El Tour

I'm normally not the type to drive 2 hours to do an 8 mile kid ride but I earned an El Tour Jersey for raising donations for Cochise and by golly if I had the jersey I was going to participate somehow. I would have ridden the long distance but I promised my wife my weekends for Nov and Dec since I trained so hard for Cochise and since taking the kids for a bike ride was still giving the family a Saturday I was set. Anyway, it was a lot of fun and I got to see the fast guys start and finish which I haven't done before. There is also the fact I think the event lit a bit of a fire under my daughter to do more cycling so I'm thinkin we're going to do the 35 mile version next year.


These are the vip guys from the front of the platinum turning onto the frontage road first thing in the morning. I had a guy standing next to me dinging a cowbell. I was amazed how many people yelled 'need more cowbell' at us. Incidentally if you don't understand the reference look for cowbell Saturday night live on youtube, it's very funny.

My kids were amazed at the vast amount of riders. I told them Bruce was riding and they should look for a guy with a Red bicycle frame.

This is my daughter pulling a James Dean type look.

The Peloton

My kids did really good at the kids ride. In fact my daughter came in 10th she said. It wasn't a race granted but she seems to be excited about cycling now so perhaps this is a good thing. My bigger 7 year old son Joseph, was about 3 or 4 minutes ahead of me, my smaller 7 year old son Joshua, and my 5 year old daughter Adela.

The last time we saw Becky and Joseph before the end

Josh ripping it up on the first bridge.

Josh gives Dad 'The Look'

Medals for everyone!

When I wasn't doing the kids ride I managed to lead a break away from the Peloton at the same time.

It was a good day. I was amazed at some of the people who showed up at the finish to watch. These weren't cycling fanatics. Most of them were just normal Tucsonians who came out for the festivities and to watch one of the seminal events of the Tucson area as opposed to swearing under their breath while stuck in traffic. It was kind of cool to see that.

Speaking of fanatics there was a dude riding around the finish line with a giant sign about some silly cause thought up by bitter minds by people with an overdeveloped sense of paranoia and too much time on their hands. If he really wanted to get the word out he would have towed that billboard around the route. I bet he'd still get beat by the guy on the unicycle though.

November Evening in the City

Pictures from Tuesday night's commute.

12th street at sunset about 8 miles from the bus stop downtown.

Our intrepid hero by the streetlights

Hmmm, I haven't thought about how safe at night this commute is. Turns out it is fine, mostly.

Buildings a few miles north of I-10

Heading south towards downtown on 3rd street. Think I'll pass on the filter and lube.

I wonder why they call this palm lane.

The lonely dark bus stop. There was a lady that came to wait for a bus here after I got here. I can't help but think if I were a bit smaller I'd be a little concerned if it was me.

Looking south to downtown.

The community theatre across the street.

I-10 from inside a bus.

Paul in the swanky glow of public transportation.

Starry Morning

4:15 am comes might early. Especially after you were up late practicing carols with the local theatre company who is going to rent out carollers for a fundraiser (I am married to the pianist/musical director and they have needed an extra male voice who can kind of lead a bit). Why was I up at 4:15? Well, it all comes down to this, what do you do when you have two things you want to do but only have time for one? Mix them up! This morning I wanted to watch the Leonids (meteor shower) and I wanted a bike ride/commute. To get away from Phoenix's light pollution one has to get a ways out of the city. I have always liked the dirt parking area just on the otherside of Usery pass. I had to race a bit to beat Astronomical twighlight but I managed to get a half hour of good viewing. I saw 7 meteors and 2 satellites. Supposedly the viewing is better in asia this time around on the Leonids but at least I caught some. I dressed too warm for riding but just perfect for laying on the ground staring at the sky. Some other people in the parking lot had a dog that didn't apparently care for the odd person that walked his bike in the dark and sat down to look at the stars. He growled and barked almost the whole time. Reason number one I really dislike camping with dogs. You don't get any sleep.

