Tour de Tucson

[Torelligirl]

This is my first time on -- is anyone riding in the Tour de Tucson on November 18th? This will be be my second time at this event. It's really a great event and Tucson is a wonderful city..

[Fredwina]

I'm planning on it. I think there are some other threads out here already. Did you try searching?

[Dogmama]

<Huge Blush...>

I live here and I'm not riding it. I have a good excuse, though. Neck surgery and I still can't get over 40 miles without pain and some numbness. Next year, I'll be there.

Yes, it is a great ride. The cops stop traffic for you and lots of people turn out to cheer you on, provide sag stops, etc. Weather is usually good. Starting out ~45 degrees and finishing ~75 degrees. Scenery is great, we have beautiful mountains and the roads are good. Two "river crossings" (think: big sandy wash) that are usually dry & you have to pick up your bike and walk (or run) across.

Lots of bike patrols to help with flats, chain sucks, etc. Remember that aerobars are not allowed - they will make you take them off.

[Fredwina]

The final details first:
time 6:58, which put me in the Gold, which is where I thought I would wind up.
I got in to town on Friday, picked up my packets, and had dinner with some friends. Got up early on Saturday and lined up in the middle of the silvers (your supposed to choose three places to line up Gold, Silver, or Bronze, based on you abilities) Another member from my club showed up right after me, so I had some one to talk with for the hour it took to get started. Floyd Landis put in and appearance and tired to talk on my cell phone to a couple of other club members to see where they were at.
The "race" started. Frankly I was expecting Congress street to be lined with broken bikes and folks clutching their shoulders. There was on rider down, but a whole lot of dropped water bottles, Hammer Gel Flasks, and other junk that would put you down on the asphalt.
One of the unique features of EL Tour is the river crossings. Twice in the race, you have to dismount and carry your bike across a wash (Southwest American for dry River or Creek bed). I was told the first one helped to thin out the crowd. It didn't . Part of this my have been that I wore some very Ratty tights to the start, and discarded them there. I was having problems find a hole to pass folks without crossing the double line, which was supposed to be a DQ. But other folks were doing it, so I Did a couple. Also saw several folks on areobars with race bibs on thorough the day.
I was bypassing most of the rest stops, but I stopped at one to take my jacket off. before I knew It. I was at the second wash crossing. I started having problems with my jacket. I had bought when I weighed 300+ pounds, and it was too big for my jersey pockets. It would fall out, and then a Boy Scout/Girl Scout/ another rider would pick it up and carry it to me.
We turned on to Oracle highway and stayed on it for a long time. I , unfortunately , saw the aftermath of a bike-car collision. we rode in to the city of Oro Grande and though sun city, when I got on tangerine, I had pacelines passing me on both sides, even thought I was bout 6-12 inches from the shoulder. Got Stopped by a train at the 10 Freeway and turned onto Sliverbell for the run back downtown. I noticed a lot of folks cramping here. Part of is that El Tour is actually 109 instead of 100 miles, and people did not plan adequately(my guess). Also, The even does attract folk from all over, so they were not used to riding in the arid Southwest. I remember some folks asking me why I was not cramping, and I said "when in doubt, DRINK!" I had a 70 oz camelbak, and two water bottles with Hammer Preputum in them. I made back to convention center, turned in my timimg chip, and went to get my Gold medal. only to be informed that they all gone!:mad: Seriously, the only difference is a sticker on the back, and I'm planning on sticking in a frame. went back to my hotel, showered, Had lunch with some friends who had gotten platinum (The top award, <5 for males/Mixed Tandems, 6 for Females), and then went back to expo area to await the other clubs members (The gentleman from my club that I was with at the start was 30 minutes ahead of me).
I'm still debating on doing it again. It was a very well organized, it just that's too many who are in over the heads. It's up to you to line up. I enjoyed it, It just having a summer of FallingOffTheBikeitis, I'm not sure I want to trust my body to 8,000 strangers.

[Dogmama]

Fantastic time! Nice pace throughout! (Why didn't you call me!!??) Next year for sure, I'll ride with you. I would ride about the same pace as you - we'll get our little paceline & smoke those platinums! :D

Saturday was hot - lower 80's by the time people were finishing, so I'm not surprised people were cramping. 8,000 was the largest El Tour ever, so you're going to have those who aren't prepared.

