Roy Schoonover: At large Member. Helps with scouting, promotions, road safety issues, and whatever else he is asked to do.
2003 Great Arizona Bicycle Adventure
Meet the 2003 Grand Canyon to Mexico Ride Tour Committee
Welcome, New and Renewing Members!
8th annual Benefit Tour of the White Mountains - Mountain Bike Ride - in Pinetop
The Gila Inner Loop Bicycle Tour
The Tour de France Celebrates its 100th Year!
In Memoriam of Beverly Pitcock
By Steve Wilson
GABA President
Just some random ramblings for this month. As I sit here typing this in it’s 108 on the back patio and the neighborhood is smoky from the Aspen and Helen II fires. Not a good month for our Sky Islands. It’s definitely a good time of the year for riding at the crack of dawn.
After writing about Mt. Lemmon last month I don’t want to curse any other mountains by writing about them, but here goes. When the Mt. Lemmon highway is closed it’s a good time to check out some of the other excellent climbs in the area – namely Kitt Peak and Mt. Graham. Kitt Peak is about 6% on the average vs. the 4.5% average of Mt Lemmon, but it’s shorter at 12 miles and offers some dazzling scenery as you circle the Quinlan Mountains on your way to the top. The road is not open to car traffic until 9am, so if you get an early start you can have the road just about to yourself.
Mt. Graham, near Safford, offers a nice alternative that is similar in length and difficulty to Mt. Lemmon. The road takes you about 1000ft higher than Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley, but the starting point is higher than the start of Mt. Lemmon highway also.
If you’re not doing the Grand Canyon to Mexico ride, check out the Cave Creek ride this year. (see info in this issue) Thanks for Mike Thompson for leading the ride this year. It’s a very doable intermediate overnight ride in one of the prettiest areas of southeastern Arizona. Over Labor Day please join us for the outstanding 3-day Blue Loop Ride from Morenci-Glenwood NM-Alpine and back to Alpine (also info in this issue). Sandi Rousseau is back as ride leader this year and promises better than ever sag stops. It’s not for beginners, but if you’re a fit intermediate rider you’ll do well. The scenery on day 3 down the Coronado Trail is second to none.
For any questions on any of the overnight or century rides we put on, contact our Overnight and Century coordinator, Pam Cullop. If you volunteer to lead or help with one of the rides we’ll reward you with a generous helping of GABA bucks. Pam would love to hear from you!
Speaking of the Grand Canyon to Mexico ride, we’re now offering a 6 for 5 discount. If you’ve thought about doing the ride this year, this is the time to get together with 5 of your buddies and get your registration in. The park service sets hard limits on our number of riders, so get your registration in early to insure yourself a spot. The route speaks for itself. For more details, see our website, www.bikegaba.org .
By Ram Salcedo, Bike Shop Coordinator
Raffle prizes given away at the July meeting were courtesy of Arizona Bicycle Experts.
Norm Bosch and Linda Skinker were prizewinners and are now cruising along on new top quality tires.
Steve Slat and Andrew Klein are also sporting new clothing items.
Thanks again to Michael Stimpson and the crew at Arizona Bicycle Experts for their generous donations. See you all at the August meeting.
September 7th
For the El Tour de Tucson XXI
Next November 22, 2003
By Steve Wilson
El Tour time will be upon us before you know it. This year we will keep basically the same route as last year with the counter-clockwise route around the city. The exact route will be available later this fall from Perimeter Bicycling.
GABA will once again be providing training rides to help you get ready for the big event. The training rides, led by GABA president Steve Wilson and GABA members Craig Gordon and Mike Wood, start the weekend of September 7th, and will continue through the weekend of November 16th. The rides will start with a distance of 30-40 miles and steadily increase each week - to 90 miles the weekend before El Tour. This year we will continue to offer shorter route options for those who will be doing the shorter El Tour routes.
The training rides are designed to gradually increase your riding distance and endurance, familiarize you with the El Tour route, let you practice your ride strategy and ride with others who are at your riding skill level. With the exception of the two centuries, there is no cost for the training rides. The centuries are fully supported with three or four SAG stops with lots of good food.
This year, GABA will offer 2 starting locations, with the first being the same as last year (at the northeast corner of Grant and Silverbell) and the second at Udall Park. Details of the rides will be in the GABA monthly newsletters and on the this website (www.bikegaba.org). Information about the two centuries can be found in upcoming GABA monthly newsletters or on this (www.bikegaba.org).
