My bike problem (Randonneuring) can be traced back to 2005 when Deb and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on a 12 day bike tour that included three mountain stages of the Tour de France. It was such a great trip, we put the Spring Classics, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta Espana on the to do list. Ten years later we finally are able to check one of those off the list!
We found Cycling Camp San Diego's Belgium Spring Classics Tour via a Google search, and quickly determined this would be the trip for us, and it was! It was based around 3 of the Spring Classic professional races; Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallonne, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Included in the tour was entry in to the amateur events associated with each race. We decided to arrive a few days early and headed to Amsterdam to adjust to the time change and visit the nearby tulip fields/gardens.
Amsterdam
After arriving in Brussels, we stored the bike case and most of our luggage in the airport lockers, and caught the train to Amsterdam. This was our second visit to Amsterdam, and Deb really wanted to see the spring flowers in Keukenhof. We arrived Tuesday afternoon, too late for the museums, but early enough to set out on foot, tour the city, plan our trip to Keukenhof, and try to shake off the jet lag.
Heading to the train station
Bike Parking at the Amsterdam Train Station
We were up early and headed to the train station to grab a train to nearby Haarlem. We found a bike rental shop there and rented city bikes for the ride to Keukenhof. It was about a 10 mile trip along canal paths and through production flower fields to the Gardens in Keukenhof.
In the tulip fields
Keukenhof Gardens
The ride to the gardens was fantastic! As we neared the Keukenhof Gardens we left the canal banks and joined what seemed like an endless caravan of tour buses and cars headed to the Gardens. Happily, the bike racks were near the west gate and we were soon in the gardens. It was beautiful with flower displays separated by sidewalks overflowing with tourists! We spotted a cafe in the gardens, and after enjoying a snack of coffee, beer, and apple pie, the crowds didn't seem so bad.
We made our way through the gardens and decided to head back. Leaving the crowds behind and mounting our city bikes, we were treated to a strong tail wind and soft pedaled all the way back to Haarlem!
Nice tailwind on the way back
The bike route generally followed canals
We returned our bikes and took a lap through Haarlem. We found a cafe on the main square and relaxed prior to catching a train back to Amsterdam. We enjoyed a fantastic meal at a nearby seafood restaurant, and with the daylight time, we were able to wander around this charming town for several hours. We agreed this was a great way to start our tour.
We were up early and back on the train to Brussels. We would join the CCSD at the arrival level at the airport. After transferring to the local train, gathering up 40 euros in coins to retrieve our luggage, we found Rob and Jo of CCSD and our tour companions. We were a small group; 9 riders, 2 guides, and we fit easily into a crew truck and passenger van. Those of us needing rental bikes took the truck to the rental shop. We picked up bikes (it turned out Deb's was too small) and joined the rest of the group in our first town, Tongeren Belgium. We arrived at the hotel, assembled the bikes, and set out for a shake-down ride that covered a large loop around the town.
Shake down ride in Tongeren
Our first full day of riding would cover 50 miles and take us to the town of Valkenburg and back. The Amstel Gold Race includes 3 laps and finishes near the top of the famous Cauberg climb in Valkenburg.
Crossing into Holland
The roads were in great shape, and while is was quite chilly in the morning, the sun was out and the weather was perfect. After some urban riding through Maastricht, we found ourselves on the Amstel Gold route and coasting into Valkenburg.
On the Amstel Gold Race course
Its Holland, not Michigan!
Downtown Valkenburg
We found the group at a sidewalk cafe, and after snack of coffee, beer, and apple pancake, we made our way to the Amstel Gold Experience and nearby Pearl Izumi outlet store before heading back to the hotel to rest up for the Toerversie (Tour Version) Amstel Gold Race.
At the base of the Cauberg
Amstel Gold Experience
After cleaning up at the Hotel, we toured the Tonengren Cathedral before piling into the van to tour the nearby Bink brewery. It was a nice tour with great beer. The owner/brewmaster entertained us with an interesting history of Belgian brewing and we enjoyed several of his tasty products with fresh bread, cheese, and meats.
Bink Brewery Historic Tavern
Tonengren Cathedral
We returned to the hotel, had a full meal, and retired early.