The mass start where you line up Gold/Silver/Bronze is enough to make you run for your valium. I'm always waiting for some hot dog to crash in front of me. I'm surprised that somebody with aerobars was allowed to start. That is a big no-no and a huge point of debate. I know crossing the yellow is a DQ, but what are you supposed to do when people don't know how to ride in a line?

I can imagine the pacelines down Tangerine - that is a slight downhill and the road is fairly good. I'm surprised there was a bike/car accident. The cops are supposed to stop the cars, but us cyclists need to remember that the cars outweigh us.

It IS well organized, especially considering the number of people who enter. There are a TON of sag stops because the city really comes out to support the race. Then, on Monday, they're cussing us cyclists for using up "their road." :p

[IFjane]

Wow - 8000 riders. I have never ridden in a ride that big. I think 500 or so is the largest. However, my BIL (well, sort of my BIL - he's my SO's brother) lives in Tucson & we talked to him last night. He asked why we didn't plan a vacation and bring the bikes. We may just do that next year - especially if I could meet some of you TE folks there. Sounds intimidating (because of the numbers) but fun.

[Fredwina]

Fantastic time! Nice pace throughout! (Why didn't you call me!!??)
It would help if I had your number;) I was supposed to call some from BikeJournal and spazzzed that one ,too.
The bike/car looked like the car was pulling out of a shopping center on Oracle.
I could doen a little bit better with my wardrobe malfunctions. I think it fell out five or six times, and the last time it got caught between the cassette and the chain.
Tangerine - I think a lot folks were crazy riding there. I realized that I wasn't going to make Platinum there and took it easy. People were lining on the wrong side of the road at the Railroad track waiting for the train. I guess they thought the cars would yield to them
Sags, as Dogmamma said, thier is one almost every five miles. and that just the offical ones. Plus you have the nieghborhood associations with some unoffical one, Plus some clubs have some, you get the ideal:cool: wish I had more time to explore , as I had some things I needed to do last night, so I left for LA the first thing. maybe next year I can afford some more time off.

[maillotpois]

Congrats on a great ride and a great time!! Isn't it a fun event?? I also always use a camelback for El Tour - that way I don't have to stop at all. I agree - a lot of folks are in over their heads at that ride. It is a true race at the front, and unless you have raced, it's not realy the safest thing.

DH did it with a friend as I can't ride this year. :( He had fun, but his friend had a rough day - 2 flats right after the first crossing, and once they lost the fast riders, their chances of coming in under 5 were over.

I'm planning to do it next year with DH - he's trying to convince me we should do it on the tandem. I don't think I am that crazy! :p

[Fredwina]

The friends I had lunch were the President of my club, his wife, another Tandem team, and another club member. They're all Plantinums. Mark/Sherri and Tom/Sue were the 2nd and 5th (4:41 and 4:52)mixed tandems, and Hector crashed out for the 2nd year in row :( They regaled me with thier tales of woe. suffice to say , some were think of grabbing a fast wheel, and not realizing it's a tandem bike.

[PinkBike]

i thought el tour was great, well-planned and well-supported. i did 6:06:41, missed platinum by 6 minutes (was it the 3 stops for water or starting in the silver line?). fredwina, you must have finished with my DH (rider 226)! anyway, we had a blast, will definitely do it again. the only problem i had was when i was slowly cranking up one of those nasty short hills side by side with one guy, there was an SUV parked IN THE ROAD and the guy wouldn't move over a foot to give me any room so i had to just stop and walk around it. dogmama, the fast paceline on tangerine was very cool, i was with maybe a dozen riders, and i took my pull at 32 mph!! unbelievable.

[Fredwina]

PinkBike, your hubby was 4 riders ahead of Moi (I was 345).
Pacelines, I abstain unless I know the folks invovled. Prefer to not to break any more bones!

[Dogmama]

i thought el tour was great, well-planned and well-supported. i did 6:06:41, missed platinum by 6 minutes (was it the 3 stops for water or starting in the silver line

Pink - Congrats on your time! Tangerine road is much nicer now that it is paved. On my training rides, I like to go the opposite way because I like long slow hills (sick sick sick, I know.)