Globe/Show Low Twin 200km Brevets

Calm winds at the start

Ride Report
May 2013

Day 1 Globe to Show Low via Whiteriver: 126 miles 11,000 ft elevation gain

Carlton van Leuven organized the Double 200km brevets to be held May 11th an 12th. The Trail Boss often 'pre-rides' the course before the event, so Roger Peskett and I went along to keep Carlton company. Ruthann van Leuven drove us to the start, stashed water at the bottom of the canyon, transported our drop bags to Show Low, and would wait patiently for our arrival.

Team Preride

We launched off at 8 am from Globe and headed out with a very short cue sheet. Only a few turns over 125 miles meant that route finding should not be a problem on this brevet. Traffic was light, and the temperatures were perfect for the climb out of Globe to the rim of the Salt River Canyon.

As we neared the south rim of the Salt River Canyon we encountered a tandem with a very discouraged stoker on foot walking up the hill alongside her captain! They were part of the GABA Globe to Show Low event. They said they were fine, but wondered if we knew where the SAG stop was. We told them we were on a different ride and wished them well. Not a happy tandem team!

All smiles at the start of this one

The first 27 miles of this one are generally uphill and our progress was 'steady.' Finally we reached the first downhill warning sign. Its a quick 10 mile drop into the Salt River Canyon. Winds and traffic were light so it was a blast carving out the turns on the switchbacks at 48+ miles per hour!

The gas station at the bottom of the canyon was closed years ago, so this brevet includes a water cache (Ruthann provided on her way to Show Low) in the ruins of the old gas station/store. When we arrived a few Navajo jewelery artisans were setting out their wares under portable canopies. While we reloaded our bottles, Roger filled us in on the details of the Tucson Chapter of the Greater Arizona Bicycle Association (GABA) that was doing a supported Globe to Show Low ride. As we refilled our bottles, a GABA rider rolled by at a good pace.

Setting up the jewelery sale

We left together, but Roger and Carlton were climbing at a pace faster than I wanted to go, so I dropped off and took some photos during the climb.

Behind the abandoned gas station

The views of the river and canyon were awesome. It took nearly an hour to climb out of the canyon, and the GABA SAG wagon was at the safety pullout at the top of the canyon. Traffic was light, but there was a lot of activity in the scenic pull outs. Groups of motorcyclists, sports car enthusiasts, and RV'rs encouraged us on as they admired the canyon views. I caught the GABA rider near the top. She also asked if I knew were the SAG stop was. I told here I was on a different ride, but the last GABA stop was as the safety pullout on the south rim, I guessed that is where they would be on the north rim. It was still a few miles away, I bid her good luck and rode on.

As I reached the top of the climb, the GABA SAG team had set up on the safety pullout. They shouted out to see if I needed water, but I was fine to get to our first turn on the route and convenience store only a few miles up the road.

When I arrived, I was surprised to see a dozen or so GABA riders enjoying the picnic tables outside the store. They only had 25 more miles to Show Low, taking the direct route, we still had 62 miles to go taking the scenic route through Whiteriver Arizona.

Carlton explaining our route plan

Once off the main highway we were treated to light traffic, rolling hills and sweeping views.

Once we hit the steep rollers, I let Carlton and Roger go ahead. We met again in front of the Bashas store in Whiteriver. A small fair was going on and the store was very busy. We met a great young man from Cibecue that was working security in front of the store. While most passers by were just curious about our bikes and what we were doing, a few were quite drunk. Our security specialist would simply escort them along past the entrance to the store and come back to visit with us.

We enjoyed a light meal (potato salad for me) as we prepared for the last climb of the day to the checkpoint at the Hon Dah casino just outside of Pinetop.

Nice pasture on the climb out of Whiteriver

The winds were building from the south so we had a tailwind assist on the gentle climb out of town. Again I dropped back to climb at my own pace and enjoyed the excellent road surface and great views. I arrived at the convenience store at the Hon Dah casino, and Roger and Carlton were already there and almost ready to go. I grabbed a Frappachino and a water for the last 17 miles to Show Low. The route is downhill, and with the tailwind and the Frappachino, I felt great as the three us us took fast pulls and made great time to Days Inn in Show Low!

We were in just under 10 hours! We checked into our rooms, cleaned up, and went in search of pasta! We found a Native New Yorker across the street and enjoyed a great meal. It was back to the room and early to bed after we set our alarms for a 6 am wake up!

