Colossal Cave attempt

Sunday mornings always seem like a good time for a morning bike ride (especially since my Saturdays at this time of year are always wall-to-wall soccer). This Sunday morning was no different. Dan and I planned a morning ride out to Colossal Cave. A few months back we were making this ride at least once a week, but it's been a while since our last.

Got to Dan's house at 7:00am and we were on the road shortly thereafter. The weather was a little cool, but not too bad (not yet anyway). The ride from Dan's house out Old Spanish Trail to the Colossal Cave Mountain Park entrance is just about 15 miles. So, that gives us a 30 mile ride round-trip. As we are heading east(ish) on OST, we pass Saguaro National Monument East, and begin the slight descent into the Jeremy Wash which runs through that area.

As we get to the bottom of the wash, the temperature drops at least 10 degrees. It's freakin' cold down here. Just as you get past the wash is when you round the corner and head almost due east toward Camino Loma Alta Rd, Vail and Colossal Cave. Just before reaching the corner, a jogger who is heading the other direction yells out "you will have company ahead with the 1/2 marathon today". Oh yeah! I had forgotten that the TMC Old Spanish Trail Half Marathon & 5K was being run today. The race starts at the Rincon General Store and heads east to Colossal Cave. With that race being run there is going to be no way for us to ride out to the cave.

As I am exiting the wash, Dan catches up and asks what the jogger said to me. I told him about his info regarding today's race. As we round the corner about 1/2 mile away from the store, we see that cars are already parked along the side of the road, people are milling about, and what looks like race marshals clad in reflective vests are directing street traffic. It is at this point that we decide to make a U-turn and head back.

We rode back past Saguaro Park and turned right onto Freeman. Down Freeman (which was much more downhill than I realized) to speedway, and Speedway west to Ridgeside. Then Ridgeside south to 22nd. East on 22nd to Melpomene and west on Old Spanish Trial. Back to Dan's place.

Total distance was somewhere in the 25 mile range (I forgot to reset my computer, so I can't be more accurate). It was a nice ride and I was glad to get back out on the bike again.