Completed first 200 k brevet- with extended "travelogue"
I succumbed to peer pressure to try a 200k brevet (Casa Grande, Arizona) yesterday. It is probably one of the flattest ones anywhere- about 1300 feet of climbing over 126 miles, but longer than the 111 miles of El Tour de Tucson.
I would describe it as 80% fun and 20% misery. I finished, with help and companionship from my wonderfully helpful and patient DH. We weren't even last getting back to the start. I'm really proud of doing it, but not necessarily going to make it a habit. My DH wants to do the 300k next month, however, I don't plan to join him.
Full report:
The weather near perfect, 45-70, except for the times when wind picked up.
It took a little less than 10 hours altogether including stops, and we finished before dark.
The first part of the route was mostly through agriculture outside of Casa Grande and Coolidge. There was a short climb across Sonoran desert clad hills with a nice descent back into fields, and the control stop about 32 miles in at Casa Grande Ruins). We just got stamped, used the restroom and got back on the bikes. Cooperative winds and a route almost as flat as a flour tortilla made this section easy and fun. At the end of the first leg (54 miles), we arrived at the control stop inside of a bike shop in Casa Grande, conveniently located next to the parking lot with our car.
Although randonneurs are supposed to be self-sufficient, there were cookies, brownies, drinks, and water to refill bottles in the bike shop for us. Also, because there are no services at all on the 2nd leg, food and water were offered at the turnaround spot. Inbetween, I fueled with GU, shot blocks, a bag of trail mix and pretzels, and an electrolyte drink. And a nutella sandwich.
I shed the windbreaker at the ruins, and arm warmers and tights were off at the end of the loop. Conditions were just right for shorts and a short-sleeved jersey. Ahead was a 37 mile beeline southwest into the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation, followed by a return on the same route. I decided that the amount of discomfort in my left hip/hamstring were not that much more than usual and was prepared to turn around if it got worse (it never did, and in fact seemed to recede along the way). I stretched a few times to try to keep things under control.
After leaving Casa Grande, the road passed through some desolate looking neighborhoods of unshaded houses and trailers (probably glaringly hot during the summer), more fields and some scruffy looking desert. After entering the reservation, the road improved greatly with smoother pavement and a wider shoulder. We passed into beautiful volcanic hills with thick stands of saguaro - gorgeous now, but undoubtedly furnace-like in summer. About 10 miles into the 2nd leg, a headwind made its presence known. A paceline with a group of other riders helped for quite a while, but on the next little climb, I couldn't quite keep up and then it was just the 2 of us (DH & I).
Numerous border patrol vehicles passed us along the route, but very few other cars. We rode through a border patrol checkpoint and into the last 10 miles to the turnaround.
Then the ride transformed from long and mildly demanding to miserable! :( We entered an expanse of flat, homogenous creosote desert, with little of scenic interest to focus on. Or maybe I just couldn't focus on it because my feet started to hurt and it wasn't exactly clear how much further it was to the turnaround. It seemed pointless to stop and rest if we were nearly there, and I tried not to stare at my Garmin every tenth of a mile. I felt like I was in a cycling purgatory. Finally! I couldn't wait to get off my bike. Lunch was croissant sandwiches with cream cheese, jam and optionally, bacon. Supposedly lunch served to Team Radioshack. I drank a V8 and snacked on sun chips, another brownie and grabbed popcorn for later.
I have never before heard the words "It's only 37 miles back" spoken on a ride- I tried to break it down into 3 rides mentally, and we were on the start of the 3rd one. A tailwind carried us gleefully along for several miles on the return trip. It was easy, fast and fun and my enthusiasm returned... for a while. At mile 92, my Garmin ran out of batteries, so I had to rely on my husband's watch and the milepost markers. The breeze shifted and suddenly we were pushing back into the wind. The last 15 miles were tedious, mechanical, boring and tired, passing back onto the rough pavement and through the less than scenic outskirts of Casa Grande.
I had to stop once or twice when my feet were hurting. My DH turned around and waved 5 fingers in the air (5 miles to go)... then 3, then 2. A wrong turn onto Main Avenue instead of Main St- and retraced our path into the town. Chuck suddenly said "I broke my b*tt!" I don't know if he got a muscle spasm or what, but he rode the last mile off of his saddle, complaining that it hurt to sit down on it. I, on the other hand, suddenly felt great! We turned the corner to see 5 or 6 people cheering us in to the parking lot just as the sun set. :D
