Spin

I just got back from a nice morning spin around my neighborhood. There are times when I like to forego the trail rides and hard road efforts and just take an exploratory jaunt through the twisting, dead-end (and not-so-dead-end) streets characteristic of the West Side. I pedaled by everything from vintage casitas to classic red brick ranches to unbelievably tacky McMansions, sometimes all on the same block. The yards were full of welded folk art, smiling dogs, and all sorts of wildlife. Despite it being a paved ride, I used a mountain bike. Last week's record rains left every wash crossing full of sand and gravel, and only the main roads have been cleared. The ride reminded me of how much I like living in Tucson - I sometimes forget this.

The fact that I'm blogging such uncharacteristically happy thoughts is the result of two things. One - summer is finally loosening its grip. The nights are cooling off and while the afternoons are still a bit warm, the sun angle is becoming too low for there to be any real scorchers. My summer cabin fever is on the verge of abating. Two - the fact that I was even able to go for a bike ride means that I finally shed the moderate case of food poisoning I had late last week. I like hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants, but there can be consequences.

Now, if I can just manage to get in an afternoon nap, my day will be complete.