2003 "El Tour"
Training Rides Schedule
Date Time Mileage
Sept. 7 6:00 AM 30/40
Sept .14 6:00 AM 35/50
Sept. 21 6:00 AM 40/60
Sept. 28 6:30 AM 40/65
Oct. 5 6:30 AM 40/70
Oct. 12 6:30 AM GABA's Tumacacori Century
Oct. 19 6:30 AM 40/75
Oct. 26 6:30 AM 40/80
Nov. 2 7:00 AM GABA's Tom Mix Century
Nov. 9 7:00 AM 40/85
Nov. 16 7:00 AM 40/90
Perimeter Bicycling is expecting 6,000 or more riders for this year's event. Early sign-ups are already coming in. Check the Perimeter Bicycling website at www.pbaa.com for sign-up information and entry forms. Note when the registration fees go up and sign up early and save some money!
El Tour XXI will be another special ride. If you've thought about doing El Tour before but couldn't quite convince yourself to take the plunge, this is the year. If you've done one of the shorter distances in the past, consider moving up to a longer distance, or even to the 108-mile event. The GABA training rides will provide an excellent opportunity to get yourself in shape over time, and for you to evaluate your capability for the event of your choice.
Perimeter Bicycling's El Tour de Tucson is one of the finest century rides in the country. You'll find it difficult to find a better supported ride anywhere. There's nothing quite like cruising through intersection after intersection with police officers holding back the traffic just for you! The camaraderie shared with your fellow riders is special and not soon forgotten. In case you were wondering, the majority of the riders are not from Tucson, but hail from across the state, the nation, and a few from other countries.
Proper training is a critical prerequisite to a successful and enjoyable El Tour experience. It's key to start early and slowly build your mileage base to the point you can comfortably ride 60-80% of the distance you plan to ride in El Tour. If you can ride 100% that's a bonus, but the excitement and support on El Tour day will help carry you the extra miles beyond your normal training ride distances.
It's very important to experiment with foods and fluids during training, not on El Tour day. Trying out a new energy bar or drink on El Tour day can lead to a very unpleasant experience. As you're training, try different combinations of snacks and drinks and make a note of how you feel and how they affect your energy level. If they don't work for you, try something else. Remember, there is no magic formula that works for every rider. If your snack or drink doesn't taste good to you, you're likely to avoid it just when your body needs it most. Proper hydration is, of course, an absolute must. If you go out for a 4-hour ride and don't have to urinate somewhere along the route, you are not properly hydrated. Low fluid and electrolyte levels can rob your body of much needed energy and endurance, and make your El Tour experience an unpleasant one.
So get ready to start putting in the training miles. Come join us for the training rides and we'll see you at the start line at sunrise on November 22nd!
September 27th - October 4th
By Pam Cullop, 2003 Ride Chair
As the ride wear is being designed and the meals are being planned, and the transportation is being arranged, I would like to share a few other pieces of exciting news with you.
A couple of months ago, a writer from Bicycling Magazine contacted me. He and his wife offered to join us on this year's tour to ride and write an upcoming-featured article for the magazine entitled "Signature Bike Rides", each from their own perspective and riding ability. Our tour has been noticed by one of the premier cycling magazines around, and are we excited! This could be one of the coolest years ever to be on the ride. Who wouldn't like to see a story like that in progress?
In addition, we already had the good fortune to talk a local writer and cyclist from the Tucson Citizen, Bryan Lee, into training and riding with us this year. You can catch his training articles in the Outdoor section of the Wednesday papers. We are delighted to play host to each of these three ambassadors of bike ride promoting, and hope that you plan on joining us as well.
If it has been some time since you have ridden the tour, come see what you have been missing. If you have kept putting this off year after year, for whatever reason, make this "the year" you put it off no longer!
There is still time to sign up! Check out the website www.bikegaba.org for an application, a complete description of the ride and the "host locations" along the route. Try it, I promise you'll LOVE It!
By Pam Cullop, 2003 Ride Chair
Welcome to our New 2003 Co-Chair, Dorothy Barth! (2004 Ride Chair)
Having chaired this ride since 1999, I have met and worked with a variety of people on this tour. It never ceases to amaze me that I have been fortunate enough to have so many good people to work with, and this year is no exception! It seems that there was a bit of confusion over the published list of Committee Members in last month's article.