Day 2 - Show Low to Globe via Whiteriver 126 miles, 9000 feet elevation gain

Our Day's Inn rate included a free breakfast at the adjacent JB's. So we powered down a big breakfast, checked out and were on the road by 7 am. After clicking in an extra bonus mile (we missed the first turn), we took pulls up the hill through Show Low, Lakeside, and Pinetop. Traffic was very light, and unlike the day before, we were stopped at only a couple traffic lights. We reached the Hon Dah store, got our receipts and started down the hill to Whiteriver.

Even with the building headwind, we made fantastic time working together down the hill. Reaching the outskirts of Whiteriver, Carlton flatted so we took a break while he made his repair.

Carlton in the areobars setting the pace

Flat Repair

As Carlton finished his repair, we agreed to stop at the convenience store near the White Mountain Apache Tribe (WMAT) headquarters. We figured it would be less busy and more efficient. It was, and like the Bashas yesterday, the staff and customers were very friendly and curious about us and our bikes. Perhaps because it was so early on Sunday morning, the drunks had not yet arrived on the scene!

WMAT HQ

Riding past the WMAT headquarters, I remembered my conversation with the manager of the WMAT Tribal Heard back in 1982 when I was wrapping up the annual audit and going through the final checklist. I was an eager young CPA. He was a crusty stereo typical cowboy!

CPA: How many copies of the annual report would you like this year?
Cowboy: Twice as many as last year.
CPA: OK, but why do you need twice as many as last year?
Cowboy: Well we ran out about half way through the year.
CPA:  I don't get it?
Cowboy: Well, you guys print those things on really nice paper, we put them in the outhouse, the boys love 'em!

He had a big smile and really did want twice as many reports!

We rolled out of Whiteriver with gusting head and cross winds. Once we reached Geronimo Pass, the road turned north and the winds became more of a cross and we were soon at the convenience store for a reload and light lunch before we headed south, directly into the wind.

Again our group split up on the climb, but soon we were on the sweeping descents into the Salt River Canyon. But with the headwinds, it was hard to go any faster than 35 mph! When we reached the gas station at the bottom of the canyon, our Navajo friends were there and so was Ruthann. She had just arrived to drop our water. I quickly reloaded and headed up the hill figuring the Carlton and Roger would catch me on the climb.

Climb out of the canyon

Roger powering up the climb

They did after the first few switchbacks. Luckily, while we were on the switchbacks we were protected from the wind, but the last 3 miles were exposed to a 20 mph block headwind! 6-8% grades I can deal with. 20 mph headwinds I can deal with. Combine them together, and you have a frustration fest!

Finally powering over the last hill, the wind eased slightly and I came upon Roger and Carlton taking a break on the side of the road. They were looking for water at a campground and taking a break. No water to be found, so we continued on.

Again we split on the long rollers heading back to Globe. I caught Carlton on one of the long climbs just a few miles out of town. We worked together to the city limits and then he suddenly dropped off. I turned around to see him with his shoes off, stomping on the pavement like his feet were on fire! He said to go on, he was suffering from Hot Foot.

I rolled into the finish about 10 minutes after Roger and a few minutes before Carlton. We finished in about 9.5 hours, slower than we expected due to the headwind.

Ruthann at the finish, note the flag!

We packed up and headed home. It was a great weekend riding with good friends! Extra thanks to Ruthann for her encouragement and support!

Steve Atkins

Solana Beach 600km Brevet

Ride Report
April 2013

At the start line

Since the USNA Triathlon Team took over our home and neighborhood the weekend of the Tombstone 600, I needed to find another 600 to complete my 2013 SR Series. After a quick search of Rusa.org, I found the Solana Beach 600km, a lightly attended 600 that consists of three different 200k loops from the Solana Beach Holiday Inn.

Mike Sturgill and Brian McGuire from AZ

Deb was up for hanging out on the beach while I rode, so we booked a room at the Courtyard next door to the Holiday Inn. We left Tempe and made the easy drive to Solana Beach with plenty of time to get organized and have a nice pasta meal at the California Pizza Kitchen a short walk from our hotel.

The rider meeting was brief and 15 riders rolled out of the Holiday Inn at 0400. We headed north for a few hundred meters, turned right, and started climbing! Once the climbing started, the group slowly split apart as each rider found their own pace. With so many miles, so much climbing, and so few riders, this would a brevet enjoyed mostly alone!

