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  1. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Limbo
    Posts
    8,769

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    Mimi, you are a BEAST! And I mean that in a good way
    2008 Trek FX 7.2/Terry Cite X
    2009 Jamis Aurora/Brooks B-68
    2010 Trek FX 7.6 WSD/stock bontrager

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    NW Phoenix, AZ
    Posts
    16
    Thank you for the post. I was at my daughter's soccer game (Phoenix), but the other rider there and I both were wishing we could be in Tucson!

    Do you walk through the sand with your shoes on? Do you put on cleat covers? Does the sand get into your shoes and clips?
    Nancy
    "If I weren't the maid, I'd fire me."

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Folsom CA
    Posts
    5,667
    Way to go, gang !

    but I'm still awaiting the Pie Report ...

    2009 Lynskey R230 Houseblend - Brooks Team Pro
    2007 Rivendell Bleriot - Rivet Pearl

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Los Angeles
    Posts
    81

    What Fun!!!

    Hi! I'm not sure if I should post here or start a new one - but Mimi - I'm just gonna follow your lead and post my pics here...

    El Tour was so much fun! This was my first century and I had a blast. I did it with Team in Training, and I tell ya - I'm hooked. I did the full 109 miles, and I am proud I finished, although my time is probably nothing to be impressed by with a lot of you gals!

    I finished with an official time of 9:18:37 and place # 3709 - but at least I finished! I did rank enough to get a silver medal - so that felt great. The ride time shown by my group's computers showed that we had actual RIDE TIME of 7hours and 25 minutes, give or take. Between SAGs and river crossings... the final time was obviously more. (anything to make us feel better, right??? )

    MY computer (garmin 305) decided to STOP WORKING the day before the ride. Figures. I'm not sure what it was. I only got it this past July, but it was as if it was getting no juice from battery. Just... nothing... I am now trying to figure out if it was better or worse to ride without a computer. I couldn't count down the miles - I just asked at SAG stops where we were and held on and pedaled through the rest!

    It was a hillier route than I expected. At first it took me offguard and as I struggled up the first of them, I had a cute gal from North Carolina pass me with a twang, hollering "wee got sum heeels in North Carolina, gurl!" It was all good natured, and I cheered her on. Later, I did quite a bit of passing of my own as I got my groove going up hills - and that felt great.

    Here are some pics:
    (I can't figure out how to comment under each one - so - 1-4 are as follows: My partner and I at the start line; Me at the first river crossing - Still Fresh!; Me at mile 85 SAG - the endorphins have me over the edge!; and finally - my partner and I happy and FINISHED!

    P.S. - Mimi - I hate I didn't get to see you or meet you, but congrats on your success with the ride!
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  5. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    8,548
    Hi Slamdunk
    I am happy that you posted pictures here! DH took a picture of a couple of gals your age at the riverbed from team in training and for a moment, i thought it was you. (but then we checked and they're someone else.)
    they;re great photos!!!

    congrats on your first century! but you have to cut down on the off the bike time if the total count matters to you.
    Bummer about your computer!

    I'm sorry i didn't get to meet you either. I'll post a few more photos later myself.

    (anyone else please feel free to post your photos here from TdT!!!


    Wahine, I am very happy about doing a fast 80 instead of a worn out frazzled 109!

    Zen, thanks
    Mimi Team TE BIANCHISTA
    for six tanks of gas you could have bought a bike.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Los Angeles
    Posts
    81
    Thanks Mimi! I have to say, I've really found a love for this whole cycling thing. I do want to work on going faster and with fewer stops. I see you carry a backpack/camelback. I have one, but did not carry it with me for this ride. I think I may try that for my next century.

    The last 10 miles did suck. Between the pot holes / messy road and the combined short-ride riders, kids, and exhausted long-ride riders - I don't know how I didn't bite it! I also got the chills at the end... ugh - dehydration.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    sunny scottsdale, az
    Posts
    638
    nancy, on the dry creek bed crossings, most people just go across with abandon. i put my cleat covers on because i wear speedplays. last year i didnt and the sand just packs in around the spring and you cant clip in for nuthin. you can tell the speedplay users - we're the ones crowded around the entrances and exits putting on and taking off cleat covers!! i finally stopped at a SAG stop much later and actually took off my shoes and socks and emptied out the sand, and cleaned the sand from the cleats.

    thanks so much for posting the great pictures guys. i posted my report on the 11/17 rides thread, but i'm still basking in the aftermath. DH just asked me this morning out of the blue what my speed was on tangerine, so he's still reliving it also.

    next year . . . (sigh) . . . under 6 hours . . . hmmmmmmmmm
    laurie

    Brand New Orbea Diva | Pink | Specialized Ruby
    2005 Trek Madone Road | Pink | Ruby
    1998 Trek 5200 Road | Blue | Specialized Jett
    ???? Litespeed Catalyst Road | Silver | Terry Firefly

