December Meeting Holiday Season Pot Luck Party!
Training Rides for El Tour de Tucson XXV
Bike Patrols Still Needed for El Tour XXV
El Bike Swap de Tucson On Historic 4th Avenue!
Riding the Gila/Hassayampa River Trail - A Self-Contained Bike Tour
Bike Swap Volunteers Pizza Party!
The Pueblo High School Road Warriors Bike Club Needs Your Help!
Training for & Riding The 25th El Tour !
Holiday Season Pot Luck Party!
GABA-Tucson SLATE OF OFFICERS FOR 2008
The Phoenix Metro Bicycle Club presents Casa Grande Century
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
Coming Soon in 2008! The Sierra Vista Century
Helmets Dont Protect Kids or Adults When NOT Worn Correctly!
Cycling for Fitness & Performance
(See related articles in this issue for details.)
Ride Date Ride Name Organizers Leaders E-Mail______________________
11/3 & 4 Riding the Gila/Hassayampa GABA-Tucson Cathy Crandall cathygeorge3200@hotmail.com
11/4 (Sun) Silverbell Century GABA-Tucson Suzanne Couvrette update-editor@bikegaba.org
11/10 (Sat) El Bike Swap de Tucson GABA-Tucson Greg Yares Swapmeet@bikegaba.org
11/17 (Sat) El Tour de Tucson PBAA www.perimeterbicycling.com
12/2 (Sun) Tumacacori Festival Ride GABA-Tucson Tom Ward twardasso@dakotacom.net
12/3 (Mon) Holiday Pot Luck GABA-Tucson Pam Cullop socialdirector@bikegaba.org
12/8 (Sat) Toys for Tots GABA-Tucson Pam Cullop socialdirector@bikegaba.org
2008
1/1 (Tue) I Hate Football Ride GABA-Tucson TBA
1/6 (Sun) Casa Grande Century GABA-Phoenix Jane Larson jlreports@qwest.net
2/10 (Sun) Picacho Century GABA-Tucson Jill Hewins centuries@bikegaba.org
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Monday, December 3 at 7 PM
Bring a can of food for the
Community Food Bank,
in addition to YOUR food contribution to the Pot Luck: side dish, vegetable
dish, green salads,
and yummy desserts!
We need to feed over 100 people!
Turkey & ham provided by GABA.
Awards! Recognition of deserving members!
Questions? Call Pam Cullop, 290-4321.
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Monday, November 5 at 7 PM
John Campbell will present on
Cycle Oregon, a week-long bike tour
along rural routes in the state of Oregon.
Cycle Oregon is a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming
individuals and communities through bicycling.
Public welcome!
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NOVEMBER 2007
MS 150: DATE CHANGED FROM NOVEMBER 2007 TO MARCH 29 & 30, 2008. Multiple
Sclerosis Society. http://bikeaza.nationalMSsociety.org.
Nov. 3 & 4: RIDING THE GILA/HASSAYAMPA RIVER TRAIL SELF-CONTAINED BIKE TOUR.
GABA-Tucson. Beautiful 2-day ride starting in Gila Bend. Cycle on Old Hwy 80, a
road with minimal traffic. No sag support on this ride: everyone is riding
self-contained with their own supplies. Ride Leaders: Catherine Crandall &
George Mortimer, 624-8680 or cathygeorge3200@hotmail.com
Nov. 4 (Sun): SILVERBELL CENTURY. GABA-Tucson. Options for 100, 83, 74 or 67
miles Scenic course north and west of Tucson. Leaders: Suzanne Couvrette,
891-4661 or update-editor@bikegaba.org and Jim & Debra Harms, 241-5556.
Nov. 10 (Sat): McDOWELL CENTURY. ABC. Options for a metric century and a
half-metric century as well. www.azbikeclub.com
Nov. 10 (Sat): EL BIKE SWAP DE TUCSON. GABA-Tucson. On historic 4th Avenue!
Quaint central area where vendors set up on each side of the Avenue. Great
turn-out at no charge to anyone! Greg Yares, (520) 323-9020 or swapmeet@bikegaba.org
or www.bikegaba.org.
Nov. 15-18: LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS 2007 NAT'L BICYCLE RALLY, held in
conjunction with the 25th Anniversary El Tour de Tucson.
Nov. 17 (Sat): EL TOUR DE TUCSON XXV. PBAA. 25th annual. Counterclockwise course
again this year! 4 different options! More than 8,000 riders! Many sag stops
along the course and thousands of volunteers to make your experience a pleasant
one! For info, (520) 745-2033 or visit www.perimeterbicycling.com
DECEMBER 2007
Dec. 2 (Sun): TUMACACORI FESTIVAL RIDE. GABA-Tucson. 30-40 mi to breakfast at
Zula's in Nogales. Start from Tumacacori Mission & return to enjoy food, craft &
entertainment. For Mission info, call Tumacacori Nat'l Historical Park at (520)
398-2341. www.bikegaba.org
Dec. 3 (Mon): GABA-Tucson ANNUAL HOLIDAY POTLUCK. GABA-Tucson. At regular month
meeting location. Bring a dish to share with others in the spirit of the season!
