2023 Just North of the Border 600km Brevet

 Ride Report

Javelina Rocks at Saguaro National Park

To qualify for Paris-Brest-Paris this summer; 4 brevets of increasing distance must be completed in the event year, each under its own time limit.The 200, 300, and 400 kilometer distances are in the books for me and only a 600km is left to ride. Mike Sturgill combined two existing routes in Southern Arizona, Just North of the Border 400 and the Madera Canyon 200 for this 40 hour event.

Mike Sturgill gives the rider brief

14 riders gathered at the El Con Mall Starbucks in Tucson for the start at 0600. 8 were riding the 600 and 6 had selected the 400. Attendance on these brevets typically declines as the distances get longer. This year, many riders were able to complete their 600 requirement for Paris in December (the PBP qualifying year begins on October 1), so a number of Arizona riders already have their 600 in the bag. 

It was great to see some familiar faces as the riders gathered for the recap of last minute instructions and rider brief from Mike Sturgill (Regional Brevet Administrator for RUSA). Stephen Kinney and a several other fast men from Alberta Canada and Brian McGuire from Phoenix were lined up for the 600. Tom Altemus from Tucson, and an 'old racing buddy', Doug McLerran from Illinois were ready to go for the 400! The sun is about to come up, let's get going!

Paul Danhaus at Rincon Mountain Lookout

We rolled out and, as is my custom lately, I drifted back to the end of the group. I was a bit surprised to be joined by Paul Danhaus. I first met Paul at the 2008 Shenandoah 1200 somewhere in Virginia. He is an accomplished long distance rider (RAAM) and a wonderful person. He lives in Wisconsin, and winters in Yuma Arizona practicing veterinary medicine. He and his wife Jennifer often ride a tandem on Arizona brevets.

We had a chance to catch up as we headed toward the Saguaro National Park. Even though we were at the back of the pack, traffic lights on Broadway were holding up the fast riders, and we caught them several times during the first few miles.

In any case, it was a chance to catch up. Paul had a serious run-in with an unleashed dog last year that ended his Coulee 1200 early. Shortly after recovering from that serious incident, he fell victim to an unseen road crack that threw him again, "adding a few more broken ribs to his collection." He was not yet comfortable piloting the tandem with Jennifer and was riding the 400 at a recovery pace. Once we turned off Broadway the fast guys disappeared up the road and we enjoyed each others company to the Saguaro National Park.

Mike Sturgill, Doug McLerran and Tom Altemus

We rode together through the park and Paul dropped off as we made our way to the Chevron station in Vail. Tom and Doug were there getting ready to head out. Its the last stop for water for 30 miles (25 of it uphill) before reaching Sonoita. They rolled out shortly after I arrived and was able to grab some supplies and a picture!

Old Sonoita Highway

Its a 20 mile steady climb on AZ-83. A narrow and sometimes busy two-lane highway. This year, Mike added the Old Sonoita Highway to the route that replaced the first 6 miles of AZ-83 with a nearly deserted alternative. The road surface got rough in places, but it was a great route.

Tom leads the group

I played a bit of leap frog with Tom and Doug until we settled in to the real climbing on AZ 83. We stayed together to the top and the climb past the Border Patrol checkpoint on the way to Sonoita. We rode at a comfortable pace and were able to share stories, only interrupted by the the noise of passing traffic!

Snow on Mt. Wrightson in the distance

My two-speed bike

After the Border Patrol checkpoint, it is 10 miles of downhill rollers to Sonoita. Normally a section to really make up time after the long climb. Just clearing the top of the first roller, a hear/feel a pop in the real derailleur and I'm stuck in the climbing gear. I dropped off the group thinking my derailleur cable had snapped. I parked the bike near a handy road sign and dug out the repair kit with a new cable.

 

I tried to pull the old cable and it wouldn't budge. It was intact, but a spring in the derailleur was not. About that time Paul Danhaus rides up and stops to check on me. I tell him the bike is done and I planned to head back to Tucson, and asked him to let Mike Sturgill know I would probably be heading back. 

