We arrived at Pearson at 6am for our 8:10 flight. Plenty of time you say??? Nope. What a totally ridiculous setup. We walked the length of the new terminal lugging our luggage, standing in lines, and doing all of the checkin process ourselves. Even custom is done on a machine! All this automation resulted in us sprinting to make it to the gate before they closed it. Not the way we wanted to start this adventure. (And Bjug was trying to “smuggle” Allen Keys but got caught by security, adding to our delays. Who knew that Allen Keys were a security threat and not allowed in carry on baggage?!?!)
Once on board all was good. We had a tailwind and arrived early. That’s where the second round of delays started. Arriving early meant there wasn’t a gate for us. So we sat for twenty minutes in the plane waiting.
Finally deplaned and down to the baggage claim area. Ninety minutes later and the bags show up. Another 20 for the bikes.
But eventually they all arrived. Intact!
A forty-five minute drive to the resort past all kinds of great scenery and we could finally start to unwind. Checked in, bikes built, burger and beer on the patio, and then an easy ride. Or at least that was the plan. We started at cruising along at 30km/h which crept up to 40, and then with a tailwind and a downhill we were coasting along at 55! My body was not ready for that but it was amazing to be outside and riding.
We’ve all heard, “…but it’s a dry heat” in relation to Arizona. And it’s true. My mouth and throat were crazy dry. Like I’d slept all night with my mouth open. I kept drinking just to try and wet my mouth but it was a losing battle.
After our ride we assembled and wen out for dinner to The Spitted Donkey. A nice southwestern restaurant in a building and setting that looked fake. In fact most of the buildings look like they’re a movie art and not real; with the boulders and mountains and cactus, etc.
And much like Chinese Food is just ‘food’ in China I suppose that the restaurant was just a local resto, not a “southwestern restaurant”. Either way, dinner was yummy.
Bed at 9pm and ready for a 100km ride at 8am.