 

Going up!

It was interesting rolling through Solana Beach as a 24-hour team relay running event was going on. We came upon a number of runners with flashing lights and reflective gear sharing the route! They looked like lost randonnuers searching for their bikes! 

When I reached the first control at the Stage Stop Market a few of the fast climbers were there and 
preparing to leave. One of the local San Diego guys commented that now the real climbing begins! Reloaded, I pulled out and dropped into my 'Granny Gear' and started the grind up to Mesa Grande!

Traffic was light and the temperatures were very conducive to steady climbing. As the elevation increased, so did the trees and lush green valleys.

I thought the climbing was done reaching Henshaw Lake (a shallow grassy lake that reminded me of Mormon Lake in Arizona). Passing the lake, the cue sheet indicated a right turn toward Mesa Grande Road. A very steep 4 mile climb led to the information control on Mesa Grande. The Mesa was a spectacular rolling farming area! Plus it was the high point on this loop, so there would be more descending than climbing on the way back to Solana Beach.

A short descent on a long climb!

As the elevations declined, so did the amount of greenery. Bombing down the Poway Scripps Parkway was a blast until reaching the edge of town and the start of the traffic lights.

With all the climbing, my overall average speed was very low. I was expecting it to climb rapidly on the way back to Solana Beach, but with all the traffic and stop lights, it was hard to get any real momentum.

Shady forest nearing Henshaw Lake

The route took the bike path along highway 56. Upon exiting the path, just before control #6 I came upon Brian McGuire at a stop light just before the AM/PM Market. We rolled in to pick up a receipt and I decided to reload my bottles. This control was only a few miles from the hotel and the end of the first loop, but I decided to do a full reload of my bottles. While we were selecting our drinks, one of the clerks commented to Brian and me, that bikers had nice legs. Then she went on to comment that my legs look kinda girlie! Great, as we left Brian was calling me Girlie-Man.

I rolled into the Holiday Inn, got my brevet card signed and rolled out while Brian and Mike Sturgill were reloading their bikes in the parking lot. I went to my room, put on fresh kit and reloaded my bike. I had expected to complete the first loop of 125 miles in about 8 hours. My Garmin computer indicated over 11,000 feet of climbing, that combined with all the city traffic, put me at 9.5 hours for the first loop!

Henshaw Lake

I rolled out for the second loop which retraced the route back UP the Poway Scripps Parkway. Temperatures were climbing and loop 2, while generally in the mountains south of the first loop, was similar to the first in that the high point of the loop was at about the halfway point.

Near the Control on Mesa Grande

I didn't see any riders until I was about 10 miles from the summit of the climb. The sun was finally starting to set and I saw Brian McGuire up the road. He spotted me and slowed down his pace so I could catch up. It was about 7:30 pm as we neared the summit. We stopped at the information control at the summit of the climb, turned on our lights, and put on layers and reflective gear. We ended riding all the way back to Solana Beach together, its always nice to have a partner on the road after the sun goes down!  As we rolled through the harbor area, my Garmin computer ran out of power (about 20 hours into the ride). At that point it indicated over 8000 feet of climbing on loop 2!

Arriving at Solana Beach, I had my brevet card signed at the Holiday Inn and returned to my room. It was about 1 am, so loop 2 was in the books at about 11.5 hours. I showered, ate some soup Deb procured for me earlier, reloaded the bike, and with a fresh kit, was out the door at 1:30 am. Loop 3 is an out and back along the Pacific Coast Highway to Newport Beach.

Poway Scripps Parkway

Descending on Loop 1

I had not felt felt any drowsiness so far, but stopped in Lucadia for a coffee heavy with sugar. That did the trick most of the way through Oceanside. Just outside of town the route joins the I-5 Interstate for 8 miles. I was starting to get tired and cold, so I stopped at a rest area for a 5 min break before continuing on. After a few more miles of late-night interstate riding, I was happy to be off the highway. Here the route joins a bike path through Camp Pendleton.The fog became quite heavy, and difficult to see to follow the route. The 'bike path' follows a wide road, then a long camping area. By the time I exited the camp and entered San Clemente it was just before 0500 and I was very sleepy.

I saw a Travelodge and decided to check in for a nap. The groggy clerk ( I am sure I woke him up!) gave me a nice discount (since I told him only needed the room for two hours!), I set the alarm for 2 hours, and crashed in the bed! I woke just before the alarm went off and rolled out at 0700. I felt refreshed and after a cup of coffee in the lobby I was back on the bike heading up the PCH!