Let me introduce the Real People on the 2003 Tour Committee:
|
Roy Schoonover: At large Member. Helps with scouting, promotions, road safety issues, and whatever else he is asked to do. |
|
Steve Wilson: Our financial advisor and bookkeeper. |
|
Donna Lewandowski: Our registration coordinator and mail correspondent. |
|
Wayne Cullop: Our Webmaster, brochure and route guide maker. |
|
Dorothy Barth: Our newest member has taken over the tasks of publicity, permits, and transportation arrangements. Dick Woolfe who began the job early (last October), made the decision to leave when job duties and tour duties began to consume too many hours in a day. Thanks Dick, for everything you contributed to this tour! In addition to taking on that responsibility, Dorothy has agreed to take on the job of Ride Chair for 2004 - which by default, gives her the job as Co-Chair as well. Welcome Dorothy! |
|
I (Pam Cullop): Contact for meals, camping and lodging; and for the ride wear. Marge Schoonover is helping with the ride wear this year, and we hope to have you decked out in the finest socks and tees ever. |
To all of the Committee Members: Keep up the good work - let's WOW the 2003 riders and give them the ride of their lives!
By John Hughes
RAAM 2003 unveiled a new course, starting in San Diego, CA and crossing to Atlantic City, NJ.
The race started on Sunday, June 15 on the waterfront. The racers faced challenging climbs in the first 100 miles, compounded by the heat of the desert. and then rode northeast through Arizona and New Mexico.
Racers headed across the windy Oklahoma panhandle and then through the American heartland, passing through Kansas City, St. Louis and Indianapolis. Finally, the racers crossed the Appalachians to finish on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, NJ.
Allen Larsen, last year's RAAM Rookie of the Year, was equal to the course, the only rider to cross in less than nine days. Larsen, 37, from Cle Elum, WA qualified for RAAM in 2001 at the tough Race Across Oregon, where he set the course record of 34h 0m. In 2002 he finished third in RAAM to Wolfgang Fasching.
Very competitive, Larsen wanted to race this year against Fasching, the three-time RAAM winner. When Fasching didn't enter, Larsen decided to go after Pete Penseyres' 15.4 mph RAAM average speed record.
Although he was going after the record, Larsen knew that "I couldn't win the first day, but I could lose the race." He got sick in the desert the first day and made a couple of brief stops to cool down. That night he took the lead from Marko Baloh in southwestern Arizona. Larsen rode for 45 hours without sleep. He stopped earlier for a sleep break, couldn't sleep and after wasting 45 minutes re-mounted his bike. He finally stopped near Pie Town, AZ, 700 miles into the race. After the sleep break he awoke to cooler temperatures at the higher elevation and he was ahead of some of the weather that hit other riders.
Once out of the desert, Larsen turned on the gas; for the first 1000 miles, to Tucumcari, NM, he averaged 15.85 mph. The fourth night of the race Larsen's neck failed. His neck had also failed in RAAM '02; this year he came with a custom neck brace. Even with the brace, he knew that Penseyres' record was unreachable.
Larsen thrives on competition and this wasn't really a race. By the Mississippi River, approximately two-thirds of the way across the country, Larsen had a 10 hour lead over Rob Kish. Larsen was bored and the race seemed pointless. He said he "drove his crew crazy." To keep motivated he set a goal of finishing in less than nine days.
While Larsen rode steadily to finish in 8d 23h 36m (13.55 mph), behind him riders fought hard. Seven hours behind Rob Kish at the Mississippi, Jure Robic caught Kish with less than 100 miles to go. Kish had ridden in second place for 1,700 miles. Robic told Danny Chew that he slept only 10 hours the entire race. The last 30 hours he slept only 30 minutes while Kish slept for 2.5 hours. Robic finished in 9d 14h 48m, 101 minutes ahead of Kish. Robic, a 38 year old professional soldier from Slovenia, was Rookie of the Year.
48 year old Rob Kish finished his 18th RAAM in 9d 16h 29m, for third place, his 12th top three finish! Kish has raced 53,000 miles in RAAM and was voted into the UltraCycling Hall of Fame last year.
Marcel Knaus had the fastest speed over the last 1,000 miles: 12.81 mph. Over 10 hours behind Kish at the Mississippi, the 33 year old police officer from Liechtenstein finished in fourth place, 9d 16h 45m, just 16 minutes behind Kish.