Everybody is welcome! Short program with awards and recognition to deserving
members! Organizer: Pam Cullop, socialdirector@bikegaba.org.
Dec. 8 (Sat): TOYS FOR TOTS BIKE RIDE. GABA-Tucson. Bring one or more unwrapped
toys to carry on your bike as we pedal to the zoo to deliver our toys.
www.bikegaba.org.
2008
JANUARY 2008
Jan. 1 (Tue): NEW YEAR'S DAY "I Hate Football" Ride. C/2/35 Rich Corbett,
kc7ovm@dakotacom.net. or 623-0017. Meet at Udall Park, east end of parking lot,
at 9 AM for a ride to Saguaro National Park East. Return via Freeman Rd.
Optional lunch at Eclectic Cafe after the ride.
Jan. 1(Tue): NEW YEAR'S DAY "I Hate Football" Ride. C+& B/2/45 Scott & Peggy
Jacobsen, 791-3049 or pjtucson@earthlink.net. Meet at Old Tucson Studios for a
ride to Avra Valley. Return via Saguaro National Park West and McCain Loop.
Jan. 6 (Sun): CASA GRANDE CENTURY. PMBC. Options for 100, 62 or 34 miles. Ride
from Chandler to Casa Grande for lunch and back. Jane Larson, jlreports@aol.com.
Jan. 19 ? (Sat): SENIOR OLYMPICS - CYCLING EVENTS. TUCSON PARKS & REC. For info,
visit www.tucsonseniorgames.org or call 791-5914. Participants ranging in age
from 50 and above. Cycling events include a 1-mile time trial, 5K-time trial,
10K-road race, and 20K-road race. Volunteers needed!
FEBRUARY 2008
Feb. 10 (Sun): PICACHO CENTURY. GABA-Tucson. Options for 100, 65, 35 & 15 miles.
Flat course north of Tucson with meandering in Avra Valley. Turn-around point at
Picacho Peak. Ride Organizer: Jill Hewins 275-4759, centuries@bikegaba.org.
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Tucson Az Mtn Standard Time
NOVEMBER
RISE SET
A.M. P.M.
1: 6:40 5:34
7: 6:45 5:29
14: 6:52 5:25
21: 6:58 5:21
28: 7:04 5:19
DECEMBER
RISE SET
A.M. P.M.
1: 7:06 5:19
7: 7:11 5:19
14: 7:16 5:20
21: 7:21 5:23
28: 7:24 5:27
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By Tony Everett, GABA-Tucson President
El Tour time will be upon us before you know it. This year, El Tour 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 is providing training rides to help you get ready for the big event. The
training rides will continue through November 12thoffering steadily increasing
distances each week up to 90 miles the weekend before El Tour. We also continue
to offer shorter route options for those who will be doing the shorter El Tour
routes. Again, look for 2 starting locations: one at the NE corner of Grant &
Silverbell on the west side of the city, and the other one at Udall Park on the
east side. Details of the rides will be in the GABA monthly newsletters and on
the GABA website at www.bikegaba.org.
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. Except for the
2 centuries which are fully supported with sag stops well-stocked with food,
there is no cost for the training rides.
Date Time Mileage
Sunday, Nov. 4 7:00 AM GABA’s Silverbell Century
Sunday, Nov. 11 7:00 AM 40/90
Perimeter Bicycling is expecting over 9,000 riders this year! Early sign-ups are
already coming in. Check www.perimeterbicycling.com for sign-up info and entry
forms. Note when the registration fees go up, sign up early and save some money.
El Tour XXV will be a 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 a shorter distance in the past, choose a longer distance, or even
the 108-mile event. The GABA training rides provide an excellent opportunity to
get yourself in shape over time, and to evaluate your capability for the event
of your choice.
Perimeter Bicycling 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 fellow riders is special and not soon forgotten. In case you were
wondering, most of the riders are not from Tucson, but hail from across the
state, the nation or 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 on El
Tour day. 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 before El Tour day.
Trying out a new energy bar/drink on El Tour day can lead to disaster. So, as
you’re training, try different combinations of snacks/drinks. Note how you feel
and how they affect your energy level. If they don’t work out for you, try
something else. There is no magic formula that works for every rider. If your
snack/drink doesn’t taste good to you, you’re likely to avoid it just when your
body needs it most. Proper hydration is an absolute must. If you go out for a
4-hour ride and don’t have to urinate somewhere along the route, you're not
properly hydrated. Low fluid and electrolyte levels can rob your body of much
needed energy and endurance, and could make your El Tour experience an
unpleasant one. So continue 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 17th!
