Bicyclists at The Preserve: Marty Herbert, Steve Aiken, Joanie Broder, Sam Weston, Don and Debbie Grafmiller, Craig Benson
Wanda Ross
It’s summer, so it’s hot and the snowbirds are gone, but we’re still bicycling in SaddleBrooke. The Cyclemasters bicycling club has organized rides every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. During the summer months of June, July, and August, we start riding at 7 a.m. to enjoy early daylight and light traffic and to avoid the heat later in the day. We meet at the SaddleBrooke One parking lot near the bocce ball courts and ride within our community for one hour.
Usually, we have groups of 8 to 12 with a ride leader. The Saturday ride has the most people. We break into smaller groups based on the speed and ability of the riders. Some of the bicyclists have traditional manual bikes, but more and more are riding electric-assisted e-bikes, perfect for our hilly terrain. Some ride tandem bikes or three-wheeled trikes. After our ride, we go to the RoadRunner Grill for coffee, iced tea, or breakfast and for socializing with each other. It’s a really fun time and a good way to get to know each other.
We also are bicycling outside SaddleBrooke. Some of us enjoy riding at SaddleBrooke Ranch, a less hilly area that features a nice outdoor breakfast venue. Various club members announce long outside rides for faster, more experienced bicyclists. These rides go on The Loop and to interesting destinations like The Mercado, the University of Arizona, etc.
Cyclemasters is a fun, encouraging group all year long. Mary Yount recently told us, “I have never been active before. I joined Cyclemasters, and it’s the first time I’ve stayed with any exercise. I like the social aspect and the exercise. I’m riding four days a week now.”
If you might like to ride with us, check out our website at saddlebrookecyclemasters.org.
In September our inside ride start time changes to 7:30 a.m. as the days get shorter and cooler.