Terry Lansdell, 37, from Charlotte, NC hurt his right shoulder in a crash and withstood the pain, battling on for his best performance in his fourth RAAM. Over the last third of the race, he averaged almost 12 mph, slightly faster than Kish! He finished in 10d 3h 18m, finally earning his RAAM ring. He was the unanimous choice for the Ian Sandbach award, given to most inspirational rider.
Paul Bonds, 54, from California was the oldest solo rider. While others raced for the finish in Atlantic City, Bonds was riding for the love of his daughter, Jennifer, who was struck and killed by an automobile in 2001. Bonds was racing to raise awareness of traffic safety for our nation's children. He stopped along the route for TV and press interviews and to pay tribute at about 150 roadside crosses, denoting another traffic fatality. Bonds finished in 11d 22h 21m, including 48 hours off the bike.
Team Vail, the 2001 four-person team RAAM champs, led the 2003 team race from the start. By Springerville, AZ, 631 miles into the race, they had built a 1 hour 27 minute lead over Team Harreither and had a lead of almost 2.5 hours over Areté Racing. Then a tragic accident occurred.
Brett Malin, 30, of Vail, CO, had finished his 30-mile pull at 11:45 p.m. and was relieved by teammate Zach Bingham. The pace car continued following Bingham. Malin was to have waited for the team's second vehicle. He apparently opted to turn around on the road to ride back to the follow vehicle instead of waiting. He turned around just over a small rise and did not see an 18-wheeler approaching. The truck driver swerved, but was unable to avoid Malin, who died at the scene of the accident.
Team Vail withdrew from RAAM. Team Harreither and the other teams continued to race, but the joy of competition was gone. The Austrian Team Harreither took the lead and by half-way through the race was five hours ahead of Areté. Harreither finished in 6d 6h 13m.
Race Director Jim Pitre created the exciting new Corporate Division to encourage corporate involvement in the race. These teams have eight riders, allowing regular cyclists to compete in this tough race. In 2003 the first two corporate teams debuted, Team Insight, backed by RAAM title sponsor Insight and Ride To Remember, a group of amateur cyclists who raise funds for athletic scholarships. The corporate teams were close all the way across the country. Insight finished first in 6d 17h 32m, wile Ride to Remember finished less than two hours behind.
RAAM 2003 will always be remembered for the tragic death of Brett Malin. It should also be remembered for the character that many riders demonstrated. It's the race where Paul Bonds honored his daughter's memory. Terry Lansdell showed us great courage and sportsmanship. Rob Kish, steady as ever, finished his 18th RAAM. Jure Robic, the disciplined, dedicated professional soldier raced to a second-place finish as Rookie of the Year. Allen Larsen, focused and competitive, blazed across the country, the only rider to finish in under nine days.
Copyright 2003 by the UltraMarathon Cycling Association, Inc. For more information on RAAM go to www.raceacrossamerica.org. To learn about the UMCA, visit www.ultracycling.com
CATHY ROOT
LARRY DALBEY
ROGER/KAREN BIVENS
LISA SULLIVAN
ZACH MACDONALD
TOM MCCULLOUGH
JEFF WEBSTER
KARALYN CHRISTIE
KARINA DUARTE
IVAN VALDEZ
ALBERT VOLPE
DAVID HEMMO
WOLFGANG MINICH
JUSTIN BATZ
ROBERT ORTEGA
STEPHANIE PORTER
STERLING ROTT
GREGG/KIM SCIABICA
TERI THOMPSON
DALE CRODKATT
TOM KRAVEC
MARTI PRICE
MIKE/PEGGY MARKOVITZ/PATTERSON
PIERRE/JEAN FORTIN/DENIS
Tom & Ginny Beal
Lorenzo Clark,
George & Marjorie Dakel
Eileen & George W. Dudley
Gene & Su Kelly
Chris & Cliff Mann
Br Gary Miller
Chuck Schroll
Robin/Phyllis Steinberg/Webster
John Melville
Edward Baker
Wayne Coates
Ginny Cosbey
Mike Dolan
Patricia Dow
Jeff Jacob
Mark Levine
Aaron & Hilary Repath
Joyce & Barry Weiss
Mark Welch
Pauline Lundgren
Anabel/Denise/Zachary Hill/Roe/Mulder
Jean Gorman
Tom Kanspedow
Eileen/Ian Alfred/McEwen
Richard Bailey
Harold & Mabel Chapman
Gretchen Graef
Kathy Hendricks
Chuck Martin
Dean Marvin
Joseph Rocco
Bill Schreiber
Linda Schwindemhammer
C Michael & Valery Thompson
Rudy & Kay Van Renterghem
By Bill Scott, GABA Member spending half the year in Pinetop!