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Ride with a purpose...
Lend a helping hand...
Help keep our streets safe...
Members of the Bike Patrol are experienced cyclists who make the commitment to
ride the "El Tour" route assisting cyclists with mechanical and first aid, as
well as offering encouragement and moral support. It is not a race for Bike
Patrols!
Bike Patrols must have a current certification, good for 2 years. To be
certified, you must attend a certification class. Sessions run about 2 hours. As
Bike Patrol, your El Tour registration fee is waived, but a small processing fee
is required to cover cost of T-shirt, medical supplies and support on the route.
For information and to register, call PBAA, (520) 745-2033, or check their
website at www.perimeterbicycling.com.
2007 Bike Patrol Certification Classes
11/7 (Wed) 6:00 PM - 2609 E. Broadway - Basic Certification
11/12 (Mon) 7:00 PM - 2609 E. Broadway - Advanced Mechanics
11/13 (Tue) 7:00 PM - 2609 E. Broadway - Advanced Topics
11/16 (Fri) 5:30 PM - Convention Ctr 260 S. Church Ave - Basic Certif.
El Tour Expo/Packet Pick-Up
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Saturday, November 10th
- From 8 AM to 2 PM -
Come one, come all! Don't miss the Fall 2007 Bike Swap! Tell your friends! Bring
the whole family! This is the largest Bike Swap in the Southwest!
Everybody is welcome! No charge for selling or buying! Vendors may arrive at the
site - 4th Avenue, south of 6th Street, between 6th Street and 9th Street, as
early as 6:30 AM to set up. Shortly afterwards, buyers will start showing up,
ready to find the bargains!
DIRECTIONS: If you are coming from out of town (from the north, such as
Phoenix), follow I-10 until Speedway (Exit 257), then take the frontage road
south to St Mary's Rd, then go East on St Mary's Rd, which will turn into 6th
Street after you cross the railroad tracks. Continue until 4th Avenue, and
follow GABA signs to parking on side streets. (St Mary's Rd exit is closed).
Again this year, Bike Swap Organizer Greg Yares will need several volunteers to
bring supplies from the GABA storage unit, to cordon off some areas in the
morning, to direct traffic and for other miscellaneous tasks. After the event,
volunteers are needed to police the area, return all the supplies back to the
storage unit, etc.
If interested in helping out, come to the Volunteers Get-Together Pizza Party on
Thu., Nov. 9th, at 6 PM, at Brooklyn Pizza, 534 N. 4th Ave, just a few doors
from the Bike Swap site. After eating and getting acquainted, Greg will walk
down the Avenue to show volunteers what they will need to do and where things
will be set up. Please call Greg at 323-9020 or yares@cox.net to let him know
you are coming - we need to have enough pizzas ready!
Mark your calendar! See you at the Bike Swap!
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November 3 & 4, 2007
Join Cathy Crandall & Gorge Mortimer for a beautiful 2-day ride starting in Gila
Bend. Cycle along the Gila River through Ghost towns of Arlington and Hazen on
Old Hwy 80, a road with minimal traffic. Many lush green farms along the route.
No sag support on this ride: everyone is riding self-contained with their own
supplies.!
Lodging (your choice) in the quaint town of Buckeye with lots of time to explore
the sites. Westward Motel, 623-386-4665 or Ranch House Motel, 623-386-4207 in
downtown Buckeye, or Days Inn, 623-386-5400 by the freeway.
For more information of this ride, please call the Ride Leaders: Catherine
Crandall & George Mortimer, 624-8680 or
cathygeorge3200@hotmail.com
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Sunday, November 4, 2007
Options for 100, 90, 81 or 65 miles
Two Weeks Before El Tour!
Scheduled just 2 weeks before El Tour, the Silverbell Century comes at a time
when your training needs to intensify for the last time before the great event!
Ride on a portion of the "El Tour" route on the northwest side of town, with
long stretches of straight flat roads, perfect to practice riding in a group
and/or paceline.
New Improved Course this year! All options will start and end near River Rd. &
Craycroft. The 100-mile course will have some short climbs at the beginning,
then a long downhill on Tangerine, finishing with flat terrain for the last 50
miles! The other 3 options will use basically the same course as the 100-milers,
but with some short-cuts here and there, allowing riders to pick whatever
distance they want to ride.
Care has been given in choosing a course with less traffic and in avoiding major
intersections. All major turns will be marked with GABA signs. If riding in a
pack or a paceline, please let other riders behind you know of any road hazards.
