If it were not for this time period during the year, everyone would live in Phoenix. But, just as there are brutal weather periods back East, so this is our “the Chamber of Commerce would rather you didn’t mention conditions right now” time. Predicted high today? 115. Low this morning? Well, I was riding by 4:15am (I have a great headlight for my bike) and I have a thermometer on my Garmin 500 that plunged at one point to a bone-chilling 93.4F. That was the low at sunrise. And no, with dew points now in the upper 50s and lower 60s (even had a little rain for a few miles), it is not dry and enjoyable like it was back in May and June. So that is why you get up at 3:45am and get going, so you can get 35 miles in before the sun begins to bake you.
About ninety minutes into my ride this morning I came out from an underpass and saw this. I carry a cheapie old flip phone while riding (I have very rarely fallen, but if I do, I don’t want my Droid underneath me when I land) so the picture is less than impressive (I think I will find a really light upgrade phone with a really good camera next time, as I do see some great things while riding, now, 51,000+ miles mainly in the desert). But the rain squall was creating a glowing curtain of light, and it was gorgeous. A few minutes earlier the light had been coming from the West instead of the East as it was reflecting off of cloud tops to the West but was not penetrating the thick cloud layer to the East. That was an eery feeling, as it looked like sunset instead of sunrise. In any case, the desert has a grandeur all its own, and I often find myself humming “How Great Thou Art” as I wonder at God’s creation, and give thanks that I get to enjoy the health to be out there in those early morning hours.