Two of us decided to ride the Amstel Gold long version (250km) so we left early with the bike van. Larry and I set off together, but were soon separated in the mass of confusion around one of the first turns.
The start of the Amstel Gold Tour Version
The riding was fantastic on good roads. The weather was perfect, cold at start and sunny and cool for the rest of the day.
Time to lose some layers
First feed station
Since there are 4 different lengths for this event, the route is a little tricky. Often we would share the route with other riders, then split off. At one point it seemed riders were coming and going in all directions! Even with my Garmin, I somehow missed a turn and ended up riding the Cauberg 3 times. Eventually, I ended up repeating the first loop, and made my way the the Cauberg the last time covering 200km and climbing over 10,000 feet!
Our finisher medals/bottle openers!
Deb rode the 65km version which also included a trip up the Cauberg, and was waiting at the finish line when I came through the last time!
We returned to Tonengren for a group dinner to celebrate our day.
Sunday morning (race day) we rode in the van back to the Valkenburg area. Deb and I took our bikes and made the 10km trip to Valkenburg. The town was packed with race fans eager to watch the racers come through. We did a little shopping and rode back to the van. The CCSD folks picked great spot where the race would come through several times, close to a cafe with a TV so we could continue to watch the action!
We positioned ourselves at the top of the hill, where the team songniers were at the ready with food, water, and wheels. An errant water bottle rolled into the field and CRASH the group went down right in front of us! One of the Cannondale riders ended up being loaded into the ambulance!
We could see the race approach from miles away
Deb's Orica bottle, my beer bottle
After the race, Rob arranged for us to return Deb's bike to the rental shop in Brussels. It was a better fit, not perfect, but we were appreciative of the side trip. We drove back into Tongeren for a group dinner.
With our bags packed, we would ride to the next town, Villers Ste. Gertrude. It was about 45 miles, with some steep climbing. Deb did awesome and the views were tremendous.
Spectacular ride to Villers Ste. Gertrude
The route included mostly farm roads and a few trails. On one of the trails, my rear tire blew. It was a sidewall cut, but I was able to 'boot' the tire with an old Powerbar wrapper. That repair held for the rest of the trip!
Better, but still too small bike
WWII Memorial
We loved the low traffic farm roads
Historic Durbuy
We arrived in Durbuy for a late lunch and with some very steep climbing to get out of town, we rolled into our second hotel in Villers Ste. Gertrude just before dinner. The innkeeper prepared a great meal and we retired early for the next sportive.
A local bike club sponsors the Andennes classic that covers much of the Fleche Wallonne route, including the famous Mur de Huy climb. There are three versions, several of us selected the 145km version and we were up early to the start in Andennes.
Andennes Classic Route
The route was easy to follow due to the large number of riders and directional symbols painted on the pavement before and after each turn.
On the Andennes route
There were feeding stops about every 50km, and I took full advantage of each one, becoming especially fond of the waffles!
The Andennes classic included parts of the Fleche
After the last feed at the top of the Mur, I joined a group of Dutch Belgian club riders for the run into the finish. They were especially interested in my coupler bike, and very happy that an American decided to spend a 'cycling holiday' in their country!
Belgian Bike Club
Directional symbols on the route
The ride started and finished at a sports center (pool, track, football pitch, and bar). I found our group in the bar and enjoyed a few recovery beverages before heading back to the hotel.
On race day, we took the van back to Huy and parked at the start/finish line at the top of the Mur de Huy. We watched the women's race start and walked down into Huy. We hoped to find a bike shop and find a replacement tire. The only store in town was closed, in observance of race day!
The men would climb the Mur 3 times. We found a great spot and waited near the base of the Mur. Soon the break flashed by, followed a few minutes later by the main field!
The Break comes through first
At the base of the Mur de Huy
Main field, just before the crash
Just as the field passed in front of us, a large group went down. The Cannondale Team Leader, Dan Martin went down hard and did not finish the race. We literally had to press up against the building so the racers could use the sidewalk to go around the carnage!
Dan Martin went down hard
We ended up with a Garmin Camelback water bottle that came flying out of Martin's bike when he hit the deck!
The Mur de Huy
After the race cleared we walked up the Mur de Huy and found a place to watch the women finish and the men complete their second run up the Mur. We found refreshments at the top and walked back down to the 250m to go banner and waited for the final pass of the pros.