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    8,548
    Nancy, I have spd's and they did not get jammed up or anything from the sand. i wear SIDI MTB shoes, so they are really pretty nice to walk in.
    At the end of the sand I sat down and shook the sand out of my shoes. I also wiped down my wheels where the brakes drag because i did go through one muddy place (from the water they were giving us)

    i did see some cleat covers IN THE SAND.. i guess they don't stay on that good.
    Mimi Team TE BIANCHISTA
    for six tanks of gas you could have bought a bike.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    8,548
    Pinkbike/Laurie

    I passed someone on a pink bike, but she was not wearing pink. Further, considering your time, i don't t hink i could have passed you and you not passed me again later!

    so i guess i didn't see you.
    Mimi Team TE BIANCHISTA
    for six tanks of gas you could have bought a bike.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    276
    You all are an inspiration. Next year I'm doing it!

    Thanks Mimi and SD for posting pictures. It looks like a lot of fun. Congrats to you all.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    29

    Congratulation!!

    I just want to say congratulations to who road and finished!

    I was going to ride in this and had a crash shortly before and couldn't do it. Instead I was working at the halfway point (the Campfire girl stop) for the 109. If you happened to go by and get fruit or happened to get your bike looked at, I was there. My boyfriend is a mechanic at a LBS and he volunteered his time to help anyone who needed it (and it was a good thing he was there), I was there as his assistant. It was a great experience, but just made me bummed that I wasn't out there too. I saw plenty of friends (one of whom got 83rd overall).

    I will definitely be riding next year!!
    I plan on riding in the Tour de Tucson Mountains ride next year also.
    Last edited by Kristi; 12-19-2007 at 12:48 PM.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    242

    sorry I missed this one!

    ....the post and the ride!

    El Tour was my first big bike event way back in 1998 when I did the 50 miler with my two sisters. I was hooked after that and did the 111 the next two years plus a couple of other century rides in-between.

    El Tour has to be one of the best century rides lots of variance in terrain and you never know with the weather, cold, rain, wind, sunny.....bag of tricks!

    Anyway it was sure fun seeing all the pics put a real smile on my face, thanks!

    ~Kate
    Life is like a 10 speed bike, we all have gears we never use.
    Charles Schultz

    "The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without shocking the entire community."Ann Strong, Minneapolis Tribune, 1895

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    Would love to do this someday...
    I don't think I could get through that very sandy wash in my Speedplays, even with the covers on! When I did the Tri-State Century 2 years ago, we had to walk over two metal bridges (one the kind of long one over the Piscataqua River between NH and Maine. It was damp and the bridges were wet. My covers kept coming off! The bridge master said he had found several covers the day before (this is a 2 day event that can be done on either or both days) and he had no idea what they were.
    Anyone here do the Tour de Scottsdale? I could use that as an excuse to visit my in-laws or and my friends

    Robyn

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    sunny scottsdale, az
    Posts
    638
    robyn,
    i definitely do the tour de scottsdale, every year. it is tough. the climbs out of the river crossing are bad enough then they throw in this long slow one at the very end. but i love this ride! very challenging. i think it's a bit pricey at $75 tho.

    tour de phoenix is april 5, that's a really good one, tour of tucson mountains is april 28. then it's just HOT for six months. we start up again october 11 with the tour de scottsdale, and el tour de tucson november 22. mix in some centuries and we have a full plate here in AZ. come on out.

    actually, coming up next weekend is the laveen country challenge. this one is fun because the whole town of laveen pretty much shows up for a big barbecue bash at the town park at the end of the ride (metric century). we alternate years between the laveen metric and the picacho century in tucson. good thing this is our laveen year, i just dont think we're fit enough to do a full century right now.
    laurie

    Brand New Orbea Diva | Pink | Specialized Ruby
    2005 Trek Madone Road | Pink | Ruby
    1998 Trek 5200 Road | Blue | Specialized Jett
    ???? Litespeed Catalyst Road | Silver | Terry Firefly

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    I can't believe there's a tour of Laveen! I once applied for a teaching job there because I was desperate to get a job. The conditions in the district office were so bad I just wanted to get out of there! I guess it's come up in the world.

    Thanks for the information. I'm probably going back to school in the fall, so I won't have the time free to do any of these, unless they are during Dec/Jan. break or spring break. Is the climbing in the Tour de Scottsdale steep climbs or long climbs (or both)? I've climbed 15-18% grades both here in MA and in Europe, but very slowly. I'm not a racer, just a rider who can get up anything, by just going slowly.

    Robyn, former Zonie

 

 

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