The nap did the trick, I was able to develop good power and pick up my speed. Traffic was still light and I made reasonable time to the Circle K/Jack in the Box control in Newport.

As the morning wore on, traffic, heat, and a quatering headwind picked up. The PCH is no flat affair, but with my Garmin out of the game, I don't know what the climbing was for this loop. It felt like alot!

Along the PCH heading toward the finish!

There were many other riders on the route, but very few with over three hundred miles in their legs, so I didn't even bother to try and grab a train of riders going past. Rolling through Camp Pendleton in the daylight was very interesting. Rejoining the I-5 at midday on a Sunday, not so much!

Finally I was on the last climb into Solana Beach, and after the requisite stops, detours, and traffic, I rolled into the Holiday Inn  a few minutes after 2 pm with Deb there to cheer me on at the finish!

I signed my brevet cards, deposited them in randonneur room, and departed for the Courtyard. We had a late checkout, so I was able to shower, dress, load the truck, and head back into town for some dinner.

With Deb behind the wheel, and a full stomach, I was out like a light!

375 miles, 20,000+ ft of climbing, 34 hours, and the Super Randonneur Series for 2013 is in the books!

2013 Around the Bend 400km Brevet

Ride Report
March 2, 2013

Tom Baker (center) going over some ride details

A relatively short list of 17 riders signed up for the second running of the Around the Bend 400km Brevet. Carlton van Leuven and I suffered greatly last year on this event and we were both looking forward to a better ride in good weather. Since we had similar time goals for the event we decided to car-pool to Casa Grande. Some of the usual suspects had signed up including Dick Wiss, Roger Peskett, and Mike Enfield. Also, Catherine Shenk from Boulder Colorado was on the start list. Carlton and I hoped a 'sensible' peloton of 4-5 riders would form to share the work and help us beat last year's time.

Descending into Sacaton

After a short pre-ride meeting we rolled out of the Round Trip Bike shop a few minutes after 6am with lights blazing into the predawn darkness. By the time we reached the Casa Grande High School a group of 7 had formed including those noted above and Glenn Albrech from California. We worked well together and maintained a steady pace. The sun cleared the horizon as we descended into Sacaton. The wind started to build from the east, and our pace increased with the wind assist. We reached the first control in Maricopa shortly after it opened at a little before 8. Even that early, the Circle K was hopping and Tom Baker was there to sign our cards and reload our water bottles.

Carlton on the reload

With our larger group it took a little longer for everyone to attend to the details but we were soon on our way on SR238 to Mobile/Gila Bend. Much of the road surface has been improved, but it is a narrow highway with moderate traffic. It has a gentle grade that went unnoticed with our tailwind, until it picked up a degree or two when we entered the Sonoran National Monument.

Near the top the climb, our pace quickened and our group split as we passed the BLM area where we have taken the Corona High School Band kids on their Advanced Biology Survival Weekend for the past several years. It is a beautiful place to camp (permits required) and with the rain this year it was especially green this morning.

Down to 5

Clearing the pass, with a continued tailwind, we motored along the 14 miles of downgrade to Gila Bend at an average speed of 30 mph!. We rode through town, found the welcome sign with the required information for the second control, made a U-turn, noted the time and continued to the Texaco convenience store only a few hundred feet up the road.

Dick Wiss and Roger at the Gila Bend Texaco

This was a great place to stop; full store, ample restrooms, covered picnic tables, and plenty of room for us to spread out. We set about procuring supplies, stripping off layers, and applying sunscreen. I think Dick was wanting to buy one of the Curios on display, but did not have room on his bike! Mike Enfield pulled in a few minutes after we arrived and Tom Baker also arrived to see how we were doing.

Mike Enfield rolled in just a few minutes after we arrived

Catherine on the Gillespie Bridge

I attacked the group to take this picture!

With Mike back in the group, we rolled out into the headwind that we would face most of the way to next control in Palo Verde. Once we hit Old Highway 80, Dick organized us into a very steady rotating double pace line to battle the wind. The pace was very consistent and we made great progress. We did not see Glenn at the control in Gila Bend, he must have stopped somewhere else and made a more efficient stop, because we could see him way up the road. Evetually we caught him and we were back to 7 riders and continued our paceline to the Gillespie Dam Bridge.