Saturday, Sept. 20th, 2003.
There are four challenge courses:
1) 66 mile single track trail race -for the very tough seasoned rider.
2) 52 mile trail challenge - strong experienced riders.
3) 41 mile trail odyssey for experienced riders.
4) 35 mile forest service road tour for fit riders.
Plus:
A 10-mile untimed breeze ride! Free kid's bike rally! Plenty of rest stops with food and drinks! Prizes and awards for all groups! Raffle for a $1600 Giant Mountain bike!
For more details or to get a registration form, go online to www.nrmc.org/twm.htm
Or write to NRMC Foundation, 2200 E. Showlow Lake Rd., Showlow AZ 85901.
For more info, contact Bill Scott at scottsb@cybertrails.com or write to 6886 Forest Ave. #88 , Lakeside, AZ 85929.
Phone: 1 [928] 532-1768.
by Bill Ogroski
I'm an avid hiker and lover of nature, so how could I resist the Cave Creek Ride? Well, for starts, I didn't have a bike. But my friend Perry brought in various newspapers ads of local sales until I stopped off at a bike shop and picked up a mountain bike.
Unfortunately, I didn't have any free weekends to do any serious riding, but I did sneak in a 9-mile ride to/from Saguaro National Park. "Just ten times that and a bit more elevation gain and I'd be up to Cave Creek!" I told myself. But somehow I wasn't convinced I could handle it.
I voiced my concerns to Perry and, my other biking friend, Diana, and was given all sorts of invaluable advice about bike shorts/ shirts, padded seats, gloves, and so on. It was a very busy Friday evening, preparing for my first bike trip! So busy, in fact, that I only ended up with four hours of sleep! So I was so very thankful when Diana volunteered to drive.
At 6 AM, amid a beautiful Arizona sunrise, she pulled into my driveway. In no time at all, she had my bike on her rack, and we were zooming down I-10...destination: Road Forks, NM.
After checking in with Cathy (ride leader), putting our gear in the sag van, upping my air pressure to 40 pounds, we began our journey! The cool morning air enhanced both the excitement and anticipation as I joined the other 19 riders in our trek southward! The scenery was already picturesque, with mountains decorating the horizon, as if to say "come see me"! But I was clueless as to how much beauty would soon be unfolding before my eyes in the miles ahead!
At 9:48 AM, I was pulling into our first rest stop. What an experience that was! I've never ever tasted such delicious ice cold orange drink before in my life! That was sooo good! We shared some muffins, enjoyed the soothing music that was filling the air, received the latest directions from Cathy, confirmed that everyone was having a great time, and then returned to the road.
By 11 AM, we had had our second rest stop, and were beginning the climb up Hwy 533 to Portal. Although the ascent was constant, we were distracted by the wildflowers that began appearing alongside the road, and the lure of the mountains that were beginning to draw near.
The continual climb slowed (most of) us down enough to facilitate meeting some of the other riders along the way. It's amazing how fast the time passes when you're surrounded by such beauty and involved in conversation with other riders! So, the hour it took us to get to the Portal store just flew by! But, boy! did it ever feel good to get off the saddle for a bit! We had a very relaxing lunch and were entertained by all the hummingbirds that were continually fluttering overhead.
As we returned to our bikes and left Portal behind, we knew we only had five more miles to go before we made it to our destination at the Southwest Research Center. We were also warned that the climb was real and that the scenery would be breathtaking! And we certainly weren't disappointed!
What an awesome experience! The beauty was truly inspiring. But it was also at this point that I realized I was going to have to admit my limitations. There just wasn't any way to safely pedal up the canyon while talking to Cathy and Jim on the ham radio and taking pictures at the same time! So I had to "say good-bye" to my radio buddies and focus my attention on all that nature had to offer. It's a good thing this was not a race, as I found myself being distracted at virtually every turn of the road.
First, it was the sound of rushing water - I had to check out the nearby creek! Then, the stream followed along the road, providing constant "music for the soul"! Next stop was in response to the rustling of leaves. Sure enough, it was a deer exploring the forest! I resisted the temptation to venture too far off-road in hopes of a picture, and continued my journey. The towering formations of the Chiricahuas began to decorate the skyline, providing "postcard views" in every directions! Some short sections of road construction provided me with opportunities to appreciate my mountain bike. Trees joined overhead, providing a shaded passageway for most of the remaining journey.