Valverde in Control with 250m to go
The break was caught and the peloton arrived in one group with Alejandro Valverde in front and in complete control. He launched his sprint with 100m to go and finished a full bike length ahead of the field!
We regrouped at the vans and returned to Durbuy for a light meal before heading back to the hotel.
The next day the group headed to the La Chouffe brewery for a long day of riding and another brewery tour. Deb and I decided to cover part of the route, and head to the town of Manhay. It turned out to be a great decision.
Ardennes forest
We had a great day!
The forest was beautiful and the roads were perfect for us. Gentle grades and low traffic.
Many memorials from grateful Belgians
Memorial in Manhay
We rolled into Manhay looking for lunch and an ATM. We found the ATM, but none of the restaurants were open for lunch, but they were ready to serve coffee and beer. I enjoyed a couple La Chouffe's in honor of the brewery tour we missed. We picked up some snacks at the bakery and headed back to the hotel.
No lunch, but plenty of Beer and Coffee
Streets of Manhay
Villers St. Gertrude
Our innkeeper prepared a Belgian barbeque for our final meal here and it was a great way to complete our stay in Villers.
We packed our bags and left Villers early for the 22 mile ride to Spa. Deb and I left before the main group, and were the first to find the road under construction. We doubled back and met the group as they prepared a detour. We joined Larry as we worked out a different way to Spa. It turned out be be more like 30 miles and 3000 feet of climbing!
On the ride to Spa
Our B&B in Spa was 1 block from the race route
We arrived mid-afternoon, checked into the hotel and walked into town to have a late lunch/early dinner. The Liege Bastogne Liege (LBL) Challenge rides the full route plus a few bonus kilometers totaling 270km, so I was looking for a full meal. We found it at a great little sidewalk cafe.
Pasta dinner before the LBL Challenge
The forecast was for rain and temperatures in the 40's; finally spring classic weather! It is an open start, but we left with a large group of riders early Saturday morning, riding through the rain on the wet streets of Liege, it was great!
Heading out in the rain
Wet cobbles and a photo bomber in Liege
With all the miles so far on the tour, the rain, the grit, and forgetting to lube my chain before the event, I noticed my drive train making noise and skipping gears. I tried several times to stop and adjust the rear derailleur but it would not behave. Luckily, there were mechanics at the Bastogne feed zone and they adjusted and lubed my machine, it behaved much better after that!
The turnaround in Bastogne
Soon after leaving Bastogne, the skies opened up and we found ourselves in a heavy downpour. As we reached the first of the 8 final climbs, the skies started to clear.
Clearing sky's near the finish
I rolled into the finish area after the course had closed. Lucky for me Larry and Jason purchased a beer for me before the bar closed!
Post ride rewards
Deb had arranged a spa day in Spa, so we were both in our favorite elements! We returned to Spa, arriving late, we grabbed some food from a convenience store and returned to our room.
On race day, we piled into the vans and drove to Liege. We walked through the start area as the teams were preparing for the race.
After the start, we toured the town before piling back into the vans and driving back to Spa. We arrived with plenty of time before the race would go through, so we walked into town, did a little shopping and returned to our corner and waited for the race to come through.
The Break rolls through
The break rolled through followed closely by the main field. We walked back to the hotel and watched the rest of the race on TV. After the race we cleaned and packed up the bikes and had a final group dinner in Spa.
It was a trip to remember. We had a great group of riders and the CCSD folks put together a great tour that we really enjoyed.
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!
At the beginning of the week, sign ups for the Around the Bend 400 were light, with only about 12 riders registered. Many of the usual suspects were on the list, so it was looking like it would be a fast, fun event. As the week went on, the rider list grew, and finally on the last day of sign-ups 18 riders had registered, including our Canadian friends; Stephen Kenny and Paul Anderson. I mentioned at the rider brief, 'its all fun and games, until the Canadians show up!' So much for a leisurely pace.
Just outside Sacaton at dawn
A large fast group formed (12 riders) and soon we were rocketing along at a brisk but comfortable pace. It was lucky for us that Trev 'Venturi' Williams did not make this trip from Calgary to Casa Grande, because fellow Canadians Stephen Kinney and Paul Anderson seemed content fall in with us desert dwelling mortals.
