Black Friday is done and gone & not without problems. The economy apparently got a boost with about a 6% increase from last year however, not without shopper issues. Walmart in LA arrested a woman who pepper sprayed several shoppers making a dash for Xbox video games; San Leandro, Ca witnessed a 1:45 am shooting after a family was protecting their purchases from thieves; S. Carolina - someone was robbed at gunpoint in a parking lot; Buckeye (near Phoenix) witnessed a man being roughed up by police who thought he was stealing a video game - he stuffed it into his waistband, apparently to pick up his grandson to look over a crazed crowd. Thanks goodness I opted for getting my hair done! (well, except my hairdresser was going through a medical nightmare with her husband just being released after a 4th brain surgery, complications and supposedly to be supervised for 24 hours ....sent him home with no home supports in place and she works 3 days a week). Luckily her husband has medical and his medications are covered.
Apache Creek Golf Course . . . (an Edmontonian in the foreground) on a Par 3
with the Superstition Mts in the background.
Heading out to Mesa with Marc's relatives for a canal ride when we come across this accident; must've happened early morning and looks like a single car accident . . must've been going at incredible speeds, hit the curb and flipped. Seven police cars present & ambulances gone; crime scene van present.
The bike path/walking pathways run through various golf courses - some have net protection.
Canal ride (mostly paved, some unpaved). . these canals you need to cross busy streets but they have 'crosswalk' lights for the bikers so you never end up waiting for more than a few seconds.
Interesting . . . 'sustainable' living along every canal. You will be cycling along a new'ish' neighbourhood, then come across chickens, peacocks, goats, llamas. Next weekend is "Tour de Coops" which is a drive thru the farmyards / or cycle tour the farms to teach about urban sustainable living.
Across the street, the local tree trimmers work on the palms.
Stopped in Old Gilbert along the canal ride for lunch at Joe's Real BBQ (across the street was the midway). Joe's is an original restaurant from 1929 & is famous for the slow cooked, wood smoked pork & one pound stuffed potatoes (stuffed with pulled pork or chicken or beef), 25 cent coffee - oh, can not forget the old fashioned 'real' rootbeer (tastes just like I remember my mom used to make. And, I remember my brother & I sippin' the rootbeer before it was done working & it had that fabulous yeasty taste): link http://joesrealbbq.com/. We're 'catching on' to these huge bargains and delicious deals and ordered salad! And at that, we shared one for about $7.00 with a small portion of their famous ribs.
Saguaro's are fascinating; they take decades to grow to 50 feet tall. They are now protected by AZ law from anyone taking any piece of them (a permit is required). In the early 1900's they were used for display in exposition and parks - some used in explosions (during filming).
Attempting to ride a 'new' trail in Usery Park - starts off fabulous. Well used and switchbacks along the side of the range.
Only an hour into the ride, it dead ends but we get a fabulous view of Apache Junction (the LONG road is Ironwood which runs N to S). The roads here are extremely long & go from town to town however, the confusing part is, at the entrance to each town, the streets start at zero again and so you will find yourself looking for an 1863 storefront but, unless you know exactly which town, your GPS does not do you justice.
View looking SW of Apache Junction. Horseback riding is extremely popular, ATV's, gun range, mt biking and not far below is a remote plane club.
Dropped Marc off at the base of Usery Mountain to mt bike; it is a warm day (25+), lots of climbing and tons of loose gravel, cholla chactus, saguaro, tights turns and rock. Hikers are the main users of this path around the pass. 
An hour and a half loop - several hikers en route, no visible wildlife, and no cactus wounds (good ride, all in all)! A scrape or two and the foot would not unclip at one point ---- so lucky there were no cholla's to fall into at that particular spot.
Close to 'home' this mt pass - just a half hour ride by bike. Have I mentioned, Marc loves his 29er? Me, I still love my Santa Cruz Bullet (26"er)! And yes, I may change my mind with 'new' technology soon but will be a very sad day to say goodbye to an old friend - my golden bullet!
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