We decided to forego our normal Trail Trash ride this morning and hook up with GABA (Greater Arizona Bicycling Association) instead. The GABA ride started on the opposite side of Tucson, so we broke in our new trailer hitch mounted bike rack. Good rack — we didn’t lose a single bike going or coming.
The GABA ride recreated Annie Londonderry’s 1895 ride into Tucson. Little of her actual route is still accessible, and the hotel she stayed in is long gone, but we learned a lot and had fun doing it. We rode south down the Santa Cruz River (still flowing year-round in 1895 but bone dry now, alas) into downtown Tucson, with stops at the Tucson Historical Museum, the Stone Street Temple, and the Tucson Presidio. Our ride was 17 miles long, and since I didn’t want to be burdened with the camera there will be no photos today.
Monday evening the Trail Trash is going to a presentation on Annie Londonderry to be given by her great-grandnephew, Peter Zheutlin, who joined us for the ride today.
We left at 7:15 this morning, rode from 8:30 to 11:00, had lunch with our friends, and got home at 12:30. It’s now early evening, and Donna and I are still exhausted. I hope I can last through the DVD we plan to watch tonight.