With Stephen and Paul taking long strong pulls, we covered the run to Sacaton in no time and soon were rolling along Casa Blanca road with a slight tailwind toward the first control in Maricopa. As we headed west, we were overtaken by a crop duster that was working a field 500 meters up the road. It made a couple of passes as we continued on a pace to arrive at the first control when it opened.
This crop duster was working near Casa Blanca Road
We hoped they added some EPO to the pre-emergent!
We made the turn on Maricopa road and Stephen Kenny picked up the pace and with nearly perfect timing we arrived just minutes after the control opened. Tom Baker was there and checked us in. After a quick reload, we were back on the road with Stephen and Paul Anderson taking long pulls at the front. As we continued west, the tailwind picked up so that we were easily rolling up the 1% grade at 20-25 miles per hour!
Tailwind entering Sonora National Monument
Michael Mooney had a handlebar cam and here is some footage::
Reaching the saddle for the long downhill run to Gila Bend the pace again quickened and the pace picked up to 30+ miles per hour! Stephen and Paul continued to drive the pace, taking full advantage of the tailwind. We arrived in Gila Bend 13 minutes before the control opened!
We obtained signatures for our brevet cards, reloaded our bottles, and headed back out. It was payback time, as the route takes a u-turn and we figured we would have a strong cross wind. We soft pedaled through Gila Bend, but when the route turned northeast on Old Highway 80, the cross wind picked up considerably. The group worked well together with Stephen and Paul continuing to take long pulls into the wind. Slowly the group dwindled down to 7 riders as the wind and the Canadian pace took its toll!
The group of 7 on Gillespie Dam Bridge (photo by Tom Baker)
The Group of 7 (L to R) Paul Anderson, Steve Atkins, Roger Peskett, Mike Sturgill, Thomas Altemus, Michael Mooney, and Stephen Kinney.
Just beyond the bridge, the route includes some short steep rollers as the terrain transitions from desert to farmland. Crossing the bridge, I wondered if those rollers would spit out another rider from the group. POP, that would be me drifting off the back of the group. Reaching the top, the group was already 300-400 meters up the road. Stephen noticed and slowed the pace so I could bridge up and rejoin the group. Once back on board it was a battle to stay with the group after the matches burned to bridge up, so I dangled on the back until feeling recovered enough to take a pull in to the Buckeye Park control and lunch stop.
Tom Baker, trail boss extraordinaire at the lunch stop
Chairs, shade, cold drinks, and sandwiches, all cheerfully served up by Mr. and Mrs. Tom Baker, made this a stop to remember. The group was itching to get moving so we were off, back into the wind moving at a pace that was just a little too fast for me. By the time we reached Tuthill drive, I was cooked and excused myself from the group.
Riding at my own pace, even with no relief from the wind, the miles started to go by more easily. Shortly after passing Phoenix International Raceway, I noticed two more refugees from the Canadian Express at the Circle K. Tom Altemus and Roger Peskett were taking a break. Happy to have some comrades for the wind battle, I quickly jumped in and refilled a bottle and we were off as a group of three.
About 20 miles later we re-entered the Gila River Indian Reservation and I told the group I needed to stop and cool off, Roger was feeling good and went on, Tom was happy to take a break. We bought some snacks and sat in the shade for a bit before heading back out on 51st Avenue/Riggs Road.
Soon we were at Carlton's water/soup stop at Maricopa road. Hot soup sounded good earlier in the week, but with the temperatures still in the high 80's and sun high in the sky, it didn't go down so well. Adding a fuse to the already ticking time bomb in my stomach, I made the mistake of adding some Gatorade to my CarboPro for flavor. Tom was suffering as well, but we rolled out together and continued our easterly trek through Sun Lakes, Chandler, and Queen Creek. Somewhere along Riggs road, I told Tom to go ahead, and I pulled off for the inevitable stomach explosion.
Back on the road, and starting to feel much, better I caught Tom checking his cue sheet to see if he was still on the route. We rejoined and continued to the control at Combs and Gantzel Road. Its a Frys grocery store and strip mall, with a Burger King and a gas station. We decided to fill up at the convenience stand at the gas station. Fried, I purchased some water, snacks, and plopped down on the pavement in the shade.