Riding at high speed in a group requires complete focus to avoid accidents.
General Course for the 100-milers:
From River Rd. & Craycroft, riders will go East on River Rd. to Sabino Canyon
Rd. to Sunrise, then West on Sunrise to Kolb, North on Kolb looping on Craycroft
back to Sunrise. Then, West on Sunrise to Skyline to Ina past Oracle Rd.
Following a course with GABA signs at each turn, you will make your way to
Rancho Vistoso where the course will take you West on Moore Rd. and Tangerine
Rd. all the way to the west end of Avra Valley, turning around at the bottom of
the climb to the Silverbell Ghost Town. The return will be via Airline Rd. and
back on River Rd., then over the new Alvernon Bridge to Glenn to Craycroft and
back to the finish at River Rd. & Craycroft.
Starting Location for All Options:
Meet at River & Craycroft, NE corner. Sign in and pick up your Ride Maps.
Sign-in Time for All Options:
Volunteers will be ready to sign-in Pre-registered Riders, starting at:
7 AM for the 100-milers;
7:15 AM for the 90 and 81-milers;
7:30 AM for the 65-milers.
Day-of-the-Event riders will sign-in after the pre-registered riders.
No Mass start:
Start when ready. CPSC-approved helmets are mandatory. All traffic laws must be
obeyed. Ride two abreast ONLY WHEN THE BIKE LANE IS WIDE ENOUGH; otherwise,
riders must ride single-file. Everyone must be on the road no later than 8 AM.
Options: 100, 90, 81 or 65 miles:
All options are on your route map. The turn-around points will be marked on the
road. Riders can pick and choose a distance that suits their need; it will even
be possible to change option at mid-point if you feel like more (or less) miles!
Just take one of the short cuts if you want less miles!
Ride Support:
This ride will be fully supported with 3 SAG stops with fruit, water, snacks &
sandwich makings. Roving vans will be along the course to help out in case of
mechanical failure. The course will be marked with GABA "sandwich" signs at
every turn.
Ride Organizers:
Suzanne Couvrette, update-editor@bikegaba.org, or (520) 891-4661, and
Co-Leaders, Jim and Debra Harms. Volunteers are needed and appreciated: contact
Jim and Debra at 241-5556 or at jimatwfg@tucsondreammakers.com if interested.
Silverbell Ride Fee:
Pre-Registration Fee: GABA Members: $15 Non-Members: $30
Day-of-Event Fee: GABA Members: $25 Non-Members: $40
Why not join GABA today?
Get our monthly newsletter delivered to your door
AND this ride at member prices!
Add $15 for individual memberships, $18 for family memberships,
or $10 for student members.
ATTENTION DAY-OF-EVENT RIDERS:
Please download the Registration Form & Waiver
from our website at: www.bikegaba.org.
Bring it to the start, already filled out & signed,
along with your check already made out to GABA-Tucson
for the appropriate amount.
This will help minimize long waiting lines!
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Thursday, 11/8/07 at 6 PM
at Brooklyn Pizza, 534 N. 4th Ave
By Greg Yares
Interested in helping out for an hour, or maybe more? This event requires
several volunteers to set up and take down. Anyone interested in helping gets a
free pizza dinner, courtesy of GABA-Tucson! Come on and join us! Everybody is
welcome!
After getting some pizza for sustenance, let's all walk down the street for
hands-on planning! Duties to be allocated: picking up supplies from the GABA
storage unit; cordoning off certain areas; allocating spaces for vendors;
directing buyers to nearby parking areas; some traffic control; cleaning up
after the event; returning all supplies, working an hour at the GABA table, etc.
Pick the time and the length of time that you are willing to help: there is
something for everyone! A couple of hours of your time will be greatly
appreciated!
Also, anyone willing to spend some time at the "GABA table" giving out
information on Club membership and week-end rides, recruiting new members, and
selling GABA jerseys, come to the Party! We welcome your help!
PLEASE CALL GREG AHEAD OF TIME at 323-9020 or contact him via e-mail at swapmeet@bikegaba.org,
to let him know you are coming, so he can figure out how many pizzas to order!
See you there!
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Tires are being pumped, chains are being greased and seats are being adjusted so
that Pueblo's Road Warriors can start training for El Tour de Tucson! This year
marks the 7th year that the "Road Warriors" will be training to participate in
this wonderful event.
Pueblo has 11 students training along with 6 students from Hohokam Middle
School. Pueblo is excited about the prospect of these middle school students
becoming future Road Warriors!
The club continues to depend on help from the cycling community in order to
provide students with once in a lifetime events. If you have bicycles and/or
equipment to donate, call Yolanda Sotelo or Jamie Moore at Pueblo High School at
225-4300.