The bridge area was greatly improved, and unlike last year, there was no construction or pilot car to deal with. However, there are a bunch of short climbs and rollers between the bridge and the next control in Palo Verde. The hills, warming temperatures, and the wind helped split group again and we were back down to 5.

Tom Baker had the control set up in the shade at the Palo Verde School. It was well stocked and Tom had a few folding chairs which contributed to our leisurely pace in the control.

We enjoyed a nice break in Palo Verde

Mike again rolled in before we left, but he had no intention of joining us when we were ready to go, so we rolled out to brave the Saturday morning traffic of Buckeye Arizona and journey toward Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). NASCAR is in town this weekend, and the Nationwide race was starting just about the time we rolled past. Luckily all the fans were in the race way and there was very little traffic to deal with.

It was starting to get hot, I was down one bottle, and my second was getting warm. We stopped at the Circle K just past PIR to top off, get some ice, drinks, and use the Porta-Potties!. It was very busy because of the race and a mini-traffic jam formed as a road barrier crew was resetting the cones and traffic controls for the PIR outbound traffic.

Carlton mentioned to me that he was glad we stopped, because he felt a little dehydrated, and had blood in his urine! He drank some extra fluids and said he felt better and when we rolled out he was back taking his turns at the front.

The winds seemed to moderate as we traversed the farm country on the west side of town. When we reached 51st avenue, the wind got behind us and our pace picked up again. The 5 of us were moving along again quite briskly. After Carlton finished a pull at the front he suddenly slipped off the back and slowed down, the group sat up as I dropped back to check on him. He was feeling severe pain and really needed to slow down. We knew that Tom had set up a water control only a few miles up the road, so I set an easy pace with Carlton. Dick, Roger, and Catherine also slowed down and waited for us at the water control near the I-10.

Carlton was in no shape to go on (waves of severe pain, blood in urine). In addition to the pain, he said he was having trouble with his vision when the pain became severe. He wanted to go on, but we encouraged him to get checked out before he continued. He called his wife to take him to urgent care. He of course was not happy about a DNF, and insisted we continue with our ride. Once we were sure that Ruthann was on her way, and Carlton promised; 1) not to get back on his bike until they figured out what was wrong, and 2) to keep us up to date with text messages, so we took off. With the sun setting, we picked up a slight tailwind and continued to the Fry's grocery center on the edge of Queen Creek. We figured that would be the last good place to stop and reload before heading back into farm country. And at mile 202, it could also be possibly the last stop we would need to make. The grocery store was huge and we decided to take our break at the Burger King. We all enjoyed a light snack, and a long break, as we re-donned our reflective gear and added layers. Carlton sent a text, he was at urgent care, 6th in line to see the doctor!

We rolled out onto the rough farm roads, made more difficult in the darkness, and the passing diesel 'dually' pickup trucks. Most of which, had drivers/passengers that were convinced that we should not be on the road, and felt compelled to tell us so. A few more miles up the road we again caught Glenn and we were back to a group of 5!

We rolled through Coolidge and since no one needed to refill bottles with the cool night air we pressed on toward the finish. With 18 miles to go, our pace again quickened, and after a couple of nearly missed turns and the slight upgrade into Casa Grande, we were back to a group of 4. We rolled into the parking lot of the Round Trip Bike Shop at 9:50. A great time, especially with our 'medical' break and leisurely control stops. As we were loading up, Tom Baker appeared and checked us in and collected our brevet cards so we didn't need to go to the Denny's to turn them in.

The news from Carlton good, He was released from urgent care (suspected infection). Tom took our 'finish line' pictures and I drove Carlton's van back to his house. The rest of the crew retired to Denny's with Tom for a post-ride meal.

We completed the ride under 16 hours, which was the goal Carlton and I had both set. Even with our long control stops, the strength of our group combined with sharing the work at consistent pacing kept our moving speed well above 18 miles an hour for the whole day. It was a pleasure to spend the day with such great people and skilled riders. We were really missing Carlton at the finish, but he had sent several text message updates, and we were relieved he was doing better. By the time I got to his house, the pain was gone and he was already planning his follow-up doctor visits...and his next ride!

Steve Atkins, Roger Peskett, Catherine Shenk, Dick Wiss
All smiles at the Finish!

Gerry Elam has a nice blog post with his perspective of the ride. Carlton van Leuven also has a blog post with more photos and his recap of the the ride.

