The weather dealt the Spin Cycle a reprieve from the heat that was predicted for the weekend. Cloud cover cut the baking sun and allowed the group to spin around South Mountain as planned. Rest assured, the back-up ride that was mapped and ready will be placed on a future Sunday. (Far be it for me to waste a perfectly good ride map!)

The group pedaled out to our first regroup in very orderly fashion with no one showing any indication of burning up the roads just yet. After the right on Riggs, the heavy-duty cycle kicked in and the lead group screamed westward at reported speeds that are illegal in 12 states. Meanwhile, the regular cycle pushed along with the "red lantern" to pick up those that fell off. During this phase of the ride, Paul, a new rider with our GABA groups, was swept up by a passing racing team. Fearing cardiovascular collapse, he fell off wondering what the heck got into the nice recreational riders he started with. After being caught, we explained that none of us wear body suits and have 2% body fat. This makes it easy to distinguish us from the racers.

After the second regroup at the 51st Ave. Texaco Mini Mart, the group continued the ascent up the South Mtn. foothills. Little did anyone realize the treachery that lay ahead. The lead riders apparently "Let the Dogs Out", the second group set the table, and poor Kevin appeared to be the main course. The value and power of fear generated adrenaline is a marvelous thing. Kevin probably startled his Bianchi with that canine induced sprint interval.

Ultimately, all made it to regroup three at the Dobbins and Central Circle K. The short spin to The Raven rewarded everyone a great breakfast as we were well treated by the staff that had our tables ready for our group. Bottom line, I love The Raven. Tom was absolutely correct, great cup of coffee!

The group began to scatter after breakfast with only 6 survivors returning to the park. No problemo! With such a robust group that "rides to the ride", this is to be expected.

20 riders made the fourth Spin Cycle the best yet. People make a successful group ride. Any of us can, and do, ride the roads alone. These group rides, however, provide us the opportunity to share, and grow, from each other. I value your participation and welcome any feedback on how to make the Spin Cycle a better Sunday event.

Next week, the Spin Cycle rolls to the south, once again, but spins eastward on Riggs. I suppose we could call it the Eus ed Ruot. No, this isn't latin, its the Tour de Sue backwards. We'll go a little further to the east and end up dining back at the Chandler and Rural Bruegger's . I hope to see you all, once again, at next Sunday's Spin Cycle.

Chandler, AZ - The Spin-Cycle successfully launched its second ride with fifteen riders. With summer vacations taking their toll on personal riding schedules, there were just four returning veterans from last weeks' inaugural ride, but eleven "new" riders filled in the peloton. (Hey Jeff, even though you have wet roots in Seattle, its OK to ride with us on days its not raining! :-) I'd like to add a personal "thank you" to Sue Fassett and Matt Bolan for joining the group on their Sunday off from the Landis racing group. I also want to thank Tom Culp for the work he has done to secure the bike lane on Chandler Blvd. We took it for the two miles between Price and Rural and are REALLY thankful that his perseverance paid off. (Hey Tom, take it easy on the supplements, we want you in the group but you need a heart rate a bit less than a gerbil to enjoy these things. Temperance, my friend!)

The group spun to the southeast weaving through a couple of neighborhood passes to Germann, then east to Higley, before making our way back on Queen Creek, Lindsey, and Hunt Highway. This was one of those mornings when the wind seemed to shift just in time to remain a headwind, or considerable cross-wind, for most of the ride. I believe everyone was thankful for a group to hide behind. Asphalt snakes were out and about and biting some tires as the group had two flats along the way.

The "heavy-duty" cyclers faked going west on Queen Creek (mapped out for an additional 8 miles around to Maricopa Rd. and back to Chandler Blvd.) in favor of shortcoming back to the north on Price. The "regular" cyclers took the Pennington Pass to the north from Queen Creek. I was VERY impressed when I saw the "heavy-duty" riders already at Brueggers when we regulars got there. Little did I know, they took the short-cut but that started the stories of, "we went all the way around the mountain to get here, ... and, we waited for two hours at the regroup, ... and, we actually kept going east to nearly the state line but decided we'd turn around because we were getting hungry." Sure, and I've got some swamp land in New Jersey for sale, as well.

Breakfast at Brueggers was well attended with ten of the original group. While there, we were treated to an "act of nature" as Rob's bike was quickly claimed by a spider as a piece of his, or her, personal territory. In a matter of minutes, the spider had extended its web from the building to include Rob's rear tire all the up to his bullet pack. Fearing that either he, or his bike, might end up a significant part of the ecosystem, Rob gently removed his vehicle from the master web, leaving the cyclo-arachnid to await another Cannondale.

Kathleen E. and Roy K. step forward next Sunday as I'm on the White Mountain Tour. (I'll finalize the map by midweek and get in touch with you both.) The route ventures to the north and east through ASU and out Rio Salado Parkway. Hoosier's Cafe is the breakfast treat. You have something to look forward to, if you've not been there before. Those of us on the tour will be climbing up to Sunrise Ski Resort just about the time you're enjoying your breakfast; hard to tell which is better. I'm back in two weeks, July 29th, with a scheduled ride around South Mtn. We'll wait and see on that one. The temperature will have a lot to say on which way we go. The Raven Restaurant on Baseline is a favorite, so we'll definitely commit to breakfast there. The question is, how far (or short) do we ride to get to it??? You'll have to show up to find out.

16 riders braved an apparently rainy Sunday morning to be the charter members of the Sunday Spin-Cycle. Bob, Kathleen, Terry, Kevin, and Jan, followed Keith on a 29 mile scenic journey through the Ahwatukee Foothills. John, Jeff, Owen, Connie, Tom, Bob, Rob, Murray, Roy, and I followed each other through the Foothills and then a fast lap around on Queen Creek. Most ended up at the Coffee Plantation and, by most reports, had a good ride. Fierce allogations were flying that some of the macho guys were trying to kill off Connie at intersections, but it was pointed out that most drivers won't run over women. Bob, what was the reason for that? I'm sure not putting that into print!! :-)

We were definately blessed with temperatures that never left the eighties and everyone was heading home around 10:00.

This was a tremendous start to what I hope becomes a wonderful Sunday ride option. Next week, the Spin-Cycle heads to the Southeast with a spin out Germann to Higley with our return on Queen Creek and Hunt Highway. The "regular" cycle will be 33 miles and the "heavy-duty" cycle will add a quick lap westbound on Queen Creek and back in on 56th to make a 43 mile circuit. This one's flat, so Rob and the gang will be able to do some serious hammering. I may run with the casual crowd, since I'm trying to put in another thousand for the month, "volume over velocity." Breakfast will be at Bruegger's Bagels on Chandler and Rural immediately following our spin.

I hope to see everyone again, and bring a friend along!