There was cell service there, and I called Mike Cox at Curbside Cyclery. He confirmed it was not repairable. He said this was only the second time he had heard of this failure over many years as a mechanic! SRAM derailleurs default to the largest cog and Mike suggested I use the limit screws to try to move the chain "one or two gears down" to make the bike more ride-able. His trick worked, I was able to get the chain from the 34 to the 27 tooth rear cog. The front derailleur was fine, so now I had a two-speed.

I sent Mike Sturgill a text saying I was headed back to Tucson and turned around and started to head back, and it actually was not too bad riding the two-speed, then I had an idea. What if Debby could bring another bike to Tucson. I would complete the next 300km on the two-speed then change to my old Canondale for the last 200 to Madera Canyon. I confirmed with Mike that plan was within the RUSA rules (no support allowed between controls), and decided to head to Elgin and decide then to either continue or abandon the ride.

Road to Elgin

Elgin Information Control

Lured into a false sense of progress by a strong tailwind, I make Elgin in good time and decide to continue the ride! In the 50/27 combination I could spin at about 100 rpm and hold about 15-17 mph on the flats and faster on downhills, or with the wind. Dropping to the 34/27 I could handle climbing the moderate rollers.

Mike's control at the Longhorn in Tombstone

The gravel section in Tombstone

All smiles and making progress

I roll into Tombstone and Mike welcomes me to the control. I am about two hours ahead of the close time and about an hour behind Tom, Doug, and Paul. I make it a quick stop and continue on toward Bisbee.

Mule Pass above Bisbee

The tailwind is now a cross wind, but manageable as I make my way to the steep climb to Bisbee. My derailleur was cooperating but I was not looking forward to doing the climb in the 27 cog. I decide to risk messing with it and adjust the screws to put it back in the 32 cog. I head up noticing that miles on the two-speed have taken a toll on the legs. Its not an easy climb normally, but today it was more difficult than usual, even with a slight tailwind.

I reach the top at Mule Pass just as the sun was setting behind the mountains, and at 6000 feet, the temperature dropped dramatically! I put on layers and tried to adjust the derailleur back to the 27. It dropped only one gear to the 30 and would not go further. Ugh!

Closed

The Market Cafe is normally a wonderful place for dinner, but its closed. Its 30 miles to Sierra Vista and I have food and water on the bike, so I press on though town.

Its not a stick-up, its cold!

Lowell Arizona Time Warp

The route leaves town and detours through Lowell Arizona. Most the town was overcome by the nearby open pit copper mine. All that was left was main street, and it has been restored to its 50/60s glory!

The terrain is gentle long rollers to Sierra Vista. Its dark and cold and with the rear stuck on the 30 cog, my 100 cadence only yields about 13 miles per hour, and my pace slows considerably. What was really frustrating, is that I could see Paul and Tom's taillights in the distance. I would make slight progress on the climbs, but they would disappear on the descents! I make Sierra Vista before the McDonald's closed and had a hot dinner. I put on my 250 wool layer and head back out. Its another 35 miles back to Sonoita and I get there about 1 am. Mike is waiting, like a guardian angel, with food and hot ramen. I am still about 2 hours before the close time but really hurting. 

The temps dropped into the low 30's; and felt much colder from the wind chill on the descent. Normally put the bike in 50/11 gears and bomb down the hill under full steam. Rolling down, not pedaling, there was no way to generate heat, other than get on the brakes to slow down and/or pedal against the brakes to stay warm. Obviously it took much longer to get down than normal.

Cold and fighting off the sleep monster, I roll into the Vail Chevron about 0400 to warm up. I was toast and decided to try to get a Uber to the finish. One pops up, but it cancelled and no others were found. I pressed on for the last 20 miles and finally reached the hotel control stop in Tucson at 0604. 24 hours of two-speed riding and cold did me in. Even though Debby and her sister Kathy drove to Tucson Saturday with a back-up bike and put it in my room; I did not think I could get the backup bike ready to ride (it was on a hook in the garage with flat tires and no pedals), get cleaned up, sleep a few hours, and finish the remaining 200km before the cutoff time at 10pm on Sunday. I pulled the pin and set the alarm to wake up an hour before checkout time at 11.

The bike is at Curbside getting a new derailleur and I'm browsing the RUSA site looking for another 600!