2013 Gila River Valley 200km Brevet

Ride Report
February 16, 2013

Tom Baker leading the rider meeting

Tom Baker added this great route to the AZ Brevet Calendar along with the Around the Bend 400km last year. I rode them both last year and enjoyed the new routes, especially with the start only 20 minutes from the house! Both are on the calendar this year, but I was planning on riding only the 400 in two weeks. With the 400km only two weeks away, and my schedule keeping me off the bike last weekend and next, I needed to put in a long base ride.

Lonnie "Epic" Wolff was in town with his wife for the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show and managed somehow to slip his bike into the horse trailer and signed up for the ride. Dick Wiss and Carlton van Leuven were on the rider list, so this really was going to be just a long training ride with a few friends. That was my story and with my kitchen pass secured I signed up on Wednesday and was at the Basha's Shopping Center at Power and Chandler Heights Roads at 0630 Saturday morning.

On the Hunt Highway - Tom Baker Photo

Everyone was ready to go with a few minutes to spare so Tom went over the route, controls, and warned the group that our route would be sharing the road with a cycling race for a few miles on AZ187 outside of Sacaton. At 0700 the group rolled out to get this one started. The pack rolled out as one group and I settled in with Lonnie, Carlton, and Dick happy to cruise along at an easy pace with the rest of the group. There were three fast recumbent riders and they came around and picked up the pace. So after a mile or so of 17-18 mph warm-up riding, the group accelerated to 20+ mph and held that pace for the first hour of riding to Sacaton. With the large group, even at the fast pace, we were able to enjoy great conversation. The best was the discussion surrounding the term "Epic" when describing a ride. Lonnie "Epic" Wolff pointed out that only a certain level of suffering, injury, and/or duress could make a ride an "Epic." While many rides may be remarkable, only a few are true "Epics." With that settled, most of the group stayed to together, all the way to Sacaton.

Rolling out of the Casa Grande Control

The group shattered on the small climb out of Sacaton. Carlton, Mike Barbour, and Clint Wisdom went off the front while the rest of the group spread way out on the road. Carl sat up and waited for me and I bridged us up to Mike and Clint. By the time we reached the 187 Dick Wiss had joined us and the five of us formed a line on the much busier than normal 187. Stage 2 of The Valley of the Sun Road Race was also on the road (running the opposite direction) and we saw two or three groups of riders heading in our direction. AZ387 was closed for the race which put most of traffic on 187.

A fast descent had us at the second control in Casa Grande. Tom was already there to sign our brevet cards, so we checked in and rolled over to the McDonalds for some drinks and an opportunity to shed some layers. Another group was only a few minutes behind and rolled in for the same routine.

Tom at the Florence Information Control

We rolled through Casa Grande on one of the Brevet trade routes, Trekell Road. It is a direct shot through town, but most of the road surface is in bad shape. So imagine twelve or so riders dodging in and out of traffic, potholes, and simulated pave! A left turn puts us on AZ84 for the 12 mile run to Eloy and the next Control. Trains, traffic, and a building headwind again split the group, but we regrouped to reload drinks and answer the control question on our card (for proof of passage) at the Eloy Circle K.

Dick and Carlton at the Florence Control

The building headwind on 84 became a nice quartering tailwind for the next 12 miles toward Coolidge. Dana Lieberman flashed by on his disk-wheeled recumbent and Mike, Clint, Carlton, Dick, and I hopped on as he took a 6 mile monster pull. We held a great pace between 22-25 mph on that section, but all good tailwinds come to an end! The wind shifted from the south-east to due east first becoming a strong cross-wind, then a block headwind and the route turned east! We dialed back the pace as we pressed into the wind. The 5 upright riders organized into rotating pace line, with Dana behind us. But with the gusting wind we had difficulty holding a consistent pace so he dropped off.

Florence Control - Tom Baker photo

We finally turned north for the slight downhill run to the next control at the Old Florence Highway. Traffic was light and we were able to form an echelon to combat the crosswind. The ever-present Tom Baker was at the fourth Control to sign our cards. With a HUGE tailwind, we were soon among the security fences and guard towers that is the Arizona State Prison at Florence!

Carlton and Dick, happy to be on this side of the fence!

We stopped at the Circle K in Florence to reload our bottles and have a snack for the final 36 miles of this one! The Circle K was rocking with the noon Saturday lunch rush! Dana rolled in while we were there and we rolled out together.