Just after 6 am the sky was bright enough that you really couldn't see most of the meteors anymore so I packed up and headed off. By the time I finished the loop around the backside of Usery pass I was warm enough to shed my jacket, and by the time I got to Tempe I had to take the tights off. Yeah I dressed warm. I thought it was going to be in the thirties but it wasn't. The warm wear did what it was supposed to though and I suppose it was worth hauling it around over the 54 miles I would finally get in before arriving at work. It was a beautiful but windy morning. I got to see some meteors and I got some good miles in which is good since I am not going to be able to ride a whole lot on Saturday (the kids version of el tour is only 8 miles but that is pretty long for my kids, just not for me).

Pot O' Gold

The Gold, It's right over that hill.

Once in awhile you have a morning where you see how far you have come. Today was one of those days. I found myself hanging on in the middle of the group all the way out the beeline. It was a cloudy morning with rain showers around but we didn't hit any until I turned around. Out on the beeline we were hauling along at 20 something mph when someone gets a flat and a rider up ahead touched their brakes a little excessively which led to some tense moments further down the pack. We had around 30-40 cyclists out this morning. Sterling decided to go ahead a bit with another rider that was struggling a bit to keep the pace so they wouldn't get dropped while the gang waited for the flat fix. The hills were where the pack usually split up. Since I would be turning around at 7:30 I decided I would go with them and was happy to note that when the group did catch us I was able to hold on without too much breathless agony.

Time to quit riding the dirt and go home.

We had just turned onto Shea when I noticed a couple of riders peal off to head back. Seeing as it was near 7:30 and it would be nice to have someone to ride back with I joined them. We stuck together all the way back to Power rd. where we split off into separate directions. I managed to get a good picture of them and the double rainbow near the turnaround though. Despite hitting various rain showers it was a beautiful morning to be riding. I hope all the good folks doing the mt. Lemmon Brevet in Tucson aren't getting too much rain.

The wall of bikes and a garage that is just about clean finally.

All Work and No Play....

After 2 days of messing with a reluctant database server babysitting it and sitting in meetings and conference calls I finally had a moment free. I had missed 2 days of commuting and I was ready to go out and rip up some miles. After the babysitter showed up I was off on the coy mistress to head out to Saguaro lake and back.

Road up Usery Pass

I was attacking the hills like my friends ChiHuaHua let loose after being locked in the bathroom for days. I was very happy to see that although it had once been my goal to stay above 10 mph up the front side of Usery I was holding 13-14 mph up it. I was breathing heavy but I was free. Free of the constant need to check my processes that were running on the server to see if they had finished. Free from emails, and calls, and meetings. Free from cars and traffic and commitments for a few hours.

That there Mtn. Says We're near Phoenix Maude...

In no time I was shooting down the backside. My legs were a bit tired after blasting up the hill but kept spinning me down the hill. I saw a few cyclists climbing the other side. There seemed to be a slight headwind as I didn't get above 35 mph but it was still a nice descent. The cloudy day was warmer than I would have thought, I think the humidity must have been up, either that or I was working hard...... Naw, couldn't be that.

The park sign by daylight

Out on the Bush highway there was construction going on. Road Cyclists of the east valley are getting their stimulus benefits in the form of shoulders being added to the bush highway. It will be sweet but for now the lanes are narrow and the pavement ends abruptly. Still, there is not a lot of traffic out today.

Passing the water users parking lot where river tubers put in my steepest hill of the day starts. Before I get to the top it will get to 9% but is only 6-7% most of the way up. I am pleased to notice I don't have to use my lowest gear most of the way. Soon I am cresting the top and dropping down to Saguaro Lake Marina.

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale....

I quickly stop at the Marina for a photo op. No trip to Saguaro lake is proper without a quick ride along the lake. There are not a lot of boats on the lake today. Along the shore there are a few workers picking up garbage along the shore. I notice that I am speeding as I cruise along the road, fortunately theres not a lot of people out today.

What am I thinking?

It is a beautiful day and the lake is just as beautiful. It would be tempting to hang out and enjoy the afternoon but the day is growing long and I must be off. I pull onto the road out behind a truck pulling a big pontoon boat up the hill. He is a bit faster than me and my legs are getting a little tired and I am starting to feel the results of my zealousness so I am not behind him long.

