Urban Escapades
Here’s a Jeff Kerkove-esque self shot from the Roosevelt canal in Gilbert. I’ve recently started hitting the local canal trails as a way to get more time/miles on the bike. Without a road bike to step up my conditioning, I’ll use what I have.
I never knew there were so many canals to ride around town. But thanks to the Bike Ways Phoenix Map I have a whole valley to explore…I never even considered urban riding as something that could be fun. Sure the canal trails are boring (flat, wide, zero tech) and everywhere I look are views of the mountain ranges where my favorite trails are all nestled…Superstition, Goldfield, Usery, McDowell, South, Estrella…I have to squint to see the White Tanks… but the canals do have their advantages. No road traffic is my favorite.
This kind of riding isn’t replacing the trail, it’s just more time on the bike. And more time on the bike is never a bad thing.
Sounds like some great riding. I’d love to ride across the rez along the CAP, does the tribe frown upon that or is it OK cuz its on CAP? I think I’ll try a canal ride from Queen Creek to Hawes and then back. Should be a good 60 miler.
whenever i visit PHX i always get around on my bike on the canals. rode them all the time when i was a kid. in recent years i’ve riden to the canal out and back many times to just south of PHX mtns where i enter the park at trail 8A of 30-something street; i also often down to papago from scottsdale for a quick set of loops around the zoo buttes and the subduction flume that takes canal water under the salt river. i also like riding the canal out east across the rez to the beeline… tho there are no trails to connect with in the vicinity, it still gets kinda empty and lovely out that way…
You need to get a Mountain Bike…
You need to get a road bike…