You're welcome, Ken! Well, it's funny you say that about waiting until the Vulcan arrives. When we got to Middle Bear (around Milepost 11) and stopped to add a layer against the chill, Laura asked me, "Aren't you chomping at the bit to go faster?" That morning when I picked her up at her house that morning I had insisted that she ride at the front so she could go at her own pace. While I must admit I was a little itchy to ramp it up, Lemmon is so beautiful that it's relatively easy to go slowly as it is to go fast. The sights, smells, temp fluctuations, and just the "feel" of the whole ride is really something special. So I rode at Laura's--and the Vulcan's--pace knowing the mountain will be there, steady as she goes, for another day of faster frolicking. You and others have said you envy us having rides like Lemmon available. I count my blessings to have rides like Mt. Lemmon right in my backyard. I recognize how truly lucky I am.
Thanks for your input, Steve. Yeah, there are places I've been or lived that I still recall and love but, when folks ask me about them, I realize that I haven't been there in a couple of decades (the SF Bay area being an example). And I realize that things can and do change. At any rate, I will check out Echo Bay and Mt. Charlston on "The Google". We've ridden Red Rock Canyon and absolutely love it. But one of the two guys that Mr. Sandi and I are riding to LV Bike Fest with hasn't ridden it so I think that means it's a must do. Don't you agree?! And re. Mt. Charleston, I'm quite curious about that now and will do some research. Mt. Lemmon is always our reminder that it can be the 70's or 80'sºF in Tucson itself but in the 30's with snow up on Lemmon. I suspect Mt. Charleston is much the same. I will definitely send photos and reports of our Las Vegas Bike Fest adventures--which begin a week from Thursday! I'm even contemplating breaking out the "big daddy" (Canon) camera to get better photos. But I do try to balance out getting good photos with just snapping what I see on my iPhone and not being totally focused on "doing" photography (much as I enjoy it) at the expense of enjoying being in the moment. I used to do underwater photography when I went scuba diving but found that it changed how I approached diving--and not in a way I liked. But so far I still enjoy taking fun photos on motorcycle trips. And I really enjoy sharing them with other riders who enjoy them. And I really enjoy seeing photos that forum members from "across the pond" share too!