Mike, Dick, and Clint in Florence

We were still enjoying the strong tailwind, as we left town, but with it would soon become a strong cross wind on some narrow busy roads. With no where to hide and with Dana, Mike, and Clint picking up the pace, I told Carlton and Dick I was going to let them go and we agreed to dial back our pace. Soon we were in the Anthem development in Queen Creek where the roads widened to allow us an echelon again, but the route turned east, for one more pull into the wind!

Stopped at the last information control

The rest of the route 'sawtooths' north and west to the finish. So we would have a couple miles of tailwind, followed by a couple miles of crosswind on mostly rough narrow farm roads.We left the farm roads and entering Chandler, we came upon Mike and Clint fixing a flat, they had everything they needed, so we pressed on.

Thankfully the last 6 miles were westbound, so we had a gentle push to the end of the route. Dana was already there, and Tom was manning the final control. Clint and Mike rolled in a few minutes behind us.We signed our cards, complained about the wind, packed our bikes, and headed home.

All smiles at the end!

It was another great day on the bike, riding with old friends and meeting new ones. The conditions were good and the company was excellent! We made great time, 7 hours 31 minutes. A few minutes faster than last year. (Ride with GPS Details) Also, my nutrition plan (Hammer SE/Pepsi, Shot Bloks, and Honey Waffles) worked great. I was able to ingest 395 calories per hour during the ride, a personal best! No bonk and plenty of power at the end.


In the parking lot, Carlton noted we'll be back in two weeks for the Around the Bend 400. Yeah, just think, at this point in two weeks time, we'll only be half finished!!

Tom says,  "I didn't have anything to do with the wind!"

Here are Gerry Elam's , Lonnie "Epic" Wolff's, and Dana Lieberman's blogs for different viewpoints of the ride.

Steve Atkins

2013 Saguaro National Park 300km Brevet

Ride Report
February 2, 2013

Susan Plonsky gives the rider briefing

The truck and bike were packed Friday night and all my gear was ready to go. The alarm went off at 0405, coffee made, dressed and I was on my way to pick up Carlton van Leuven at 0420. He was ready to go and we arrived in Casa Grande a short 40 minutes later. After a stop at the 24 hour Wal Mart we arrived at the Round Trip Bike Shop in plenty of time for the start of the 2013 edition of the Saguaro National Park 300km Brevet.

The first order of business after checking in is to decide how much clothing to wear/carry on the bike. The forecast was for mild to warm weather later in the day, but the predawn temperature was still in the low forties. Plus it is always colder outside Casa Grande, and especially in Coolidge. I decided to go with shoe covers, leg warmers, base, jersey, vest, arm warmers, and long gloves. I almost passed on the shoe covers, but Carlton convinced me to put them on and I was glad I did. It was the perfect combination for the first segment to the Tom Mix controle on the Pinal Parkway.

Lonnie 'Epic' Wolff

Susan Plonsky, RUSA Brevet Administrator provided the rider briefing a few minutes before 6 am to 40 plus randonnuers that were ready to go at the Round Trip Bike Shop. The owner opens his store early to provide a base, rest room, and meeting hall. And by the number of brand new reflective ankle bands I noticed (required for a pre-dawn start) on a few riders, a chance to pick up a last minute cycling need or two.

Many of the usual suspects had gathered for this one and it was great to catch up with Lonnie Wolff from Utah and Dick Wiss from Colorado, and other riders from previous brevets. Scott and Ryan were leading a group of Extreme Picnickers, but we rolled out before I had a chance to say hello!

At 0600 Susan fired up the Brevetmobile and provided the lead out that includes a loop south to pick up a few miles before heading north out of town. A very thoughtful route design, because adding a few mile loop before you get started is no big deal. Having to ride past the finish at the end of a brevet would be almost as mind-bending as having to ride the I-10 Frontage Road!

A group of 7 or so formed and we were off the front by the time we reached McCartney road at the edge of town. We rode at a reasonable pace and were soon over the 'pass,' riding past the dairy farms, and descending into Coolidge. As usual, it was cooler than Casa Grande but hardly noticeable with the spectacular pre-dawn sky we were treated to! Coolidge passed by in a flash and we continued to work well together to the first controle at the Tom Mix Monument on Pinal Parkway.