Steve Atkins

Click here for GPS data

Scorpion 600km Brevet

Ride Report
April 2017

The final brevet of the 2017 spring season is the aptly named Scorpion 600km. This was the second running of this Mike Sturgill designed course that provides an outstanding sampler of Arizona road riding. With Arizona's territorial capital (Prescott) to the north, Saguaro Lake to the east, and a healthy slice of metro Phoenix (Phoenix, Sun City, Cave Creek, Carefree, Fountain Hills, Scottsdale, and Mesa) in between, it is quite a route. Throw in the sting of 15,000 feet of climbing over 375 miles, and it rightly earns its moniker of Scorpion 600!

Bob Larson, Roger Peskett and Mike Sturgill at the start

As is typical with the brevet season, as the distances increase, the number of riders decrease. This brevet was notable in that not only was is lightly attended (three riders); the pre-ride (ride organizer and several volunteers) that occurred the previous week, actually had more riders!

The brevet day riders were Bob Larson, Roger Peskett, and yours truly. Mike Sturgill, organizer and Trail Boss, met us at the start/finish line at the Days Inn at I-17 and Deer Valley Road to provide our brevet cards and rider brief. He joined us for the run up to Carefree/Cave Creek. We were treated to a glorious sunrise, and spectacular desert scenery to the first control in Carefree. The route continued through Cave Creek and descended to the Carefree Highway. Somewhere along here Mike, flatted on a descent while riding fourth wheel. Our momentum quickly carried us out of earshot. We thought he had dropped off to head home, but we had inadvertently dropped him!

Bob and Roger on AZ 89 toward Congress

Thankfully lake traffic was light and with a slight tailwind we headed east to US 60 and the second control in Wickenburg AZ. After a quick reload we headed north toward AZ 89 and Congress AZ. Leaving Wickenburg, we crossed Vulture Mine Road, last year my brevet season ended abruptly with that ride. Bob said, "Hey Steve, Vulture Mine Road, isn't that where you crashed last year?" "Yes, yes it was (2016 ride report)!"

The real climbing on this ride starts at the Yarnell Hill (6 miles at 6%) and you can see the road cuts in the mountain from miles away. Congress AZ is at the foot of the hill, and as we entered town, my Garmin computer froze. While resetting it, I ran up on Roger's realwheel for a bit of a scare and flashback to last year!

Desert in full bloom on Yarnell Hill

The trio worked well together all the way to the base of the hill, but alas, the legs were not there to keep up, so Roger and Bob slowly disappeared in to the distance!

Roger and Bob on the climb!

Roger and Bob waited in Yarnell, and we rolled through Peeples Valley together and a reload at the convenience store there. The next official control was 30 miles away at the turn around in Prescott, but as the climbing resumed on the road to Wilhoit, we separated again.

The high desert grass and scrub soon disappeared and was replaced with Pondersosa Pines as the climbing continued to the high point of the ride at 6200 feet. With a little snow in the shadows, and expansive mountain views, it was quite a scenic section of road. The only drawback; a constant stream of motorcycles (mostly loud Harleys) on their way to Historic Whiskey Row in Prescott!

Yavapai County Courthouse in Prescott

The Prescott control is any establishment on the Town Square. Spotting Roger and Bob finishing a slice at Bob's Pizza, the decision was easy where to stop. A slice of meat-lovers pizza washed down with a Mountain Dew (and a receipt) hit the spot nicely. Roger and Bob were off mid-slice just as a few sprinkles threatened a potentially wet departure from Prescott. Luckily, the sprinkles stopped before the road became wet.

The route climbs out of Prescott for a few miles back to the 6200 foot summit, then generally descends all the way to Phoenix. However, the winds, which had been favorable for the whole day, were now right on the nose and especially heavy in Peeples Valley!

Just a little windy in Peeples Valley

Lush farms and outstanding scenery

The convenience store in Peeples Valley was a great place to get some relief from the wind and reload some calories. A half-pint of potato salad washed down with an Ensure shake provided a quick 600 calories and it was back into the wind and the short climb to Yarnell and finally the payoff of 6 miles of 6% descent. The descent was tricky with the constantly changing winds due to the many twists and switchbacks on the road!