Even with all my stops along the way, by 2 PM it became quite clear that the spring-fed pool we were told about wasn't just someone's dream...there it was before my eyes, inviting us to jump in for a refreshing swim!
Yep, we had made it to our destination...the Southwest Research Center. Despite a few "distractions" (such as the deer that was wandering around the site!), after checking into our rooms, most everyone found their way to the pool, just cool enough to be refreshing!
After that refreshing dip, those of us that were able to locate some energy to spare followed Cathy for a wonderful hike up South Fork Canyon. As we hiked beneath the huge trees, there was a continuous display of incredible rock formations providing the perfect contrast to the deep blue sky with billowing white clouds. On the trail in front of us, the wildflower displays would make even a florist jealous! I kept finding myself falling behind as I just couldn't resist taking "one more picture"! As we continued up the canyon, the water began flowing in the creek alongside. As beautiful as it was, we had to cut the hike short in order to make it back in time for the 5 PM happy hour!
Soothing music once again filled the air, while popcorn, crackers, and wine provided the perfect pre-dinner appetizer! We each took turns introducing ourselves, and learned of the history and mission of the Southwest Research Center, as well as the bear sighting by two of the riders! Then, it was off to the dining hall to enjoy a wonderful BBQ chicken dinner complete with all the trimmings! The acorn squash seemed to be a big hit for some, but my attention was captured by the pumpkin pie (or was it the whipped cream?) and a very yummy prickly pear dessert!
After a very filling meal, Cathy then unveiled her "secret slide show" ... a tribute to her dear friend and cycling buddy, Elena. She shared slides from the many rides they had done together over the years, amazing all of us ... especially a newbie like myself!
Following the slide show, Diana entertained us with numerous selections on her guitar. Several songs and stories later, we agreed that it was time to call it a night. On my way back to the cabin, as I crossed the bridge I heard some "rustling" down in the creek below. I was really curious to see what creature was down there, so I grabbed my flashlight from the cabin. When I returned to the area and shined my light across the creek, I saw two beady little eyes peering back at me! Whatever critter it was, he had gone into a hole under the roots of this huge tree, and all I could see were his eyes. But soon he decided he'd seen enough of me and disappeared inside the tree. Never did figure out just what critter it was!
Once back to the cabin, I questioned all the blankets on our bed, but was told that the prior night it had dropped to 44 degrees! Brrr! I don't know about the rest of the group, but speaking for Cabin 6, although it was barely after 9 PM when I hit that bed, I remember very little else (and I believe I was the last one to turn off my light!) We all slept very very well!
Sunday morning was there before we knew it, greeting us with its cool, crisp mountain air. And the deer was also there to greet us once again as we packed up our gear and headed over to the dining hall for breakfast. After another delicious meal, we prepared our sack lunches and then began the journey back down the canyon.
The views were every bit as gorgeous as on the way up! In no time at all, we were down the canyon and back on US 80, making our climb up that "killer hill." It was going up this hill that I was definitely thankful I had a "low gear!" I was also thankful to see Jim and Elena there with the blanket spread out for us to enjoy our lunches on, once we had conquered that hill ... how wonderful that felt!
And after that, it was just a "tad further", and there was Cathy waiting for us to "cross the finish line"! What an awesome introduction to the world of cycling! Anyone heard when the next Cave Creek ride is going to be?!
Thursday, August 7th
The social committee is planning an evening at the ballpark.
August 7th is a "Thirsty Thursday", and featured beer, soft drinks and lemonade are $1 for 2 hours after the first pitch! There is also stand up comedy on the dugouts between innings!
The game begins at 7 PM; gates open at 6 PM. Come on out and join your fellow GABA members in an evening of fun. Box seats are $6 per person.
All tickets must be paid in advance. For your convenience, you can pay at the GABA monthly meeting on Monday, August 4th. See directions to meeting on page 2.
For more info, please contact Dorothy Barth, 323-7203 (leave message) or dorothybarth2443@msn.com
Sept. 13 & 14, 2003
The Silver Spokes Bicycle Club of Silver City, New Mexico, will again sponsor the Gila Inner Loop Bicycle Tour. This 2-day event has been held yearly for more than a decade!
