"It killed the cat... oh my God, what did you do to Murphy??"
Relax, Murphy is fine. He is certainly a curious little guy. So is his Dad. While out on the scoot on South Mountain this morning, I was comparing in my head how this ride compares to some "famous roads," like Iron Mountain Road in the Black Hills or Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina and Tennessee...
Iron Mountain Road 314 curves in 17 miles
Tail of the Dragon 318 curves in 11 miles
South Mountain Road 131 curves in 7 1/2 miles
Yes, I counted: the number of curves from where you enter the park/preserve until you get to the parking area at the highest point of the paved road. Now, to be fair, Iron Mountain Road and Tail of the Dragon each start in one spot and end up somewhere else; South Mountain Road is one way in, the same way out. So, if you figure the ride up and then back down the mountain, it is actually 262 curves in 15 miles... making it somewhat close to those two famous roads.
Do I need that information for any validation? No, but thanks for asking. I really enjoy the riding on South Mountain, and it is so close to our home. Pretty darn handy. I haven't kept track of how many times I have ridden that road since we moved here, but I'm going with: a bunch. It hasn't gotten old or mundane... it's a different ride each time I'm on it. The light is different, the traffic (while usually light) varies, the wind and weather are different. Sometimes I take other branches off the main road, but that route that takes you up the mountain and then a right and another right to get to the highest parking area is my favorite.
I plan to keep up the riding there until it gets too hot to want to go outside (hasn't happened, yet). That may mean earlier outings and/or soaking that cooling vest. :-)
2 comments:
It has been years since I have been up South Mountain Road, and that was not on a bike. One of the days, maybe. It looks appealing. These days, I "ride" vicariously through your blog.
Humidity of 1% is brutal for wood guitars, skin, and mucous membranes like the nose and eyes. Fortunately it won't stay that way for long. Evan at its best, Arizona is dry -- being the corruption of Spanish for Arid Zone.
Having the guys over for a musical play date sounds like great fun. I sure enjoyed our afternoon together back in March. No idea when I might get back to AZ.
Hi Earl - good to hear from you! I am so happy with being able to ride South Mountain! Sometimes I think I write about it too much, but it is important to my psyche.
We have been doing good with keeping the humidity in the house, and specifically in the music room, at decent levels. It has, indeed, been hard on the eyes and nose the past couple days... time in the shower is my friend.
And speaking of the music room: had a great time with the guys today. It was different equipment for them, but everybody dealt with it just fine.
I understand how/why getting to Arizona is different for you now. Hugs to you and Alice, and ear and belly rubs for the kitties!
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