Theres another short climb and then and then a drop down the steep hill I climbed before going to the lake. My legs are feeling a bit fatigued now but I press on as I am in the construction area and need to keep moving. It is not too bad cruising among the rollers from the Blue Point Bridge back to the four corners. The sun is noticeably starting to nod.

I start the hill with gusto though my legs are tired and I spur them on as I spy a cyclist up ahead. I work to try and catch him but he seems to be going either my pace or a bit faster. My legs are not fresh and I have probably pushed a little harder than I should have when I started but I am still able to keep a faster pace than I used to.

Suddenly I notice another rider behind me. I push harder asking my legs to give their last. They are burning and tired. Slowly the rider catches me and passes with a brief greeting. I try to hold him but I just don't have anything left. Still I keep him in sight until the last corner before the top and then he comes back going down for a repeat. I am not going to repeat. The sun is nodding and I must be getting home.

Best time.

Getting out of bed was a real chore today, but I got rewarded for my bravery of leaving the bed before the light of day. I got a best time. It hurt but I got it. I kind of knew I'd be in the running when I hit the 101 with an average of 20.2 mph. Of course from there through Tempe it drops but I usually regain a bit cruising through Paradise Valley. It was a crisp morning in Mesa and I had leg warmers and my windvest on but I would shed it soon as I was working hard. I am seeing a lot more commuters out as of late. Although this morning I did not pass any going my way, and likewise I didn't get passed. I was cruising. Usually when I get to the 101 I know I am going to have to push it from there, especially when I have had a good average before that point. That is usually where I get a few hills getting mixed in and so my intervals start there. I did a good job of keeping up by the threshold before that though. The intervals were extreme today and with the legs screaming and the heart pounding I knew I was up in the upper training zone expanding my V02 max. Can't say I noticed too much along there I was working so hard but I did wave to the cyclists on the other side of the road. By the time I got out of Paradise valley I was getting killed with stoplights. If it weren't for them I would have set my best time by about a minute instead of 30 seconds. I averaged 19.8 mph over 31 miles for a time of one hour and thirty three minutes (with 420 feet of climbing and a clunky rack trunk on the back). Anyway, a best time is kind of special so I thought I would blog it. May the wind be at your back, or at least light my friends.

Coy Mistress has rejoined the Brumby Mob.

The Dash In, waiting on a flat tire fix.

Two weeks of rest are officially over. The Coy Mistress is back in action and has returned to run with the Brumby mob. It was tough getting out of bed Saturday at 10 to 5. Why was I getting up so early when it wasn't summer anymore? Isn't all this Cochise nonsense over and done with? The double centuries, the rides in the wee hours of the morning among the denizens launched out into the world from bars closing around 2? Yes in fact all that is over, however.... I made the discovery this week that I am at 6200 miles for the year at this point. In the spirit of celebrating meaningless milestones, I want to reach 8000 miles for the year. To do that I need to continue my 200 mile weeks with several above that. Losing a little bit of the weight I have gained over the past 6 months would be good too actually. How does one gain weight when training between 200-300 miles a week you ask? Well, um.... well, that's a very good question. I suppose when I gave myself free license to eat to replace all those calories I was burning I might have overdone it a bit. I might have taken some easy rides on those rest days I took to burn some of that off.... woulda coulda shoulda, didn't. So, mental note to self, don't go to extremes on the food even during training. In the meantime I'm going to cut back and try to ride everyday and bike commute everyday but Mondays (have to take the kids to school that day but will probably ride the Coy Mistress on a short ride before the kids wake up that day). That being said I should probably talk about the mornings ride a little more right?

There was a group meeting at 5:30 am since because of the Ride of Honor taking place at 10 AM which was Sponsored by the Brumbys and the Not One More foundation the guys training for El Tour had to get out early so they could get their 80 miles in for the weekend training ride. The 66 mile group was meeting at 6:30 but I figured since I had to pick up my two daughters before the ride I would need to be back before 8:30 so if I was going to get the requisite 80 miles in today to hit 200 for the week I would need to go with the early guys.

