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!

2013 Casa Grande Ruins 200km Brevet

Ride Report
January 12, 2013

About 30 randonnuers decided to layer up and make the Casa Grande Ruins 200km their first brevet of the season. My initial plan was to skip this one and slide in the Gila River 200 in February for my SR series. But with many of the usual suspects signed up, and the thought of riding three brevets in 5 weeks, it became an easy choice. After I carefully negotiated my kitchen pass, Debby took great delight in pointing out that the forecast was for a multi-day hard freeze and unusually cold weather kicking off just before the brevet start!

Casa Grande National Monument Visitor Center

With a relatively civilized start time of 7:30 am, how cold could it be? I left the house at 6:15 for an uneventful 45 min drive to Casa Grande. It was 37 when I left the house and temperature continued to drop all the way to the start with a final reading of 26 when I pulled into the Food City parking lot at the start.

Carlton van Leuven, Roger Peskett, and Mike Sturgill were already there adding layers in anticipation of the cold. I selected full Under Armour cold gear tops and bottoms, Patagonia fleece top , jersey, rain jacket, bibs, knee warmers, shoe covers, helmet cap, balaclava and heavy gloves. Oh and some hand warmers left over from our Christmas Ski trip tucked between my shoes and shoe covers!

Steve and Tom Kinney from Canada must have been laughing at us desert dwellers layered up like the kids in the "The Christmas Story."

Susan Plonsky, Arizona RBA, had the good sense to conduct the rider meeting in the warm confines of the Round Trip Bike Shop. But soon it was time to mount up and we followed Susan's lead out in the Black Brevet Mobile to the Casa Grande High School. From there, Susan waved us on and a 9 man group formed and we rode together sharing the work at a very civilized, but fast, pace all the way to the Ruins. We arrived at 9:05, stamped our cards, and left as a group for the return to Casa Grande.

Heading back to Casa Grande after the first controle

We maintained a steady pace back to the Bike Shop. Susan was waiting for us and quickly signed our brevet cards and directed us to the shop for water and snacks. With the sun and temperature rising, I peeled off a few layers, reloaded my bottles, and our group of 9 was all ready to go about the same time and we headed out. We stayed together all the way to the checkpoint past mile post 22 on Indian 15.

Machines taking a little breather while riders reload

Enjoying a roadside Coke!

Susan Plonsky and Mike Sturgill at the lunch stop

We enjoyed a quick snack, reloaded our bottles and headed back toward Casa Grande. We rolled out as a group, but Brian and Mike dropped back to retrieve a lost water bottle. I really did not notice the tailwind that must have been pushing us along toward the turnaround point, or it really picked up during lunch, but just a few miles from the lunch stop the head/cross wind became much stronger. The Canadian contingent took control and organized the remaining 7 of us into a double pace line to rotate through the wind. We were able to hold together most of the way back, but on the last few rollers about 15 miles from the finish I decided to drop out. Carlton had the same idea, so we dialed it back a bit together and continued taking pulls to the edge of the reservation.

As advertised the wind really kicked up for the last 8 miles, Carlton dialed it back a little more and I continued on, eager to get this one 'in the bag.'

Even though we split up on the last segment, all of our original 9 man group arrived under 7 hours (and within about 15 minutes of each other).

It was a very enjoyable day, riding in good (but somewhat cold) conditions, with a strong and skilled group of riders. My computer had our average moving speed at 19.2 mph,18.2 mph overall and total time off the bike of 25 minutes! Since a number of our group already qualify for the Denny's Senior Discount, a like number will soon qualify, and the rest look like we qualify; perhaps the best description of this one was "Old Guys that Ride Fast!"

Steve (I wonder if my USAC racing age will qualify at Denny's) Atkins

Apache Trail 221 RUSA Permanent

Sorry pardner, RUSA members only!

Ride Report

December 29, 2012

Last month Paul Layton sent out a note that he and Mike Sturgill would be riding his Apache Trail 221 Permanent. Even though it was approved last year, this would be its first official running. What is a permanent you say, well, its not a hairdo! From RUSA.org:

"A Permanent is like a brevet but you can arrange to ride it any time, not just on one specific date established by the organizer. Like brevets, routes can start and finish in the same location, but they can also run point-to-point, and can be any distance of 200km+ (100-199km for a Permanent Populaire). You must be a RUSA member to ride a Permanent (or a member of another ACP-affiliated country organization.) A Permanent may be ridden alone or with a group."

Paul's excellent route followed the same route I rode last year with some San Tan Racers (ride report), but it was not until last week that the family schedule opened up for this event. As an added attraction, Carlton van Leuven had signed up, so I sent Paul a note and I was on the start list!

Start

Mike Sturgill is very happy that bar is open!

We met at the SE corner of Power and McDowell roads in Mesa Arizona for a 7:00 am start. We all arrived a few minutes before the start and rolled out with our lights blazing into the predawn darkness. Temperatures were in only in the high 30s', but the route starts up with a slight uphill so we all warmed up quickly. We made great progress through town with very little traffic and reached the Apache Trail just as the wind and sun rose from the east. As were heading out of town, Paul noted that this is his third permanent that includes a significant amount of unpaved road riding, which resulted in your humble correspondent assigning him the moniker of Paul 'Dirty' Layton (Dirty Mogollon Madness and 28C's Kelvin)!

Paul 'Dirty' Layton

Our little group stayed together most of the way to Canyon Lake. Traffic was light and the views were spectacular. Paul dropped off to ride at his own pace, but we all regrouped at the first Control at Tortilla Flats. As we walked into the bar at just after 8:20am to refill water bottles, my cell phone rang. Quite unexpected as the cell tower that serves the Flats was installed just recently!