Reaching Congress and turning south, the winds shifted off the nose to a crosswind, a welcome improvement! The sun set as the road continued to Wickenburg and another control and more food at the Burger King! As the lights of Phoenix eventually came into view, the route continues southeast to Sun City and another control before heading north and back to the control at the Days Inn.

Rolling into the motel at 11:30pm, the plan was to check-in, eat, shower, and get a 4-5 hour nap and be back on the road by 5 am. After a Denny's Grand Slam, quick shower, it was 'lights out' as my head hit the pillow.

Waking before the alarm went off at 4 am, and wanting to get this one done before it got hot in the afternoon, it was back on the bike with lights blazing into the morning darkness. Again treated with an awesome sunrise, the route heads east to Pinnacle Peak and the fun 9 Mile Descent to Fountain hills.

The Fountain of the Hills

The route continues along the Beeline Highway to the Saguaro Lake/Bush Highway exit. Winds were relatively light and favorable, and unusual for a morning ride along the Beeline. The route continues past Saguaro Lake and the Salt River Recreation area to the steep but short climb up King Kong. Another control in Mesa before crossing the mighty Salt River to rejoin the Beeline Highway back to Fountain Hills. At the foothills to the Superstition Mountains, the expanse of the Valley is clearly visible, along with the realization that the finish is on the 'other side of town!'

Gilbert Road Bridge over the Salt River

The Gilbert Road crossing consists of two bridges, one that can withstand heavy river flow, and one that is designed so that the approaches 'wash out' before the bridge gives way. All traffic was diverted to the larger bridge as the lower bridge was stranded by the last flow of the Salt River!

Wind back on the nose for the last 30 miles of the ride!

The route generally heads west across the valley through Scottsdale and North Phoenix to the finish at I-17 and Deer Valley Road. BANG! Only 4 miles from the finish, a blowout. The tube had worked its way through a sidewall cut on the rear tire. After a quick stop, using a PowerBar wrapper as a boot (to prevent the replacement tube from the same fate), the tire was repaired and I was on my way to the finish.

At the finish

My faithful weekend companion!

33 hours and 35 minutes after the start, this one was in the bag! After last year's shortened season, it was nice to have this year's series completed. Thanks Mike for a great route and Roger and Bob for the companionship on the first 200km!

Steve Atkins

Click here for map and ride data

Grand Canyon 600km Brevet

Ride Report
May 30-31, 2015

About a dozen riders lined up just before dawn in the public parking lot in downtown Williams Arizona for the 2015 version of the Grand Canyon 600km brevet. After such a great ride on the Mingus Mountain 200, how could any brevet rider resist.

Tom and Carl giving the rider brief

Rolling out of Williams, a group of five formed at the front and we were soon moving fast toward the first control in Valle AZ. Two notable events; just outside of Williams a group of three large Elk decided to cross the road at high speed. They overtook us from the left and the trailing beast just cleared our line as we passed through! Soon after that I fumbled my bottle and dropped it, luckily no one hit it and the group slowed while I dropped back to retrieve it.

Regrouped, I took a long penalty pull for my misdeed and soon the control in Valle AZ came into view. We arrived 10 minutes before the control opened, so we had time to reload and visit with Tom Baker and Carlton Van Leuven. Tom and Carl, would provide fantastic control support for the bulk of the ride. We rolled out together,

AZ-64 to the Grand Canyon

Valle marks the end of the long descent from Flagstaff and the start of the gentle climb to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The group was moving a little too fast for my taste so I let them go and settled into my own pace.

Flight line at the GC Airport

The weather was perfect! The Grand Canyon airport is located in Tusayan AZ, just a few miles from the park entrance. The roads are in great condition and the town thrives from the tourist traffic heading into the park. A number of the tour helicopters were cycling up on the chopper flight line for a day of sight seeing.

Park Entrance

Yes, there is a park fee for cyclists ($12). It was rush hour, and it took 15 minutes to get through the park entrance and pay the fee! Next stop was the Market Plaza Store at the Grand Canyon Village. I rolled in just as the leaders rolled out and found Tom Baker in his kit at the tables outside the store. Tom planned to get some riding in while he waited for the riders to come through the control.

