Day 7 - Saguaro Sunshine

Departure: Tucson, AZ      Finish:  Benson, AZ        Distance:    68.9 miles

Elevation gain:  3,824 feet (two sustained 8% grades)

Winds: Headwinds all day. 5 to 7 mph early. Sustained 10 to 12 mph from 10am on

Weather:  CAVU (clear above, visibility unlimited) Departed with 49 degrees. Arrived with 69 degrees.

On bike duration:     5hrs, 7 minutes. 

Average speed: 13.4 mph

Beautiful day in the desert. Shortly after we left the hotel we were met with a road closure. There are many “dips” in the streets of Tucson. On the occasion of a rain, these dips become small rivers. We could not pass, so we doubled back and added several miles to our day. 

About 12 miles from the hotel we entered the Saguaro National Park for a planned 8 mile sight-seeing loop. Very kind of our tour organizer to offer this diversion. It had all the beauty and scenery expected from a National Park. The loop itself was very enjoyable. It was one way only with perfect pavement and scenic pullouts. There were many undulating curves to make it challenging as well.

In the park I came upon a group of women that seemed to be having a good time. They were each brandishing a hula hoop at a scenic overlook. Turns out they are four sisters who set out years ago to “Hula Hoop” in front of all 50 state capitols. They accomplished that feat at some point and have now set a goal of “hooping” in all of our National Parks. I’m not sure who was more impressed - them regarding our journey, or me regarding theirs!

After lunch, we hopped on the shoulder of Interstate 10 for just over 10 miles. It was a short section of the highway that goes from Tucson to El Paso. That road is heavily travelled and the racket in my left ear was non-stop. Our little piece of real estate (the shoulder) was covered with trash - more than we had seen before. Mostly, it was not specifically litter. It was hundreds of shredded remnants of truck tires that had been launched from big rigs. A cyclist can easily avoid most of the large pieces. It’s the small shards that become a hazard. They have small steel wires embedded in the rubber. The ends of the wires are effectively spears, and have the same effect as the spikes at the entrance of a rental car return lot where there is a sign that says “Do Not Back Up - Severe Tire Damage!” Small pieces of steel wire have been found as the culprit in about half of the flat tires the group has suffered since leaving the Pacific. As remarkable as the debris field was, I don’t believe there were any flats today. We successfully navigated the obstacle course. 

We had the stiffest headwinds we’ve seen so far, but overall, it was a beautiful and fun day!