The club could also use your tax credit contributions. Send them to: Pueblo High
School, 3500 S. 12th Ave, Tucson 85713. Please indicate that your contribution
is for the" Road Warriors" Bike Club. Thank you!
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New 2006 Burley Road Tandem. Double your El Tour fun! Size medium/small, $1,700/
OBO. Rudy, 742-2518 (Tuc), zonatandem@yahoo.com
54cm Colnago Classic Road Bike, El Tour ready. Low Miles. Steel frame, carbon
fiber fork, handlebars & seat post, Ultegra triple compo-nents, computer, Mavic
Open Pro wheels, clean and well maintained. Asking $1500. Call Doug at (520)
807-9503, (Tuc) or dougmar6@juno.com.
by Rudy and Kay Van Renterghem
Again, we carefully planned our summertime escape from Tucson! Global warming?
Want to spend 65 or more days in 100+ degree sunshine? Yeah, sure, it’s a ‘dry
heat’, but come July through September our monsoons (a.k.a ‘chubascos’) can kick
up the humidity quite a bit and that makes tandem riding a warm AND sticky
proposition.
Being retired, we’ve got a choice . . . pack up the tandem and head north! Buy a
motorhome/camper and pack up? It’s not just the initial cost of one of those
behemoth portable homes. At 7-10 miles per gallon and gasoline/diesel prices
around the $3 mark and high campground fees, this can become a pricey summer
sojourn!
We discovered a le$$ expensive solution several years ago! Our answer is to find
a place where we can cool off for about three months. Usually we stay at
colleges/ universities that offer a Summer Citizen program. Basically, the
students leave for summer vacation and the senior citizens move in. A few
colleges offer on- or off-campus furnished apartments, sometimes available with
an optional 'condo package' whereby, for a fee, they supply linens/kitchen
stuff/TV and other necessities.
Winter of 2006, we started Googling the internet and discovered a rental place
in Twin Falls, Idaho. Not associated with the local College of Southern Idaho,
but situated just across the street in a quiet cul-de-sac, with only a half
dozen apartments for rent for the summer. Got in our deposit and we were
a-waiting summer of ’07! Our rental agreement was June 1 ‘til mid-August. A nice
long 1,000 mile drive through AZ, NV, UT and into southern Idaho.
Twin + Magic
What about Twin Falls? First of all, Idahoans refer to it as “Twin” . . . say
‘Twin Falls’ and they know you’re a newcomer! ‘Twin’ is located in south central
Idaho at 3712’ elevation, encompasses about 12 square miles (and growing!) about
30 miles from the Nevada border. Boasts a population of 40,000 and has
everything we could possibly need.
The area is referred to as the Magic Valley. Magic? Well yes, as way back in the
1860s there wasn’t much here except some gold deposits by and in the Snake River
and lots of sagebrush. Then a fellow named Perrine got the bright idea of
diverting part of the river, building canals and irrigating the countryside for
farming. As if by ‘magic’ this bone-dry uninhabitable valley was transformed to
a lush green. It now boasts having the most productive farmland in the Pacific
Northwest.
Why not name the town Perrine? N-a-a-a-h, there were twin waterfalls on the
Snake River and that’s how the town got its name. A bit more ‘bout those twin
falls. The largest is named Shoshone Falls, after a local Indian tribe, and
often referred to as the Niagara Falls of the West. At 900’ wide with a drop of
212’ they’re indeed impressive, especially in springtime with high water runoff
from snowmelt.
The Snake River Canyon is a nearly 500 foot deep basalt gorge measuring up to a
1,000 feet wide and traverses the high desert for miles and miles. That’s where
the Perrine Bridge comes in. It spans the gorge, connecting Twin with cities
further north, like Jerome, Shoshone and the ski resort of Sun Valley. Mr.
Perrine did get some recognizance and this is a rather spectacular bridge span.
The area is also noted for many springs popping out of the lava rock formations
of the canyon and it’s not unusual to see a plume of water dropping several
hundred feet into the Snake River below.
Jump?!!
When you are crossing the Perrine Bridge by car or tandem, you become acutely
aware that it’s one heck of a drop to the river below. Strong winds normally
channel through the canyon. Matter of fact, we crossed 3 bridges, in a 50 mile
span, over the chasm and at each bridge there were windsocks, like you see at an
airport, indicating wind direction/velocity. This is where it may help riding a
heavy tandem!
Looking way down from the Perrine Bridge there’s a bright green area almost 500
feet below. Yup, a golf course and a city park! Made a steep/curvy descent on a
well paved road to get there . . . did it by car, as our older tandem legs were
not up to the long 10 to 12% climb back up!
