Just minutes before leaving for Mt. Lemmon TJ informs me that Catalina Highway is closed due to the weather. I don’t mind riding around a barrier from time to time but he mentioned things like “rock slides” and “blizzards.” So I gathered my things and drove south on I-19 to Green Valley. The ride was incredibly beautiful. A million people may live in and around Tucson but once you find your way out of the mess, you’re out there. Madera Canyon is a unique climb. The grade begins at an easy 2-3% on a straight road through the desert, then some miles later you’ve climbed into a forest and the road turnS into a narrow twisty thing before the grade kicks up to around 15%. Tucson’s famous “shootout” group ride climbs up Madera Canyon every Saturday morning–or at least those strong enough to make it (I’m not quite there yet). I took some pictures after some hill repeats.

Once in awhile the weather in Tucson does not cooperate. Usually it does, and I’m not one to complain about it. I haven’t had to skip a workout yet due to torrential downpour, ice, cold, wind, snow, or what other nasty weather winter tends to bring to the rest of the world. But right now I’m stalling. I have a workout to do and only Mt. Lemmon will suffice. I hear on the radio there’s an inch of snow at 3,000 ft. It’s pouring rain below that elevation. Twice this season I’ve completed hill repeats in pouring rain, and the climbing part is wonderful–there are few things more beautiful then rain in the desert. It’s the completion of the intervals, the ride down the mountain and back home that is so humbling. And I’m stalling. Sopping wet, shivering, numb hands and toes, and a face full of road grit is not how I envisioned my ride for the day.

So here’s the deal, I’ll do my intervals. Ride time will be a little shorter than planned because I’m not riding through 14 miles of standing water just to reach the base of the mountain. Tucson has storm drains, but there’s some flaw in the system because water doesn’t drain from the roads around here. I had to contend with this road on my walk home from an 8:00am physiology lecture. I’m even less inclined to contend with this on a bike.

Maybe I’ll take a picture or two on the mountain–that could mean 2 posts in 1 day. Wish me luck!