Completed a couple of good rides for my birthday week. Last Saturday took a hard, but rewarding 24 mile ride. Rode out with a few riding buddies from Performance Bikes (east side) heading east on Broadway out to Freeman Road (hell of a climb...) to Old Spanish Trail to the Saguaro East Nation Park. After a rest stop at the pavilion, we headed out to do the "East Loop". After a grueling 'backside', I finally caught up to my fellows, who are MUCH better riders than I am back at the pavilion. Much to my surprise, I was able to hang at a sustained 27 mph push back in OST and posted a best average of 14.4 mph.
Today, I joined a co-worker on a good, but windy 20 mile ride down in Sierra Vista, only to be beat around by a wicked head and cross winds. On the way back after the turn-around, I continued my luck with my crappy wheels. Broken ANOTHER spoke on the rear, and rode the last 7 miles back to the car on another 'wobbly'. But my luck held until a few blocks from the car, when the rear tire finally started going flat. All in All, it was good riding, even with the hills and mechanicals.