Beautiful vistas, light traffic and winding mountain roads make for a fabulous tour, suitable for intermediate and experienced cyclists. Well-stocked food and beverage stops, a satisfying dinner and breakfast at Camp Thunderbird, and the after-dinner bonfire keep many riders coming back year after year.
Cyclists ride 43 miles on the 1st day, from Silver City to Camp Thunderbird. Those desiring a greater challenge may add 17 to 43 more miles by taking a side trip to the Clinton P. Anderson Vista or the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
On the 2nd day, rider return to Silver City along the Mimbres Valley, with optional side trips through San Lorenzo and to the Kneeling Nun Vista. Distance ranges from 35 to 52 miles on the 2nd day, for a 2-day total of 78 to 138 miles.
Registration is $45 per rider. There is a limit of 100 riders. Registration forms are available from Twin Sisters Cycling and Fitness, 303 N. Bullard St., Silver City, NM 88661. For more information or to have a form mailed to you, call Annie at Twin Sisters at 505-538-3388, or e-mail twinsisters@gilanet.com
This year's tour de France starts July 5th and runs through July 27th. A total of 22 teams of 9 riders each will be invited to race in this premier cycling event. 14 of the teams were automatically selected at the end of October 2002 in accordance with the UCI classifications. An additional 8 wild cards are chosen later to make up the 22 teams.
This the world's premier cycling event and is staged throughout France, sometimes passing through neighboring countries, over a 4-week time period.
Several people have won the Tour de France multiple times. They are: Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Eddy Merckx - 5 times; Lance Armstrong (at publication time of this issue) 4 times; Louison Bobet, Greg LeMond and Philippe Thys - 3 times; Gino Ottavio Bottecchia, Fausto Coppi, Laurent Fignon, Nicholas Frantz, Firmin Lambot, Andre Leducq, Sylvere Maes, Antonin Magne, Lucien Petit-Breton and Bernard Thevenet - 2 times. Miguel Indurain is the only rider to win 5 straight years in a row, but Lance Armstrong who has won the last 4 Tour de France races is contesting that this year.
This year's route is made up of one prologue and 20 stages. It will cover a total distance of 3,350 kilometers (2,082 miles). There are 10 flat stages, 7 mountain stages, 2 individual time-trial stages and 1 team time-trial stage. Three of the stages will finish in the mountains and there will be 21 Category 1, Category 2 and highest level passes throughout the route.
Definitions:
|
Prologue: A short individual time trial. |
|
Individual Time Trial: Riders start individually at two minutes intervals in the reverse order of their race standing (i.e. the race leader starts last.) Each rider races against the clock and cannot draft off other cyclists. |
|
Team Time Trial: Each team starts individually. The time awarded to the team is that of the fifth rider from the team to cross the stage finish line. |
The jersey is awarded after each stage as follows:
|
Yellow Jersey for the General Time Classification (best overall time). |
|
Polka-Dot Jersey for the Best Climber Classification (points earned at the tops of climbs). |
|
Green Jersey for the General Points Classification (points earned for sprints). |
|
White Jersey for the Best Young Rider awarded to the best rider 25 and under. |
The organizers of the Tour de France have worked in conjunction with the Post Office and the Paris Mint to develop a commemorative medal and stamp. Additionally, L'Equipe has written a book recounting the last 100 years of the Tour.
All 22 teams have been selected. They are as follows:
|
Credit Agricole (Fra) |
|
FDJeux.com (Fra) |
|
Jean Delatour (Fra) |
|
Brioches La Boulangere (Fra) |
|
AG2R Prevoyance (Fra) |
|
Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone (Fra) |
|
Saeco Macchine per Caffe-Longoni Sport (Ita) |
|
Sidermec (Ita) |
|
Fassa Bortolo (Ita) |
|
Team Coast (Ger) |
|
Gerolsteiner (Ger) |
|
Team Telekom (Ger) |
|
Lotto-Domo (Bel) |
|
Quick Step-Davitamon (Bel) |
|
Team CSC (Den) |
|
Kelme-Costa Blanca (Spa) |
|
Ibanesto.com (Spa) |
|
Once-Eroski (Spa) |
|
Euskatel-Euskadi (Spa) |
|
Rabobank (Ned) |
|
US Postal Service (USA) |
For up-to-date information and interesting tour facts, you can check out the Le Tour de France website at www.letour.com and select English from the bottom right hand corner.
