On Tue we met up with our buddy Karen Koenig and her beau Jimmy (no pic) at a very fine brewery in Phoenix named the Wren House. The DDH (double dry hopped) IPA, This Time It's Different Pt 2, was very good and worthy. Plus the full tap list appeared interesting and very strong. Here's a bad pic of Kala & I @ the sign.
Ultimately I just hit the bike hard, as well as hit the car, at the car wash, to ready it for a great ride at Brown's Ranch in far N Scottsdale with my old friend Michael Marinick. This web of flowy trails through medium-high desert was verdant with spectacular views (often just of Michael's butt pulling away up a climb - but no matter, his circa 70's CroMo lugged steel 26er allowed my descents a bit more space). It was awesome after some really sketchy icy roads and bad weather headed down to the metro from N Arizona. We even got lost, saw early season wildflowers, and observed snow on 4 Peaks and the mountains surrounding the Valley of the Sun.
That evening we convened the old MTST exec staff at Jim Sciacero's estate. What a hoot to kibitz with my old friends (L to R) Shirley & Mark Johnston, Paul & Heather Hittel, Me, Susan & Jim Sciacero, with David Koenig behind, Michael Marinick (Maria had a better offer) and Kala. Our great hosts provided a fine evening of wine and food.
I enjoyed a nice day at Foothill's golfing with Steve Gordon (no pic) before more rain and snow in the high country, started coming down. I did snap a roadrunner. At lunch I tasted a local IPA from 4 Peaks, Hop Knot. We headed up to my sister Letha's and visited indoors while the rains came. We built her a new TV stand with electronics cabinet, which matches her decor much better. There were so many pieces and instruction steps she mused "this is a project in which you can readily lose interest when just half done." It looks great and replaces a super bulky, but very nice, armoire weighing in at very heavy (I know we hoisted it).
It rained even more on Friday, which forced most golfers inside to TopGolf - the 90 min wait for a slot motivated us outta there. But we dined well at the Bario Queen Mexican restaurant on National Margaritta Day, and again that night with old Lehigh mates Gordons, Coffin-Mariettas, and Kevin & Judy Walden @ the excellent Tuck Shop restaurant.
I enjoyed another fine day on the trail as I rambled through the Phoenix Mtn Preserve, a familiar desert haunt, on the Broadaxe. Sure it was 38° as I embarked but I knew it'd get nicer as the sun shone more. Man are #8 & #1A rocky... the spiky climbs and narrow channeled descents had me step off the steed on occasion. There were gorgeous views of snow-capped mtns and wildflowers all around on the ride. I visited Swish for lunch after the ride; that's always a treat. And, I stopped at another well-considered Phoenix brewery, Huss, before joining the team at yet a final brewery, Mother Bunch, that evening.
We're headed back tomorrow. It was a gr8 visit to our old homeland to see our many friends in Phoenix.
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