Some of you may recall, or heard the story, of motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel,
attempting to jump the Snake River Canyon back in the ‘60s . . . he literally
parachuted from his rocket powered cycle into the water . . . none have
attempted that stunt since!
However, several thousand thrillseekers have jumped off the Perrine Bridge . . .
are they crazy? Well, it is perfectly legal, and no permit required to do this.
BASE jumpers from all over the world, and even bungee jumpers, launch themselves
off the bridge almost daily down to river 486 feet below!
All the BASE chute jumpers we saw had a boat waiting in the river, just in case.
All managed to land safely on a strip of cleared land a few feet onto the
river’s bank. When watching these folks ‘bail out’ they usually do a backflip
off the bridge and after a couple seconds you’d hear that resounding ‘pop’ of a
chute blossoming open.
Whew! And your tandem partner thinks that descending a mountain pass at 40+ mph
is a heart-stopper!
Tandem Riding
Well, we were a bit of a novelty as there was no other tandem duo in the Magic
Valley! Our apartment was located in what Kay referred to as ‘the hole’ . . .
and no, it was not in a bad part of town! Whether we headed east, west, north or
south it was always slightly uphill. But on the bright side, it was always
faster returning home! Temperatures were much cooler in Twin than Tucson, even
though once you got out of the Magic Valley’s irrigated agriculture areas most
of the riding would be in dry high desert with minimal shade.
The first week of June we had a bit of a weather challenge. Temps on June 7
ranged from 39 to 53 degrees, scattered snow flurries and winds howling at 53
mph! Definitely cooler than the Tucson we had left behind at 100 degrees! We
used the time to explore downtown Twin. do a quick check of the shopping mall
and enjoy a leisurely lunch. Weather improved, winds drastically diminished but
were a constant most of our stay. In June, we did wear a jacket a couple times
riding mid-morning or resorted to arm warmers for part of our tandem toot.
Getting around the area was quite easy once we looked at a county map.
Everything was laid out in a grid system with a road every mile except for the
old downtown that was a jumble of odd-angled corners and streets. There were a
couple major thoroughfares we learned to avoid with heavy/fast traffic, narrow
lanes and minimal elbow room for riding a twicer. A couple main intersections
looked like they’d been paved by a blind roadcrew - big asphalt lumps and bumps
at traffic lights . . . enough to send stoker Kay airborne! One particular
juncture downtown had five roads converging . . . definitely a challenge for
motorists, let alone a hapless tandem team.
It was quick and easy to find alternate roads and get outa town. Within 3 miles
we’d be out of the city, away from traffic lights and into a more pastoral
setting. As we stated before, irrigation transformed this valley into a real
breadbasket . . . fields of alfalfa, canola, sugar beets, corn, beans and even
those famous Idaho spuds stretched for miles. Several small orchards, a sod and
tree farm and livestock here and there broke up the scenery. Oreo-colored cows
grazing and a few llamas chewing cud and lazily watching our progress.
These farms were nearly devoid of trees as all land was being tilled. Easy to
spot a house a mile away; a cluster of trees set up as a windbreak around the
old farm-stead. Newer farm homes were bigger and without proper windbreaks. One
ranch raised not only cattle, but elk . . . and one big brown creature with one
big hump! By gosh, what is a dromedary doing in Idaho!? Horses and donkeys
seemed to be another favorite and yes, did see a few folk about on horseback
along with farm tractors and ranchers getting about on roads and in the fields
on their ATVs.
Bike Patrol . . .
Cyclists were a bit of a rarity in the valley and Twin Falls boasted one real
bike shop, Pedal & Spoke, plus a couple places selling department store
2-wheelers. Our tandem was definitely elicited some stares and questions. One
fellow sort of blanched when we truthfully answered his question of “how much
does a bike like that cost?”
Did get to ride with some folks from around the Magic Valley. The local American
Diabetes Chapter held a first-time-ever Tour de Cure. They publicized it in the
local newspaper and were also seeking volunteer help. So, we volunteered
ourselves as Bike Patrol for their fund raiser. A puzzled look came over the
organizer’s face, “Bike Patrol? What’s that?” We explained that we were willing
to ride the event on our tandem and assist with physically, mechanically and
mentally impaired riders, similar to ski patrol. You could almost see the light
bulb popping on over her head! “Hey! A neat idea! Sure, we’d love to have you do
that on your tandem!”
And so we joined up with 36 half-bike riders on June 23. The 7 AM start was cool
enough to warrant wearing vest and arm warmers. As usual, it was uphill and
breezy! Whiled away the miles chatting in the rear echelon with riders and
encouraging some of the folks who had ventured out for their first-ever
bicycling event. At the mass start, half dozen riders hammered and rode away,
keeping their nose to the wheel! At noontime we were served up a nice BBQ feast
with all the fixins' and ice cream. Riders had a great time gabbing about who
did what on the ride. A rewarding event for all!