Leaving the control, Tom Baker had modified the route to use Gantzel Road and a few other route changes that avoided some rough farm roads from the previous version of this ride. A nice change! The sun set and we donned our reflective gear and turned on the lights for the final run to Coolidge.
Tom with lights blazing into the sunset!
Traffic was light in Coolidge (except for Main Street in front of the Circle K), and soon we were on the last 'climb' up Martin Road and the gentle descent into Casa Grande. We rolled into the Wal Mart Parking lot at 2053, 14 hours and 53 minutes after we had started! Tom and I congratulated each other, and as we were packing up Roger Peskett and Mike Sturgill stopped by to say hello.
We packed up and headed over to the Denny's to turn in our paperwork and check in with our Trail Boss, Tom Baker. Riding with strong skilled riders, on an awesome route, with even better support, it was another great day on the bike. This was my 10th 400km brevet, and my fastest, beating my previous personal record by nearly 1 hour.
Oh, the Canadian Express, Stephen Kinney and Paul Anderson pulled in an hour and a quarter earlier than us, with Arizona Strong Men Michael Mooney and Robert Larson still in the group!
25 or so riders lined up for the second "minimal support" brevet on the 2015 Arizona calendar. Perhaps there should have been a warning label : This ride occurs on Valentines Day, prepare accordingly!
It was great to see some of the usual suspects (Gerry Goode, Roger Peskett, David Brake), an assortment of Bullshifters, a few newbies, and a good number of out of town riders!
Carlton van Leuven checking in riders with Mike Sturgill and Chris Popovic
We rolled out as a large group and made our way west to Sun City and the first checkpoint on Grand Avenue.
Quiet Streets in Sun City
The first checkpoint was only 25 miles into the ride, and the group rolled in and out in just a few minutes. A large paceline of about 12 riders formed on the US60. A quartering headwind was starting to build, but with all the horsepower in this group we were able to hold a steady 20-21 miles an hour all the way to Wickenburg!
Large pace line on US 60
We made our second stop at a convenience store in Wickenburg and after a parade detour that added a few bonus miles, we were out of town and on the climb up Vulture Mine Road. It was about 8 miles of climbing to the high point of the ride. With the building wind out of the northeast (quartering tail), and a 1-2% downgrade, we covered the next 30 miles holding speeds of 23-25 miles an hour!
Heading down Vulture Mine Road
TA Truckstop at I-10, Chris repairing his 4th flat of the day!
After a reload at the TA truckstop we were soon on our way. The route continues south, joins part of the Around the Bend 400 route to Palo Verde, then heads north for a long pull north on Palo Verde Road to the Sun Valley Parkway.
Michael Mooney, Roger Peskett, and Chris Popovick on Sun Valley Parkway
Once back across the I-10, the road becomes the Sun Valley Parkway. A 4 lane divided boulevard with a huge shoulder. It was quite handy, because with the wind (quartering head), we were able to form a small echelon and work our way through it.
Reaching the next checkpoint Canyon Springs, we had 145 miles behind us and 45 to go. Our group had dwindled on the long slog up Sun Valley Parkway, but soon the checkpoint was filling with riders. I decided to make a quick reload and rolled out. Bob Larsen was ready to go and we headed out together.
Soon after leaving the checkpoint we started the gentle descent back into town, and the wind actually shifted to a light tailwind as the sun made its way to the horizon. Bob was fired up and taking long pulls toward the barn. We rolled through Sun City together, but hitting the flats, near the last checkpoint, I couldn't hold his wheel.
I dropped off and hit the checkpoint at 67 avenue just as Bob was rolling out. I reloaded quickly and was out a few minutes later. The last 20 miles was urban riding and I figured if I could hold 18-20 mph between traffic lights, I had a shot at finishing under 11 hours for a PR.
The Finish at 10 hours 56 minutes
Bob had arrived about 10 minutes before me, and Roger, Lee Wilkening, and Michael Mooney rolled in about 10 minutes after I rolled in. I grabbed a Coke, fries, and burger at the In 'n Out and headed home.
Luckily for me, Debby's sister is in town, so I was off the hook for Valentine's Day!