At the South Rim

The next 20 miles follows the south rim toward the east park entrance at Desert View. There are plenty of pull outs and scenic overlooks to take in the stunning vistas of the Grand Canyon! This 23 mile section of forest rollers, canyon views, light traffic went by very quickly as the Desert View Visitor Center and the next control came into view.

This was not a staffed control, so proof of passage was required. Wei Sun of San Diego was enjoying a sandwich at the shaded tables outside the store. Another refugee from the fast movers! After grabbing water, a Sobe, and some hard boiled eggs for a light lunch we rolled out together.

Carlton and Wei Rolling toward Cameron AZ

It is a 32 mile descent to the town of Cameron on the Navajo reservation. Just outside the East Park Entrance we encountered Carlton getting in some miles while he was providing support. He made a U-turn and joined us for the run to Cameron. Just outside of town Carl flatted and we continued on to the control in Cameron.

The next section is 47 miles with minimal services to the control in Doney Park just outside of Flagstaff. Carl established a water stop about 2/3's of the way up the hill to Flagstaff. On past rides, this section was hot with heavy cross/head winds. On this day, the temperatures were moderate and winds were light. We were still happy to see Carl for a mid climb water stop!

Tom Baker at the Flagstaff Control

Wei and I rolled into the control at Flagstaff just a few minutes after the leaders had left. Tom commented that they took a long break. It was no wonder, Tom had camp chairs set up with lots of food supplies and great company. We also took a long break!

On the road to Leupp

The route turns east, down toward Leupp and back onto the Najavo Reservation.

Whole lotta nuthin!

The Ponderosa Pine forest gives way to cedar trees, then grass land, and finally high desert scrub. In any case there is not much between Flagstaff and Leupp! The roads are in great shape and nearly all the motorists were very courteous giving way as we headed toward Leupp.

We arrived at the Pic'N'Run C store, the next control, now 195 miles into the ride. We purchased supplies and were relaxing in the shade when Carlton rolled in with the support wagon. He told us that Micheal Mooney and Bob Larson had missed the turn in Flagstaff and now were about an hour behind us. We rolled out toward Winslow and Carl headed back to check on the other riders.

Sunset on the Navajo Reservation

The route turned south and we made our way to I-40 for a 6 mile run on the interstate to the overnight control in Winslow. The road surface was good with a wide shoulder, albeit unnerving as 18 Wheelers flew by at great rates of speed. The last two miles were torture as the new surface stopped and was replaced with broken pavement and debris everywhere!

We rolled into the Motel 6 about 8 pm. The drop bags had not yet arrived, so I checked into my room, showered, and set the bike up for Day 2. I headed back to the control room, ate some dinner, washed down with a Blue Moon, and told Tom and Carl that I planned to leave the control at 2 am. I grabbed my drop bag and returned to my room to complete the bike reload, slip into the compression gear, and get some sleep. I drifted off about 9:30.

In a blink, the alarm went off at 1:40. Roll out of bed, down a Frappachino, dress, drop off the drop bag and I was ready to go in 15 minutes after the alarm went off. Tom was up and said that Wei had already left, but Bob Larson and Michael Mooney were planning to leave at 0200 also. Fantastic, having some company in the wee hours is always welcome. Not much was happening in Historic Downtown Winslow, but we did top at the Standin' on the Corner monument as we rolled out together!

Michael standin' on a corner in Winslow AZ

The next segment is a 54 mile rolling climb on AZ-87 back into pine forests on the Mogollon Rim. It might have been scenic, but at 0230 and no moon, all we could see was each other and a few meters of road in front of us. We knew it was rolling because Wei's tail light would appear and disappear, each time reappearing closer. We caught him just before finding Carl, asleep in his van, at the impromptu water stop. With our early start, Carl decided to establish a support control half-way to Clint's Well/Happy Jack.

Sunrise on the climb to Happy Jack

The sun cleared the horizon as we left Carl's water stop. The grade decreased and soon we were at speed; shaking from the cold on the short descents, and sweating on the climbs!

Carl at the ready in Happy Jack

The C-Store at Clint's well was not open, so the Control was established at the Happy Jack RV park. Carl and Tom were already there is a spread of drinks and PB&J sandwiches for breakfast. Wei decided to take a longer break so Michael, Bob formed a group of 3 and headed toward Flagstaff.

