Suguaro East - Colossal Cave - Farewell Dinner

As our trip drew to a close, a number of intrepid riders made their way out to the eastern wilds of Tucson to take in the Suguaro National Park Visitor's Center.

Mike Z and I ventured up the hill a bit more to visit the Colossal Cave.

Later that evening, we all enjoyed our farewell dinner. We enjoyed a nice Mexican buffet and there were lots of funny stories about the adventures of the trip, some great "gutter gifts" and Ken King and I were recognized for working to put together the trip. Ken really deserves all they credit for conceptualizing the trip, making all the reservations, and keeping the spirit of the Knickerbikers alive.

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The Pima Air Museum

Gail & Mike Z, Joe, Walter and I rode out the Pima Air Museum this morning. This location has one of the largest collections of civilian, military, and experimental aircraft anywhere in the world.

There are many large hangars dedicated to a particular variety of aircraft plus outdoor storage for many hundred more.

The docents will give you more information than you ever wanted to know about each aircraft. To see everything, you could literally stay days there.

On the way home, we had a delightful lunch at the Hotel Congress.

In 1919, Hotel Congress was built to serve the growing cattle industry & railroad passengers of the Southern Pacific Line. The Congress of the 1920s was the perfect shelter for genteel travelers and high-rollers fresh from the East. Hotel Congress could have continued its charming existence as just another place of lodging for road weary guests, except that the date of January 22, 1934 has forever stamped its historical mark upon this edifice. A fire started in the basement of the hotel and spread up the elevator to the third floor. This fire led to the capture of one of the country’s most notorious criminals — John Dillinger.

Additionally, a number of us visited the Cycling Expo in honor of the Tour de Tucson that is running this weekend.

Wednesday -- Rattlesnake Bridge & Sonora Desert Museum

Another big group on the ride today. We re-visited the Bicycle Church en route to the quirky Rattlesnake Bridge. The Rattlesnake Bridge is a bike/pedestrian overcrossing designed to look like a rattlesnake. One end of the bridge includes the head of the snake and the other side of the bridge includes the rattle (including realistic sound effects as you pass through that end of the bridge. Of course, the body is designed to replicate the body of the snake.

Later, we all journey over Gate's Pass with some strenuous climbing en route to the interesting and informative Sonora Desert Museum. This museum features the flora and fauna typically found in this part of the country. We learned more than you will likely ever need to know about Gila Monsters and Rattlesnakes.

Later, we enjoyed a free-flight demonstration of raptors feeding and prey capturing behavior before heading back to the hotel for happy hour and dinner.

Tuesday - Rillito River Path & San Xavier Mission

Today, about 20 riders started out on the "Rillito Foothills" Route. This route took us into the foothills of Northern Tucson and along a beautiful bike path along the Rillito River. This path goes for some 15+ miles as it crosses east to west along the northern foothills of Tucson. It is a well laid out path that includes some trails for horseback riding and mixed use cycling and pedestrian trails. Given that we are in some of the hottest, driest terrain on the planet, it was interesting to see the "Icy Bridges" signs on some of the bridges that cross the various flood control "washes" in the region.

After completing the approximately 33 mile route, Gail, Mike, and I continued on to a great lunch in downtown Tucson to be followed by a trip out to the San Xavier Mission.

This mission is a pristine example of the beautiful Missions that are throughout the Southwest. This particular Mission has been beautifully restored and shines like a beacon or a vision of "Oz" in an otherwise bleak desert landscape. Just outside the Mission is a very colorful graveyard.

On our way back to the motel this afternoon, Gail, Mike and I stumbled across a real local "gem"; the Bicycle Church. This is a memorial that was commemorated in the summer of 2009 in honor of the cyclists that have been killed, for various regions in the Tucson region.

The shrine is completely composed of bicycle parts; frames, wheels, and other accessories. If you are in the area and are interested in cycling, it is a humbling reminder to be careful out there!

On the Way to Tucson

Well, the journey is underway. Under clear skies and comfortable temperatures, I departed Encinitas early this morning and arrived in Tucson early afternoon after 430 miles or so of driving through the desert.

Along the way, I stopped briefly to view the "Desert Lookout Tower" just before descending into the Imperial Valley.

Tonight, nearly all of the 40 riders on the trip attended an orientation where each of the routes for the ride were presented. With 16 different routes to choose from, a lot of discussion and decisions were being made.

First ride tomorrow is at 8:30 along the Rillito River Path and the surrounding foothills.

All the Photos

Care to see, download, or add photos about the Tucson Turnabout? Click Here!

On Our Way

Well, the start of the Knickerbiker's Tucson Turnabout is about to begin. Forty intrepid cyclists are heading to Tucson, Arizona for four days of riding.

The "Routemaster", (yours truly) has assembled 16 rides varying in length from 1.5 miles to 80 miles!

We will be visiting many locations in the Tucson area and stay at the Best Western Royal Sands for the duration of our stay. We will be visiting a variety of sights in the area including many suguaro cactus fields, the Biosphere, Mt. Lemmon, the Pima Air Museum, and many other venues in this picturesque region of our country.

Watch for the daily reports from the rides here!