Buzzed!
We kept busy attending various happenings around the valley. Like ‘Dairy Days’
in Wendell with a big Main street parade, car show and fair at the one-and-only
city park where you could find us gnawing on a huge smoked turkey drumstick,
followed by pina colada ice cream. Got to fuel up for the pedal back to Twin!
Helped celebrate the town of Jerome’s centennial by biking over the Perrine
Bridge and attending a big fly-in at the local airport. Some neat aircraft on
display, home-builds, re-builds, experimentals, choppers and a couple old
warbirds. While having a great breakfast in one of the open hangers, a P-51
unexpectedly buzzed the airfield at rooftop height . . . Rudy instinctively
ducked and just about hit the ground . . . quick flashback from when he was a
kid in Belgium during the World War II and from Korea, where his outfit flew the
prop-driven P-51s before switching over to jets. A very distinctive and not soon
forgotten, engine sound! The old fighter plane made another low pass, but this
time it was not unexpected and quite a glorious sight.
Potato What?!
In early July, cycled to Heritage Days in the town of Buhl. Another big
community breakfast, followed by an hour’s long parade. But a highlight was
going to Smith’s Dairy on Broadway that served . . . potato ice cream! Being an
indulger, could not pass on the coffee/potato cool treat. Potato flakes are
substituted for about half of the ice cream’s sugar content. No, it did not
taste like cold French fries! Among other flavors, they offered black licorice
and peach/coconut. For $1.75 you got the biggest scoop of ice cream on a dark
waffle cone. By far the best we’ve sampled, anywhere! We ride to eat . . eat to
ride!
We got acquainted with more of the small towns in the valley . . . populations
varied from 200 to 6,000. Names like Filer, Buhl, Kimberley, Hansen, and
Castleford. Some of our favorites tandem toots were to the airport, Joslin Field
. . . a slow steady climb with a very fast return trip over nearly deserted
roads. Of course, coming back from the airport was a good excuse to stop at
Swensens' Market for a break and a huge freshly-baked apple fritter.
Another fave was pedaling toward Kimberley or Hansen or going over the Hansen
Bridge that spanned the Snake River Canyon to a truck stop called Garden of
Eden, the only place for a potty break and, of course, to grab a Krispy Kream
donut. Crossing the narrow Hansen Bridge was a bit worrisome. Along with the
windsocks indicating a strong breeze there were also large long-haul trucks on
that highway. Picture a semi hauling a double trailer . . . but three trailers?!
Yup, triple trailers loaded with hay barreling at 60 mph . . . think they’re
gonna hit the brakes just for us? Luckily our timing was good and we made sure
the coast was clear behind us from any of those road warriors . . . with stoker
Kay kicking in the afterburner we’d sprint across that 1,000-foot long span.
Yup, we sure deserved that Krispy Kreme!!
On some of our rides we’d stop at a farm stand to pick up locally grown veggies
and fruit. But Saturdays, adjacent to the college, there was a farmers market
that became a ‘must stop.’ Depending on what was in season, we bought some of
the best tasting Idaho black cherries and huge red/yellow Mt. Rainier cherries,
tomatoes, plums, beans, peas and the ripest/juiciest peaches . . . you had to
bend over to eat one of these peaches as you’d sure slop juice all over that
clean jersey! There were several folks offering baked goods, fresh pancakes,
mini-loaves of pineapple and rhubarb bread, home made preserves/jams/jellies.
Ever taste banana jam? How about pink champagne jelly? One couple sold huge
rolls for a buck apiece . . . heavily laced with cinnamon and yummy frosting. A
good place to refuel for the ride ahead!
Orange Moon and Rainbows
Temps in the latter part of July and early August soared into the 90s and three
times it topped 100 degrees. Fortunately, early mornings were always 35 to 40
degrees cooler. Rain disappeared from our area but winds persisted. Locals
complained about how unusually hot and dry it was . . . we just smiled! Many
wildfires erupted in this bone-dry state with 27 major fires going
simultaneously. The largest grass fire in the valley covered an area of 643,000
acre, just south of us and into Nevada. It devastated many ranchers, grazing
land, killed cattle and burned a few of the widely scattered homesteads. The
windswept fires moved so fast that one rancher fighting the blaze jumped in his
truck parked in the field and got overtaken by the flames, scorching his pickup
. . . but getting out alive to tell the tale.
