Annecy, actually stayed there on our tour of the French Alps last year, and loved it.

Then, we used up more time hunting around fruitlessly for my gloves. We finally gave up, disheartened a bit that someone would take them at a place like that. By the time we left, it was definitely getting hot, if not yet uncomfortable.

Then, we lost a half hour or more when I got a flat tire (staple puncture) on the Nogales Highway, north of Green Valley. I can't complain much - it's the first flat either of us has had this year that I can recall. And, it happened right at the first decent, shaded pull-off we'd passed for several miles. But still.

Don't ask why it took me a half hour to repair a flat. I don't want to talk about it.

I've been worried about the thorns in this country, but that's not the issue here. If I remember right, this is our first flat this year.

Whole again, ready to venture back out into the sun. Nice use of a palo verde as a prop.

By this time it was seriously hot. I don't do well with heat, and the story for the rest of the day was all about my issues from it. I did reasonably well getting to Green Valley where we stopped at a subway for sandwiches, a suite of beverages, and an escape from the blazing sun. After that though I seriously struggled with it and had to stop and lie down in the shade for a bit. Pretty humbling. This is always been an issue with me, and one that seems to be worsening as I age. I'm sure it didn't help to arrive completely unacclimatized (it was in the low 50s in Portland when we left home), a bit out of shape, and carrying a touring load for the first time since spring.

Mount Wrightson. Beautiful, but I was a bit irked by this vista. Why isn't the band of clouds darkening the valley casting a shadow on our road instead?

I'll go to great lengths to trick Rachael into grabbing my camera and taking a photo of me. Here, I'm feigning heat exhaustion to get her attention. I pulled off a pretty convincing act. And actually, I'm really not as rotund as this shot suggests - I'm lying on a domed patch of ground, in the only cleared spot in the shade I could find.

With difficulty, I struggled my way to our room in Tubac, and collapsed on a bench in the courtyard while Rachael checked us in. A couple of hours and a cold shower later though, and I'm fine. I need to do a better job with hydration next time. Fortunately it is supposed to start cooling down in the next day or so.

Stepping out for the evening from our room at Tubac Country Inn.

Some pigs! Charlotte the spider would be impressed.

A bit before sundown we took a brief stroll through town and then headed to Shelby's Bistro, where we had a dinner reservation. It was a great choice. We sat on the outside patio with a nice view east toward the mountains, enjoying a piano/vocal duo singing jazz standards at the place next store. Meals were terrific - we both had salmon (Rachael: grilled; Scott: app angel hair pasta with artichokes and kalamata olives.

Afterwards we enjoyed a very pleasant walk by flashlight back to our room through the unlit streets of the village, enjoying the best starry sky we've seen in quite some time.

For my sister Elizabeth, who lives for desserts. This was the perfect dessert for us: lemon raspberry mousse torte. Rachael likes lemon and cake, and I like raspberry and mousse. Sort of a Jack Spratt situation.

One more take on My Funny Valentine, one of my favorite ballads.

Today's ride: 55 miles (89 km)
Total: 55 miles (89 km)

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