A mostly flat century ride covering both ends of Happy Valley Road, extending from 137th Ave in Peoria (end of Vistancia Boulevard) to 118th St (top of Happy Valley/Jomax in northeast Scottsdale). 107 miles and 3,000 ft of climbing, as shown starting from Roadrunner Park in Phoenix (36th St & Cactus). I averaged a leisurely 16.2 mph.
January 16, 2011
Ordinarily, I avoid the west side of town when out riding. For the most part, the west valley isn’t conducive to safe cycling, especially in the Glendale area – at least, that’s been my experience. I’ve found few routes that don’t involve a lot of heavy car traffic and narrow to non-existent shoulders. (Perhaps the west valley cyclists can pipe in here and prove me wrong – I’d love to know more routes that go through to useful places.)
Though Glendale may be lacking when it comes to cycling, Peoria is not. The ride out towards the relatively new Vistancia development is proof of that, as I found out last spring on a ride out to Vistancia Boulevard with the Moon Valley Group.
I ended up riding up to the northwest valley today, traversing a good chunk of Happy Valley road, and the name didn’t let me down, for I was one happy cyclist by the end of the ride. Great weather, great cycling roads, great feeling legs, a great feeling saddle, and lots of power yoga classes the past few weeks all conspired to give me one of the most satisfying century rides I’ve done in a long time, and by far, the most comfortable long distance ride I’ve ever had.
It didn’t start out that way. Quite the contrary:
Meh!
As I pedal up 36th St in north central Phoenix, my state of mind can be described as “meh.” It’s chilly (okay, so 46 degrees is cold to me – I’m a hot weather rider), and even though it’s supposed to get up to 76 degrees for a high, the overcast skies at 8:30 am don’t show any signs of that. My legs aren’t feeling all that enthusiastic – I’m cruising along at a whopping 14.5 mph – and that’s on a slight downhill. Plus, I’m feeling the pressure of the Death Valley Double looming just six weeks away. I need to be out doing a long distance ride, but all I really want to do is go back to a warm bed.
I had told my wife I was heading up Carefree way, but I really don’t know where I’m going. Just not south, for today is the P.F. Chang Rock and Roll Marathon, so points south are problematic, due to road closures and such. And frankly, I’m tired of all the other routes I usually ride. I mean really, how many times can a person ride through the Camelback Golf Course in Paradise Valley, or cruise up the climbs of Via Linda? Great routes, yes, but after the umpteenth millionth time? Even Carefree doesn’t seem all that appealing, for going that way involves a lot of climbing, and I’d done plenty of that the day before, on a hill-climbing fest out to Fountain Hills.
So where to go? I figure I’ll just head north along Cave Creek road, and make it up as I go along. I pass by a group of cyclists going the other direction. Perhaps the Moon Valley Group? And that reminds me, I rode with them last spring on a nice ride out to Vistancia Boulevard in Peoria. Hey, that’s it! That’s the ticket. Somewhere different!
Indecision time
I decide to cruise up to Deer Valley Road and head west, and make my way to the city of Peoria and Vistancia Boulevard. Or not. I could still ride up to Carefree – just go up 19th Ave north of Deer Valley Road to Carefree Highway.
Indecision made (ha ha!), I head west on Deer Valley Road and turn up 19th Ave. I still don’t know where I’m going yet, but I do know that I can hold off any decision until I turn the corner onto Jomax Road. From there I can continue west on Jomax, and make my way out to Peoria, or head north to Carefree Highway and east to Carefree as originally planned.
At this point, I’m still not feeling enthusiastic about riding. I’m just going through the motions. I make a random choice at the corner of Jomax and Norte Valley Parkway. I head west, committing to the northwest valley.
And then magic happens.
Happy Valley magic!
As I cruise down the frontage road of I-17, south of Jomax and heading for Happy Valley Road, the sun comes out and my spirits instantly lift. And then, as I turn onto Happy Valley Road, the excitement of riding somewhere different takes hold. I’ve never ridden this part of Happy Valley Road before. I’m not even sure if it goes through to anywhere. I figure I’ll take it as far as I can, since I know that eventually, to reach Vistancia Boulevard, I’ll have to be on Happy Valley Road. Okay then, an adventure!
The first thing I notice as I turn onto Happy Valley Road is a shocking amount of traffic. I don’t remember Happy Valley Road going anywhere useful, but in such a fast growing city, it’s hard to keep track of all the changes the past 30 years. Yet all these cars are going somewhere. Perhaps Happy Valley Road really does go through.
The second thing I notice is smooth, brand new pavement, with a wide bike lane. Cycling heaven, in other words. My legs instantly gain energy, and soon I’m spinning along at a nice 18-20 mph pace. The weather is gradually turning warmer, and the sun peaks out enough times to give me hope. And to top all this off, Happy Valley Road scenically skirts the south side of a collection of hills, draped in saguaro cactus. I spin along happy as can be.
Note to all East Valley cyclists: If you haven’t ridden Happy Valley Road west of I-17, you’re missing a treat!
As often happens when riding new roads, time seems to slow down, and although it feels like I’ve already ridden a 100 miles, by the time I reach Vistancia Boulevard (Happy Valley swings north and turns into Vistancia just west of the new 303 freeway), I’ve only gone a measly 30. Jeez, and to think I’ll have to do 170 more miles than this on the Death Valley Double!
However, my legs are feeling good. So is my saddle.