San Francisco Peaks

We stopped at the scenic overlook at Mormon Lake to peel off layers and slather on the sunblock. The next section of the route is a spectacular run on great pavement, with mountain vistas, and good company.

Heading toward Lake Mary with Bob and Michael

The Flagstaff control was an open control, meaning we could stop at any store as we entered town. We stopped at the Chevron convenience store for the last reload for the run to the finish in Williams.

Gravel Grinding?

The next section included two 3-5 mile sections on gravel forest service roads. It was a nice addition to the route and very fun to mix it up on a totally different road surface.

Yes

The first half of each section was a climb followed by a similar descent. The first, well packed and fast, the second was recently graded and covered with loose rocks. I was convinced we would pinch flat somewhere along the way, but we all made it through.

At the finish in Williams

We rolled into Williams and were only 300 meters from the finish, but we still had 6 miles to go. Unfortunately, the RUSA folks insisted on an additional loop to an informational control to cover the requisite mileage to meet the minimum distance requirement. Once we hit the control, it was downhill with the wind to the finish on historic Route 66 in downtown Williams.

John Ingold was waiting for us and cheered us in as we rolled in as a group of 3; 32 hours and 30 minutes after our start. Carlton had dropped off a cooler with left over cold beer and sodas from the overnight control, so we all toasted our success. Wei Sun rolled in a few minutes later and joined the party!

This was another great route with outstanding support. Thanks to John, Tom, and Carl for providing ever-present support and encouragement; and Wei, Michael, and Bob for the great companionship and teamwork along the way.

Steve Atkins

Click here for GPS data

PAC Tour 600km Brevet

Pre-Ride Report
March 27-28, 2015

Painted Rock Road in the Tucson Mountains

Carlton van Leuven and I pre-rode the PAC Tour 600km the weekend prior to the event. Due to extreme heat in the forecast, we decided to start the event Friday evening knocking off the 200km loop first, catching some zzzz's then hitting the 400km to Tombstone and back.

We rolled out of Tucson at 5 pm Friday, with temperatures in the 90's. After a few false starts with my new Garmin 810 computer we left the rush hour traffic behind and headed into the Tucson mountains.

Riding into the sunset!

Happily as we passed through agricultural areas around Marana, the temperature dropped a few degrees to make the riding much more comfortable. Winds and traffic were light and we made great time to the first control at the Marana Circle K.

Alfalfa + water + dry air = cooling!

The internet connection was down in the store, so it was a cash-only. Luckily the cash registers still worked so we could get receipts for our brevet cards. I explained our riding plan to the clerk as I tried to purchase a pen (to enter control times on the brevet card), but it would not scan after several tries. The clerk was more than happy to give me his, mentioning that he also cycles to and from work every day!

New Garmin 810

Rolling out of the control, we headed north on the world-famous I-10 Frontage Road of Brain Damage. In earlier years, nearly all the Arizona Brevets included this stretch of unremarkable, rough, and mind-numbing road surface. Luckily, with the new calendar of events, tonight's encounter was brief, and with an exit on Park Link Road, it was behind us in less than an hour.

I-10 Frontage Road

The climbing begins here, and other than a short descent on the Pinal Parkway it continues all the way to the next control in Oracle. After getting receipts, reloading bottles, and putting on some layers, we pointed our steeds for the steep downhill to AZ 76 and the road to San Manuel. The San Manuel control is at the top of a hill in town and includes a large convenience store with a Subway inside. We didn't stop for dinner, but some patrons noticed our night riding gear and wanted to hear all about the adventure.

The route backtracks a bit, then takes Webb Road back to Oracle. It was payback time for the steep 1000 foot descent, so we settled into a steady pace, having the entire road to ourselves nearly all the way to Oracle. We stopped again at the Circle K in Oracle for a final reload. The next 35 miles would be generally downhill back to the control in Tucson, and we covered it in an hour and a half!

We rolled into the Super 8 at about 0200, about 9 hours into the event. Certainly not a blistering time for a 200km, but with most of it in the dark, and 5,600 feet of climbing, we were both feeling spent. We stowed the bikes and walked to the McDonalds to get some chow, only to find out the dining room was closed. We returned to the room, grabbed the van, hit the drive-thru and enjoyed hash browns and Egg McMuffins while we prepared for Day 2 back at the room.