Gerry Goode was one of the volunteers manning this stop and it was quite enjoyable catching up with him. Over the years, Gerry and I have teamed up on several brevets and he rode the Casa Grande 200 on both occasions that my sons Mark and Michael joined me for this nonsense. So as I busily checked in, reloaded my bottles, and stripped off a few layers and my shoe covers, I gave Gerry a quick update on how the boys are doing.

Carlton at the Tangerine Circle K

After being left behind at this controle, and having to chase down the group on more than one occasion on previous brevets, I have learned to move fast at this controle! I was just putting my bottles on the bike as the first few riders rolled out, I jumped in and four of us were off. We sat up and waited for Carlton, Karl, and Mike to rejoin us. A few miles from the controle we were groupo compacto and the 'fun' began. The road steepens and the cross-winds picked up as the strong men in the group picked up the pace. Mike was the first to go, and as Carlton and I hung on by a thread; Stephen Kenny thankfully dialed back the pace and we formed a double pace line to work through the wind.

Steve Kenny contemplating Gates Pass

Wrap Time at Kinney Road

We reached the 'top' just as I was about lose contact from the group, but was able to hang on and recover somewhat on the descent into the Rancho Vistoso area. Once we hit the rollers on the wide roads of this planned community, I started to yo-yo off the back. Just as I lost contact, a motorist made a U-turn in front of the group as they were turning onto Moore Road, causing everyone to stop. Being safely behind the group, I was able to roll through chaos and in an act of sheer desperation, went to the front of the group to take a pull and try to cool the pace down a little! Carlton and I shared pulls to the Circle K a few miles later and we stripped off layers, reloaded our bottles, and slathered on some sunscreen!

Susan's Brevetmobile

We were rewarded with some easy descending on Twin Peaks road until we reached Silverbell road. Much of the Silverbell has been improved over the years, but some sections are quite rough and traffic was heavy. The pace seemed to pick up and I worked hard to hold on and stay with the group,  but decided to drop off and climb at my own pace when we turned on Sweetwater and started the climbing to Gates Pass.

Carlton noticed I had dropped and fell back to keep me company on the climb. The weather was perfect and once I dialed it back to my own pace it was a very enjoyable climb as we admired the awesome views of saguaro cactus and awesome desert mountain views. Traffic seemed quite heavy on the last climb up the pass, but luckily no cars overtook us as we cleared the summit, so we had a unobstructed downhill blast to the next controle at the Kinney Road Parking lot.

No sammy for me today

We rolled in while the rest of the group was already into their first sandwiches provided by Susan Plonsky. I decided to pass on the sandwiches, but refilled my water bottles and grabbed a Coke. After visiting and catching up with Susan I was ready to go before my legs got too stiff! Calton joined me and we rolled out, figuring the strong men would catch us before we got to Marana.

Mark Mandell caught us as soon after we left the controle, and Brian McQuire caught us while we refilled our water bottles at the Circle K in Marana. We decided to take 1 mile pulls into the building headwinds, and with our 4 man group working at a steady pace we soon were passing Picacho Peak and looking forward the fresh pavement that was ahead of us.

At this pace we figured we would be in before sunset, and with a shot of finishing under 11 hours, Brian and Mark picked up the pace a little, but that was a little too hot for Carlton, so he dropped off. The banana I ate in Marana was not sitting well so I was more than happy to dial it back a little as I dropped back to join him as Brian and Mark headed off to shoot for a 5 pm finish. Carlton and I figured we could easily get in under 12 hours, so we backed it off and started trading pulls.

We were there!

With Carlton doing most of the work, soon we were at the Circle K in Eloy topping off our bottles for the final run to Casa Grande. The winds were not particularly strong, but were generally right on our noses from Marana to Eloy and quite annoying. Combine that with rough road, heavy freeway and train traffic, and enjoying scenic Eloy by day; it all adds up to 30 miles of severe brain damage!

With an unremarkable 8 miles to the next controle, and 11 more to the finish, we each took one mile pulls into the cross-wind and pulled in to the Round Trip Bike shop at 11 hours and 24 minutes after we started. We packed the bikes, signed our cards and were ready to go a few minutes after we arrived. A passer-by asked to borrow Carlton's cell phone to arrange a ride to 'a meeting' and he obliged. She wrapped up her call and we pointed the Suburban back toward Phoenix and headed home.

It was a great day on the bike with strong riders and good friends. We both wished that somehow this route could be done without the I-10 Frontage Road of Brain Damage!

My trusty steed, and a daytime finish!