My wife Dorothy and I spent several months in Tucson at the beginning of this year, just as COVID travel restrictions lifted. It was a last minute arrangement cobbled together with 10(!) Airbnb stays. It was a varied experience but one place stood out, so much so that we booked it for 3 months, January to March of 2023. Unfortunately life has gotten in the way (won't bore you with details), so with great regret we've cancelled our reservation.
I did tell our gracious hosts that we would put the word out among our cycling community to see if anyone wanted to fill in all or part of our slot - anywhere from a week to the full 3 months. It's a beautiful modern one-bedroom casita built into a larger home in a new development. It's right at the end of a mountainside cul de sac with a panoramic view of the desert and a west view of the mountains with Arizona's amazing sunsets. Morning coffee beside the pool is a real treat. You have your own garage so there's room for a vehicle AND secure bike storage. On top of that, the cost was surprisingly modest - it was the best value we found.
The cycling is superb; you're on Dove Mountain in the NW corner of the city. While you can cycle out your door, Tucson is so vast that you'll be doing a fair bit of driving if you want to join group rides - unless of course you want to do Mt Lemmon (one of the top climbs in the US) from Dove Mountain; figure 160 km for that round trip. And Tucson's Big Loop around the city - like the Galloping Goose on steroids - is over 200 km in length, plus the roads, particularly in the north part of the city, are wide enough for wonderful group rides. We loved it. You can literally head in any direction and cycle as far as you're able. It's no surprise that a number of teams train in Tucson, including Red Truck racing.
There's much more we could say (the cycling culture in the city is amazing; we made lots of friends, two of whom will soon be visiting us here) and we'll be happy to do that if you want to inquire. Message me if you're interested.
Great digs in a cycling mecca
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Great digs in a cycling mecca
Mike Skinner