Day 2 - Gates Pass

We had about 5 hours before the control closed, so we decided to sleep until 7, then head out. We both awoke at 0630, effectively getting about 3.5 hours of sleep. Grabbing a light breakfast of coffee and biscuits/gravy we were back on the bikes about 0720, 20 minutes behind the control close time. The next control was only 23 miles away, so we would need to make it a straight shot. We were soon on the climb up Gates Pass. Many local cyclists were out enjoying the cool early morning temperatures and when we crested the Pass, we had an open road with no vehicles on the descent. We pulled into the next control with 20 minutes to spare and topped off our bottles. The next official checkpoint would be in Sonoita, so we settled back into our pace.

Breakfast on the go

The temperatures started to climb as we traversed south Tucson on Sahuarita Road. We stopped at the Houghton Road Market, last water until Sonoita, to refill and grab a spare water bottle. With the temperature climbing, and no cloud cover, we knew it would be a hot one going up the 13 mile hill!

My Garmin was recording over 100 degrees and it felt hotter. We had a slight tail wind that was helpful, but also created times when even with our forward momentum, there was no air movement and the sweat poured everywhere!

5000 Feet and still hot!

With the climbing and the heat, it took over 7 hours to cover 90 miles and 5,500 feet of climbing to the control in Sonoita. We enjoyed the tables in the shade took a nice break at the Sonoita General Store. We knew the control would be closed on the return trip, so Carton purchased a gallon of water and stashed it behind the store.

The run from Sonoita to Tombstone is mostly downhill, and with a nice tailwind we made good time and arrived in Tombstone about 2 and a quarter hours later. Little did I know, but Carl was feeling bonked and suffering greatly. He was concerned about making the last 200km back to Tucson and decided to abandon the ride in Tombstone.

I continued to the official control at the Circle K to grab some calories and reload. The sun was still a couple hours from setting, so after a 30 minute dinner break it was back on the road.

Dinner at chez sidewalk in Tombstone

Sunset with about 8 hours of riding to go!

The Lasagna sounded good, but it did do a little talking on the way back to Sonoita. Rolling in about 9pm the stores were closed, so I reloaded with the stashed gallon of water. Carl had texted that he had a ride back and would meet me at the hotel in Tucson.

It is about 10 miles of climbing rollers to the top of the big descent to Sahuarita road. Finally hitting the top, I zipped up and started down. About half-way down, my Garmin gave the low battery warning. I plugged in the external power source from my 400, but it would not charge and display data at the same time. Luckily, being familiar with the route it was not a big deal. So I turned off the computer so it would recharge and made my way to Sahuarita.

The McDonald's in Sahuarita has a 24 hour dining room, so rolling in after midnight, I was happy to enjoy a chicken wrap, fries and a Coke in comfort!

With just one climb and under 40 miles to the finish, I was ready to get this one in the bag. The lack of sleep was starting to catch up with me. On the climb up Helmet Peak Road, I would 'see' the stop sign just ahead signifying the end of the climb, but it would simply disappear into the distance. Finally reaching the top, I found myself starting to nod off on the smooth descent along Mission Road. When the city lights came into view, it was less disorienting and easier to stay awake.

The last fifteen miles of the journey was on the broken pavement that is Silverbell road. No problem staying awake on this pave section, constantly dodging potholes and pavement breaks. I rolled into the Convenience store next to the Super 8 at 0320. I loaded up on Strawberry Milk, cheese, and hard boiled eggs for some post-ride recovery food. Carlton was up and offered to run to get some food, but all I wanted to do was shower, and grab some sleep.

We checked out a few hours later, had a 'proper' breakfast at the local IHOP, and headed back to Phoenix with plenty of time to make the Palm Sunday Mass! It was a great weekend, I only wished that Carl's stomach would have not gone bad for the last 200km, so we could have finished together.

This ride completes my 8th Super Randonneur  (200, 300, 400, and 600km brevets completed in the same year) and qualifies me to enter the 18th (my 3rd) Paris-Brest-Paris 1200km that will be held in August this year!

Steve Atkins