Arizona.
Four days in Arizona. On the first day alone, I spent time with friends I had known for 99 years collectively. I ate too much fattening food and drank far, far too much tequila. I drove from one end of the state to the other and saw so many of my favorite people. I celebrated a wedding and rode 25 miles of trails in the town where I first learned to ride. I drank good, strong coffee and spent a lot of time outside in both the relentless summer sun, and the warm, comfortable desert night. I even managed to do some real work for a change.
I started in Tucson at Dave's house. We helped his boys beat the August heat with the help of a handy garden hose and mild, friendly, masochism dispensed through a power sprayer. This in combination with the fading desert light gave me some of my favorite photographs maybe ever.
That night and the next day I found myself in Scottsdale. A nuclear afternoon, ready access to ten or twelve bottles of tequila, a heap of Plywood and an unsecured BMX bicycle led to an ingenious, if juvenile solution to this problem.
Finally, on Saturday, sunburned and hungover, I escaped the desert for the mountains for a 12 mile trail ride up Mount Elden, followed immediately by Steph and Jay's glorious wedding.
How I managed to ride another 13 miles of trail on Sunday morning is testament to the power of modern pharmaceuticals, good coffee, and a complete disregard for my well being.
I am home again. Nursing a head cold undoubtedly brought upon by my burning my candle with a flamethrower, and am trying to wade through a work day clouded by Sudafed and Benadryl. I have posted all the photos to Flickr. Links below. Enjoy.
