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Arizona April

Back to the blog! We’ve had some interest in our tales from the blue Caribbean but first we want to catch up on April. Sea stories will be coming in the next 2 days, we promise…

Combine blue skies, bike rides and a few rattlesnakes and you’ve got April in Arizona.

Tim and I dedicated our Arizona April to one primary goal, training for the Whiskey Offroad Mountain Bike Race. After an awesome visit with the Weisers, we headed back our favorite campspot in Black Rock Canyon just north of Phoenix and settled in for a month of biking, work and low key living. BJ and Lisa joined us as well for long warm days in the desert.

 

Black Canyon Trail

 

As the temperatures rose, so did the snake sightings. Lisa spotted one off the trail, while Tim was chased by a sidewinding rattler on a technical ride in the hills. After two weeks of close encounters, it was time to head north to Prescott for cooler temperatures and less snakey terrain.

 

Desert Ocotillo

On Snake Alert

 

Friday, April 20th, we arrived in Prescott with BJ and Lisa and met up with Gretchen and Brad, just down from a week in Moab. At dinner with Dad at the Raven, Tim says to Brad, “So I’m going to ride a 65 mile bike ride tomorrow morning if you’re interested.”

24 hours later, Brad and Tim, dribble back into camp. This was no ordinary 65 mile ride…

 

An Early Start

Brad Fixing a Flat

 

Starting at 7 am Saturday morning, a loosely organized group of 50 riders set out to ride every major trail in the Prescott biking system. With 7100 feet of climbing, it’s long, hot and incredibly challenging. That night as we ate bratwursts around the fire, we had to coax Tim and Brad to eat. Now that is saying something.

 

40 miles done, 25 to go

 

By next day, the guys were perking up. We settled in to camp life with BJ and Lisa, Gretchen and Brad. Working, biking, and horseshoes kept us entertained. 2 days later, Steph, Clay and Ellery joined us from Jackson, completing our JH Jamboree.

 

Camp Prescott

 

But while Tim felt a bit better from the ride, he wasn’t recovering. Each morning he was more tired and by Wednesday, it was time to see the doctor. Pneumonia was back.

With only 5 days before we boarded a plane to Barbados, he needed to feel better fast. We settled into Dad’s house to get Tim healed. 2 days of antibiotics and he already was beginning to come around and was ready for a dinner party feast of lamb with Dad and Lisa, Lisa and BJ and Brad and Gretchen.

Though Tim was out of the race, the Whiskey Offroad was still on for Brad, Gretchen, Lisa and I.

Friday night Tim and I volunteered for the race and then slept downtown to get ready.

Brad set out first for the 50 miler. Lisa, Gretchen and I started 2 hours later for the 25. It was a beautiful day for a bike ride and an awesome way to start a vacation!

 

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