Modern day Columbus
I swing northwest up Vistancia Boulevard, and reach the end of the line at the 35 mile mark. Vistancia Blvd stops cold due to the Central Arizona Canal cutting it off. I turn south down Westland Road to Lone Mountain Parkway. It has wide bike lanes, and heads west. I head west too, to see where it goes. Like an urban Columbus, I keep looking for a magical route that will safely take me out to the White Tank Mountains in the west valley, without harrowing traffic, and perhaps this is just the road that will do it. Alas, it goes 1/2 mile and dead ends. I’m at 137th Ave. Perhaps next time I should head east as far as possible and I’ll end up at the White Tanks. Ha!
(I could have posted pictures of this area here. I did have my camera with me on the ride. But nooooo! I forgot I had it with me until later in the day. Doh!)
Caffeine – the magic secret
I head east again and back to Vistancia Boulevard. A group of riders goes by. I latch on to the back and draft southeast with them for five or six miles as we turn east back onto Happy Valley Road. The group eventually turns south on Lake Pleasant Parkway. I keep going east on Happy Valley Road and stop for lunch at a Subway on 67th Ave. Along with a sandwich, I have an iced tea, and fill both bottles with iced tea as well, just because I can. Then I notice later that my spirits have lifted even more. I’d forgotten: Caffeine is a great way to get a boost of energy while riding – even if it’s a bit of false energy.
Not so happy portion …
I eventually reach the junction with I-17. There are roundabouts here that serve as exit/entrance points to the freeway. There’s lots of traffic. A dicey situation. I could have turned north a half-mile earlier and headed up to Jomax and then east, a much safer way over the freeway. Point noted.
I make it through the roundabouts unscathed and keep heading east on Happy Valley Road, wondering where it goes past 19th Ave. I suspect it might go all the way to 7th St, skirting the Deer Valley Airport, and it does. However, there’s no shoulder here, and way too much traffic for a road that doesn’t go anywhere useful. (Ha!) On top of that, the road is rough – in other words, Happy Valley is not so happy at this point. Far better – and safer – to have turned down 19th Ave to Deer Valley Road – the way I came on the way out. Another point noted.
The McDowells beckon
I make my way down 7th St to Deer Valley Road and head east, making it to the junction with Cave Creek Road at the 60 mile mark. I figure it’s 12-15 miles home from this point, so I’ll be getting in a 72-75 mile day. Not bad. However, by this time, the weather has turned fabulous. Probably 70 degrees, and plenty of sunshine. My legs are feeling fabulous too. So is the saddle. I see the McDowell Mountains beckoning off to the east, along with the thumb of Pinnacle Peak sticking up. Just south of that peak is a nice little climb … that goes to the top of Happy Valley Road! Hmm…. I could do both ends of Happy Valley on the same day. How many riders can say they’ve done that?
My bike has it own plans
The next thing I know, my bike is turning north off of Deer Valley Road onto Tatum Boulevard, and it has already plotted its next moves. It will take me up Tatum to Jomax Road and then east, making its way eventually up Dynamite Hill and Reatta Pass, and then it will do the climb up Jomax and voila! My bike will be at the top of the east-end of Happy Valley road.
I guess I’ll be there too. Ha-ha!
I figure it’s 15 miles to Reatta Pass. It’s just a wild-ass guess, but it proves to be correct. And I know from there it’s 23 miles home, so hey, I’ll be getting in close to a century today. Who knew when I started out this morning that’s what I’d be doing. I certainly didn’t. Perhaps my bike did.
The secret to long distance riding
My legs feel good up Dynamite Hill, and the Jomax climb as well. Okay, so I wasn’t riding all that fast. More like spinning in the lower gears in a leisurely fashion. In case you don’t know it, this is the trick to long-distance riding where climbs are concerned. Don’t go anywhere near Zones 4 or 5 if you can help it. Just noodle up the climbs. You’ll be surprised how far you can go this way, and the routes you can do – routes that seem impossible or difficult until you try.
When I reach the top of Jomax, I know to go south, and I’ll magically be at the top of Happy Valley Road. Though I did the opposite direction today, going up Happy Valley Road from Pima is a nice little climb on its own.
Here are some pictures of this area. (By this time, I remembered I had my camera!):
The start of the Jomax climb (Alma School Road & Jomax, in the Reatta Pass area).
Looking east from the top of Jomax, towards Four Peaks. And is that … snow?
Looking back west, down Jomax towards Pinnacle Peak.
Looking south down 118th St, at the top of Jomax / Happy Valley towards the northern flanks of the McDowell Mountains.
This is your reward for climbing Jomax / Happy Valley: Nice views of Weaver’s Needle and the Superstition Mountains.
Looking west down Happy Valley Road, at the corner of Happy Valley and Alma School roads. Way off in the distance is where I was earlier in the day, at 137th Ave. (I’m at roughly 104th St here – that’s 241 blocks.)
Looking back east, up the climb of Happy Valley Road, as it winds through the Troon Village / Desert Crest area.
Note to all West Valley Cyclists: If you haven’t ridden Happy Valley Road up to the top (the flanks of the McDowell Mountains) in northeast Scottsdale, you’re missing a treat!
I stop for my meticulously planned late afternoon lunch
It’s all downhill from Happy Valley and Alma School roads. I turn south on Pima and stop at AJ’s at Pinnacle Peak and Pima and have a hamburger. Just as I get my hamburger, the grill closes for the day. It’s almost like I had planned the whole thing. Ha-ha!
On the way home, I do a loop through the Camelback Golf Course in Paradise Valley, just because it’s there. So what if I’ve done this little loop one trillion times. Ha!
A Happy Valley day
By the time I reach home, I’m in great spirits. My legs feel good, and my saddle is as comfortable at the end as it was in the beginning. And that’s after 107 miles. This was by far the most comfortable century ride I’ve ever done, a great confidence booster for the upcoming Death Valley Double Century.
It truly was a Happy Valley day!