(This article was written by Kathleen Damron in the ABC Chain Letter, newsletter of the ABC Bike Club in Phoenix, June 2003 issue.)
We welcome Ram Salcedo, our new Bike Shop Coordinator who is replacing Andrew Klein.
Ram has been a GABA member for many years, and we are glad to have him aboard! The job of Bike Shop Coordinator will keep Ram busy - how many shops do we now have in Tucson?
By Rhonda Smith, Ride Organizer
This year's ride was once again spectacular in spite of a little rain and some high winds. The weather was terrific with a little rain on Saturday toward the end of the day and nice sunny days for Sunday and Monday. I would like to thank all the bicyclists who joined us on this 2003 Luna Lake Bike Tour. We had several cyclists from all over the country including one hand-cyclist and several tandems, which were a great mix of people! Getting to know one another was lots of fun.
Steve Wilson took wonderful pictures of the ride and put on a great slide show on Sunday evening. We had a great time joking and just visiting with other riders. This has become a tradition each year now and I want to thank Steve for his wonderful presentations. If you desire pictures of your own of the tour, you can e-mail Steve at "wilsons@us.ibm.com"
I would also like to give very special thanks to all the volunteers who assisted us on this year's event.THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VOLUNTEERS! I could not have done it without you all. Pam Cullop, Sandi Rousseau, Tom Faucett and Suzanne Phillips all did a great job running the Sags each day. Pam Cullop also assisted me with Registration. Tom Hope took great care of all our bags, food and gear while Karl Rifenbark assisted me in running the sweeps. Karl did a terrific job and I appreciate his help with our one handcyclist's bike when she needed a little extra help, and also as our repairman. GREAT JOB EVERYONE!
THANKS AGAIN!
By Suzanne Couvrette
Bob Beauchamp passed away last July 14th. Many of you would have known Bob over the years, as he was a very long-time GABA member. When I met him in 1979, cycling was his passion. He got me started riding a bike, and to this day, I am still riding!
Bob was a strong cyclist who counted among his major achievements completing the Desert Double, as well as a self-contained solo bike tour up and down the coast of California.
Over the years, Bob got interested in starting his own business, and his "Recycled Cycles" shop, operated from his home, flourished for many years. Out of that venture, he got involved in the Bike Swap and became the Bike Swap Organizer with his friend Cathy Michaels for a few years, until Greg Yares took over.
Bob was a friendly fun loving person and an avid hiker in addition to his dedication to cycling. He could also be very focused on "special projects", and one that some of you may remember, happened in the spring of 1982 or 83.
Bob decided to organize an event called "Copperman Triathlon", modeled on the Ironman of Hawaii, but scaled down to one half of the distances so that most fit athletes could participate.
It took one whole year to organize, but finally, he had the three necessary events neatly tied together: swim 3/4 mile in the 67-degree (brrr!) waters of Pena Blanca Lake; then jump on your bike and ride from Pena Blanca Lake to Green Valley for approx. 60 miles; then, jump in your running shoes and run a half-marathon through the pecan groves in Green Valley.
It was a very successful event with a well-planned course, and over 100 participants took part in the event! Every detail had been planned, and the event unfolded without a hitch, almost!
Our most sincere condolences to Bob's mother May Beauchamp, who used to help him at the Bike Swap; and to his sister Ernestine Beauchamp. Bob died of brain cancer at the age of 64. He was a dear friend to many of us!
By Suzanne Couvrette
She was very special, and with her husband Jerry, they made a great team! She was a self-made woman from Texas, strong-willed and resourceful, a survivor in times of high stress, and a doer with plenty of energy! When she and Jerry discovered bicycling in the 1980's, she devoted a lot of time and energy, not only into learning to be a good bike rider, but also into volunteering in the Club events. Who does not remember Bev and Jerry cooking pancakes at a Club ride, or serving a very tasty "biker stew" on the Organ Pipe ride? Daughter Leah was also part of the team and the whole family enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie of Club Rides. We extend our most sincere condolences to Jerry and to Leah, and also to Bryan and Ken, their sons. She was a very special lady and we will all miss her.
With the summer monsoon season finally starting, use extreme caution when encountering electrical and dust storms!
If at all possible, get indoors out of the weather! The storms usually pass quickly. Do not expect your skinny rubber tires to insulate you from lightning! THEY WON'T!
If you are caught out in a lightning storm, lie down in a ditch until it passes. Do not remain the tallest object in the area! And, do not get under a tall tree!