Toronto-Phoenix started with customs insisting I take apart all of my carefully packaged bike and travel gear, right down to the last screw and energy bar. It took me most of a 1/2 hr to unpack/repack.
Flight to Phoenix was late (just like the last time). Good thing I planned for a short day – not like the last time where I spent 5 hours pedaling in the dark.
Flying into Phoenix with the trip’s mountains in the background:
Bike arrived and it was time to put it together:
And now we’re ready to go:
Salt Lake on a bike path just east of Phoenix Sky Harbour Airport:
Local flora:
Best Western Apache Junction – My home for the night
And this felt really really good after 4 hours in 30C/90F under the desert sun:
And now – thoughts turn to tomorrow’s first mountain:
![Apache Junction Mountain view](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
![Mountains to East of Phoenix](https://bernieschmidt.com/cycling-blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/D01_Approaching_Phoenix1-1024x576.jpg)
![Davinci Road bike in Phoenix](https://bernieschmidt.com/cycling-blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/d0101_bike_arrived_too1-1024x576.jpg)
![Bike ready](https://bernieschmidt.com/cycling-blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/d0102_bike_ready_to_go1-1024x576.jpg)
![Salt Lake, Phoenix](https://bernieschmidt.com/cycling-blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/d0103_Salt_Lake_in_Phoenix1-1024x576.jpg)
![Cactus in Mesa AZ](https://bernieschmidt.com/cycling-blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/d0104_suburban_cactus1-1024x576.jpg)
![Best Western Apache Junction](https://bernieschmidt.com/cycling-blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/d0105_My_home_for_the_night1-1024x576.jpg)
![Best Western Swimming Pool](https://bernieschmidt.com/cycling-blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/d0106_this_felt_good1-1024x576.jpg)
![Apache Junction Mountain view](https://bernieschmidt.com/cycling-blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/d0107_and_tomorrows_mountain1-1024x576.jpg)