A Fluke Commute

I'll admit it, I don't commute to work via bike. Shame on me. I really wish I could, but I live about 30 miles one-way from work & I often work my part-time job afterwards. It's not the distance, bike commuting in Phoenix is easy, flat and most can be done on canals or bikeways.

I've been a little curious about taking a day to do such a commute when I wasn't working my evening job. Today was that day as I was only planning on working a 1/2 day anyway.

I wasn't riding overly fast, the canals in the pre-dawn darkness were damp and slow, still drying out from a storm a few days ago. Plus, I wanted to take some pics along the way.

Early on, I ran into some mud crossing through a construction zone that I thought may end my ride. Thankfully the gears still worked and I kept pedaling.

Dawn breaks over the Superstition Mtns.

It was a chilly 37º at the start, a bit of fog at the Gilbert Riparian area.

Quite a few horse properties along the route.

Daybreak heading west.

I was crossing Gilbert rd. when another rider merged right behind me, 'Hey, John!', I turned to look and it was Hunter on his way to work in Tempe. What are the odds? We rode the the next 10 miles or so before I had to split off towards South Mountain.

Crossing I-10.

Had to get a little singletrack in!!

Made it, just under 3 hours.

Arizona Grand Hotel & Resort near work.

Nearby Mexican restaurant.

Nice canopy through Tempe.

Some protection against shanked/sliced golf balls.

Western Canal artwork.

Some stretches were really straight.

Spraying concrete to cover the earthen walls.

Cool solar array.

Same tracks that run near our house, just crossing here.

Neat water fountain, but it wasn't running.

Downtown Gilbert.

Feeding time!

Riparian Preserve.

Nice spur trail through the Riparian preserve.

Agritopia.

Field of Dreams softball complex. Here's the Anaheim Angels mock-up.

San Tan Mtns getting closer.

Superstition Mtns.

Picketpost Mtn. dead center.

South Mountain, that's how far I've come.

San Tan Mtns. almost home.

Some big fish in the canal.

On the left the McDowell Mtns look small, Red Mtn. on the right.

Pass Mtn. on the left, Four Peaks on the right.

Greenbelt under Germann Rd.

Back home, 59 mile day.

Hopefully I can find a few more days to do this ride, it really was an enjoyable spin.