Carlton van Leuven and Paul at the Flats

Tortilla Flats was a Postcard Control. That means that Paul included an addressed, postage-paid card in addition to our brevet card that we were required to note our time of passage on and drop in the mailbox. The mailbox was not especially easy to find, but we dropped our cards in just about the time that Paul rolled up on his machine.

Paul decided that Tortilla Flats would be his turnaround point. The headwind and his lack of recent training miles combined to make it an easy decision. We thanked him for organizing the permanent, refilled out water bottles and headed back out on the trail.

Dirt

End of Pavement

The climbing continued for the next five miles until we reached the End of Pavement sign that warns travelers that the next 22 miles are unpaved. Most road cyclists (and motorcyclists) turn around here. Not today, we pressed ahead and rolled onto the dirt portion of the route. The Trail is well maintained and graded often, but it is a constant up and down affair so washboards form on most portions of the road.

The first mile or two on the dirt is a nice warm up, before the big descent down Fish Creek Hill. A single lane road cut into the cliffs. When two large vehicles meet, it is a challenge for them to pass. This morning we had the road to ourselves. The down grades were in excess of 12% and by the time we reached the bottom, our forearms ached as we were on both brakes all the way down!

Starting the descent

Steep downgrade to Fish Creek

Nice pool under the bridge over Fish Creek

Resting our forearms over Fish Creek

We continued along the Trail constantly looking for the smoothest, most compact line in the dirt. With the three of us constantly riding the road from side to side, its no wonder that one motorist asked us if we were lost! Noticing we were all on road bikes, he said; "You know it is dirt all the way to Roosevelt Lake!"

Traffic was light and the motorists we did see were very courteous, even when they encountered us on the 'wrong' side of the road seeking the smoothest line! As mentioned the Trail is a constant up and down affair with steep climbs and descents with tremendous views of Apache Lake and the Superstition Wilderness. The constant washboards take their toll on riders and gear. Mike lost a bottle, my saddlebag came loose, and our arms and back ached from the pounding. Happily however, no one had a flat tire on this grueling section of road.

Roosevelt Dam

Finally traffic started to pick up as we neared Roosevelt Dam. Quite suddenly around a bend we are greeted with sight of Roosevelt Dam and the return of pavement. We paused to take a few pictures before the final climb around the dam and the left turn on AZ-188

Mike resting, comfortable on pavement!

Very happy to be at the end of dirt!

Pavement

We had been on the road nearly 5 hours and covered only 53 miles. We considered detouring into the town of Roosevelt to get something to eat and refill our bottles, but we were concerned about making the time cutoff at the Jake's Corner Control. We checked our bottles and decided we had enough fluid/food on our machines to avoid the detour and continue on route to the Tonto Basin Grocery store 17 miles up the road. The wind had shifted to a crossing tailwind and sharing the work, our trio made great time as we rolled into the grocery about an hour later. We ate a little food, refilled our bottles, and were ready to roll out when Larry on a mountain bike rode up to us to find out what we were doing and where we were going. He seemed interested in joining us on a future ride, so Carlton told him to go to www.azbrevet.com to check out the 2013 brevet schedule.

We always meet interesting people on these rides!

We left the grocery refilled and continued on the gently rolling highway for the next 11 miles to the official Control at Jake's Corner. We stopped in to get a receipt and top off our bottles. Maybe it was the cold, or maybe the company, but we ended up buying some solid food and enjoying it on the picnic table inside the store!

Jake Corner Store and Control

Snow on the hills surrounding Mt. Ord

I bought an extra water bottle, since there are no services between here and the end of the ride (except a possible detour to the Marina at Saguaro lake). Rolling out of the Control, the temperatures continued to drop as we climbed our way to the high point of the ride, the saddle below Mt. Ord at about 4,500 feet. We stopped at the safety pullout. Carlton added a layer, I chowed down two Honey Stinger Waffles, and hopped on Mike's wheel for the long descent, it was quite cold already, and descending at over 40 miles per hour made it very cold indeed. There is a short false flat where the temperatures warmed before the descent into the Sunflower area. ADOT has improved the highway shoulder so we were able to stay off the highway the whole way from AZ 188 to the Saguaro Lake exit.

With the cold temperatures our water strategy worked well. Leaving Sunflower, there is a steady 3-4 mile climb with a constant 6 % grade. We stopped near to the top put on our lights and to grab a snack. I used my extra water bottle to mix up some more Sustained Energy and eat my last waffle. We rolled easily to the top and with Mike blazing the way we bombed down the Beeline Highway to the Bush Highway exit into an outstanding sunset!

Descending the Beeline Highway at Sunset

Finish

The route is generally downhill as we passed the Saguaro Lake Marina and the Salt River Recreation area and working together we made great time over the rollers on the Bush Highway. The ride's final climb is up the dreaded "King Kong" climb. Actually it was so dark, we were halfway up the climb before we realized it! With the climb behind us, it was only a few short miles to the finish control.
 
We rolled into the control 11 hours and 32 minutes after the start. We covered 137 miles (22 on the dirt) and climbed about 11,000 feet on this outstanding route. Riding into a beautiful dawn at the start and a stunning sunset near the finish reminded us that the Apache Trail 221 is no ordinary 200k!

We all agreed it was an outstanding day on the bikes, with great friends, on one of the best routes in the state!

Steve Atkins