On the way back

I caught the group just after they had left the meeting spot at Val Vista and Brown and we were just finishing the warm up when someone flatted and so we all stopped to wait for the flat to get fixed. There were about 30-40 riders out this fine morning and after the flat we headed off toward the Superstitions at around 20 mph or just a bit under.

It must have been a pretty stiff headwind because I have caught onto the back of these guys when they were doing 25 most of the way up this road. I say up because it climbs slightly so 25 is a pretty spanky speed and when they go they sprinkle riders off the back all the way across Apache Jct. Today everyone stayed on to the Dash in where someone flatted. I was amazed how I was hanging on. I was on my threshold no mistaking it but I was not totally blasted as I usually was at this point. In fact, I held the guys all the way to the the first big hill just above the lake where everyone splits up anyway. I wasn't among the front guys or the main group up this hill, but neither was I the last one.

Bluff and windmill on the way back at sunrise

I am not the same rider after Cochise. I am a noticeably stronger rider. Considering I am hauling around about 6 more pounds lately so it says something that I am able to hold on to these guys, a large percentage of whom are platinum riders. I think the engine is doing just fine, just need to pull a few more pounds back off the Chassis.

At the top of the hill I cut loose from the guy I had climbed the hill with and turned around. I figured I had just enough time to get back home before I had to take the girls to the ride. I was surprised to find there were a few people behind me including a small group of people that had split off into a second group. I used to be in that second group.

The Goldfield Mountains from McKellips road.

I did stop for a few pictures on the way back as the sunrise on the cliffs was pretty and of course the blog entries are a lot cooler with pictures. The Goldfield mountains were particularly pretty as I took a quick sidetrip down McKellips to get a few extra miles and to grab a road a little less travelled.

I got home with an average speed of 19.9 mph over 54 miles in 2 hours and 41 minutes. Not bad. You may be thinking I was short on miles. You would be right but my plan for mileage today included a ride with my daughters on the Ride of Honor, and, since my boys would be jealous (they had to go to gymnastics at that time) I would do another ride with them later.

Yes I have. Twice actually.

The Ride of Honor is an event for us cyclists to honor those of us who have fallen at the careless hands of drivers over the years. This year they got over 400 cyclists to show up which was not as much as they hoped but still quite a showing. They had a lot of big wigs from Mesa city government. At one point Sterling had everyone who had been injured by a car raise their hands. I held mine high. I've been hit twice. Once in college by a guy blinded by the sun, and once in March by a guy in a bus who tried to squeeze between me and the other lane of traffic. He didn't get cited even though he broke the three foot law. Sterling mentioned that law didn't work as it was not being enforced. In fact the city council woman was not even aware of that law when it was mentioned.

Adela and her demons.

The ride was free but donations were accepted and everyone got a free t-shirt regardless of donation or not. It was a good ride and everyone road at a slow pace to honor those who have passed before. That being said the kids pace was a little more slower than the other guys so I ened up at the tail end with another family with some kids on dirt bikes.

Becky

My daughter was not exactly happy with having to ride 11 miles. I told her if she really wanted to we could take the shortcut back at greenfield and cut it in half. When we got to Greenfield she didn't see the sign though, and I am afraid I didn't tell her. I got to hear about how much this shortcut sucked over the next 3 or 4 miles. I don't know if she figured out that we didn't take the shortcut or not but she made the 11 miles so she earned her lunch at Panda Express.

Becky

If you are keeping a tally and point out that we are only at 65 miles now you are correct. I still had to make up those other 15 miles somewhere. Upon arriving home my Sons were eager to get on the road. My son that wiped out on the trails last week wanted to head back up to Usery to redeem himself. I recommended we ride to Red Mtn park and ride the dirt there since we didn't have a whole lot of time and I needed miles.

My boys rode surprisingly fast on the way up to the park. The rode good when we got on the dirt too. We had a blast riding the dirt hills back in the sticks. Joseph even worked up enough courage to ride down a few of them. His bravery is on the mend so that's OK. It took me a bit to get up the cahones again after that bus hit me. I figure between all the dirt riding and cruising up to the park we got 12 miles in. I didn't get 80 but 77 isn't bad. I spent nearly the whole day riding the bike and a good portion of it with my kids. It was a good day.