July 2008 Archives

Rounding Out the Red Mountain

Forgive the lack of photo material to go along with this post, but I've only recently pulled the camera out of the box it was in for the move to Arizona, and the batteries were dead, dead, dead.

Last night, and for the first time in my life I have attended a highway opening. Not the actual ceremony...I wasn't interested in listening to Governor Napolitano run rhetorical or political about the 1/2 cent tax bond enacted in the 80s that made the completion of Red Mountain Highway (AZ Loop 202) possible.

No, instead I went for a bicycle ride on the newly laid blacktop, and let me tell you, that road is SMOOTH.

Well, I went for a bike ride for a half mile or so, then I dismounted and walked the bike through an ever thickening throng of people. Based on the number of people who attended, you would think the opening of a highway was some form of gala event, and maybe it was.

Exhibit booths were set up along both sides of the highway running about half a mile each way north and south of the McKellips Road bridge, with enough free water provided to keep the attendees from dying in the heat of the Arizona sun. Two food vendors were passing out samples to encourage people to swing by their restaurants. One, Famous Dave's Pit BBQ will be getting some business from me soon. I've only been in Mesa for two weeks, and already I miss Texas BBQ.

Everyone I passed or spoke to was very friendly, and the party-goers (if that's what you can call them) seemed to be having a genuinely fun time - especially the children. Everywhere I looked, I could see children of all ages on scooters, bicycles, and skateboards. Families brought out tandem bicycles and even one dual tandem bicycle which sat four people two-abreast.

The people watching experience was great, the people were great, and the event was just all around good fun.