Phoenix Rising: 2015 Tour Cancelled, Resurrected in 2016

Last year was a dismal bust... many, many hours spent in the saddle through the spring and summer (1500 miles + training), steeling myself for the big tour, yet in the end... all I got was a ride that became a distant past aspiration. As you may recall (or not...), my Dread Not! Five Double Aught tour was canceled by extreme heat in June and then, when I postponed it to August - wildfires ran amok through out the state! By about about end of summer, the writing was on the (side) wall of my new touring tires... it ain't gonna happen this year, give it up lil' buckeroo. And so I did.

Fall came and went. I hibernated in December and January. Gained a few punds too. February peeked out and it was time again to start something. Slowly churn, churn for a "ridea" (ride idea!), ride somewhere... Where? Where? Crank up the big fly wheel of creatomotive force. Where? Where? Churn some more, let the fly wheel inertia spit something out... BOOM! The solution was pretty clear, dust off the "oh-fifteen" ride plan and stamp it with a big fat "2016". And, guess what? This was utterly brilliant... a turn-key plan, for the upcoming summer!

So, in a few six days, I will be heading out for this year's ride. No fancy tour name, have I. Just this. I leave from my front door and ride to Hood River, Oregon. Five days, 300 miles. Three double aught? Yep.

Here is the route:

If you scan back through last year's blog, I did give a few tasty bits in terms of the ride details. I have three days of previews, but that trip was eight days of riding (who could forget I was heading all the way to the Oregon coast?).

http://cycleslogger.blogspot.com/2015/05/day-one-preview-dread-not-five-double.html

http://cycleslogger.blogspot.com/2015/05/day-two-preview-dread-not-five-double.html

http://cycleslogger.blogspot.com/2015/06/day-three-preview-dread-not-five-double.html

Well, at some point, I had to stop writing about the 'plan' and start focusing on the weather. No more previews, I was consumed by a major heat wave gripping the PNW. In the end, I postponed that trip. Ack!

http://cycleslogger.blogspot.com/2015/06/tour-postponed-record-breaking-heat.html

Anyway, this year looks much better weather wise. So, it's a GO! Monday the 23rd is the Grand Depart. Yep, right out the front door of our little 1964 bi-level and off I go. Five days later, I'll be in Hood River where my side kick and Luna the Wunder Pup meet me for four days of wine tasting and juz' lounging around. I plan on posting pics and some musings on Facebook. But, expect a full trip report once I am back. Cheers Mates!