For about a week, sun and moon took on a surreal orange hue due to all the smoke
particulates in the atmosphere. While the rest of the country got inundated with
rain, Idaho literally caught fire. Rainbows were quite a common sight when
pedaling the byways in the Magic Valley . . . sometimes you’ll spot you a
rainbow after it rains and the sun comes out brightly. Not much rain here:
farmers used huge spray systems to irrigate their crops . . . plumes of water
and water vapor would catch the sun’s rays just right and it was ‘somewhere over
the rainbow’ time! Of course some of that extra water would spray onto the road
and we’d end up racing to avoid getting drenched! In our travels we’ve been
fortunate to see a few double rainbows, and once in New Mexico saw a rainbow in
triplicate . . . each succeeding rainbow reversed its colors and became fainter.
A red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet mini-arch over a field
being irrigated is just an added bonus when out for a tandem spin!
More to Do . . .
The city also had weekly Thursday night concerts at the big bandshell downtown,
featuring the Twin City Municipal Band. The group consisted of over 60 members,
ranging in age from 17 to 70+, who volunteered their time to entertain
one-and-all during the summer season. The Muni-Band celebrated its 102nd
anniversary in 2006; its repertoire ranged from classical to rock and pop; from
Souza marches to Tchaikovsky to the Glen Miller sound. A nice foot-tapping free
evening entertainment.
There were also jazz performances, ethnic festivals, sidewalk day sales, town
and county fairs, bed races, car races, fireworks, Sagebrush Days and other
celebrations too numerous to be able to list or attend them all. Several
museums, lava tube caves and a 30-degree ice cave, and for contrast some natural
hot springs and a huge balanced rock were within the area. The Balanced Rock’s a
geological oddity and measures 48 feet high, 40 feet wide and rests on slender
base only a couple feet wide. This monolith is a bit out of the way, but well
worth a look-see. Not a chance to be bored. Most events were within biking range
from our apartment. By mid-August temps dropped into the 80s.
In all, we covered 1,000 miles on our 2-seater this summer, visiting nearby
towns or just doing some wandering/exploring. Most of it was middle chainring
riding, hitting the big ring at times on the downhill portion home. A couple
times we resorted, briefly, to the granny chainring, due to strong headwinds and
elevation gain. A major dip on one road dropped us down 500 feet f-a-s-t and,
just as quickly ascended 500 feet. We’d keep up our revs and always managed to
make that 6% climb in mid-ring.
Go Idaho!
All to soon our stay in ‘Twin’ and the Magic Valley was coming to an end . . .
Asides from a couple very minor issues, it was a great summer. Of course we were
not quite ready to face the 2-day drive back to Tucson and the guaranteed 100+
temps. Instead we took seven days . . . headed north first and followed the
scenic Salmon River for a couple hundred miles, thence into Montana . . . but,
that’s a story for another time. Want to tandem in Idaho? We lved it, and had a
real cool adventurous summer!
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by Richard E. “Rich” Corbett
Certified Master Cycling Instructor & Coach
Your training for El Tour has come along well, and you want to be sure of your
skills, and the other elements that will all come together to help make your El
Tour ride successful. This article covers equipment, how to bring ‘all the
pieces’ together, and wraps up with good ways to recover after what should be
your personal best ride.
EQUIPMENT: Last in importance (after training your body for solid performance,
and improving your group riding skills) is your equipment. Common equipment
errors that too many make include the use of thorn-resistant tubes (because they
are afraid of flats), improper saddle height adjustment, lack of regular chain
cleaning/lubrication, and lack of proper tire inflation.
Thorn resistant Tubes: These do help reduce flats, but at a price in weight and
additional pedaling effort that you should not have to pay! Instead, learn to
avoid flats by riding farther from the curb, and keeping your tires fully
inflated. Also, learn to change your flats easily and quickly.
Saddle Height Adjustment: Proper saddle height makes it possible to achieve best
biomechanical efficiency as you pedal. For proper saddle height, your leg should
be fully extended, with your knee locked, and your foot level with the ground.
Chain Cleaning/Lubrication: Chains need to be cleaned and lubricated regularly
for smooth, low-friction performance. If you ride regularly, such as the
training schedule set forth above, weekly would not be too often. Clean your
chain with a light spray such as WD-40, and lube it with White Lighting.
Proper Tire Inflation: Low tire pressure does two bad things: It cause more
flats, and it increases your pedaling effort/slows you down. A good floor pump,
with a built in gauge, makes it easier to keep your tires inflated to proper
pressure. Try to establish a routine, so you pump your tires up to full pressure
on the same schedule every week.
PHYSICAL: The most important thing you can do, after your long training ride, is
to rest. Rest both your muscles, and your body in general. Get plenty of sleep,
and taper off your training. Do be careful with your body, as I know more than a
few who injured themselves in the week or two before their event. Do not do
anything sudden while riding (such as a spur-of-the-moment sprint), unless you
are thoroughly warmed up.
Bike: Do not make changes in your equipment (tires, brakes, derailleurs, cleats,
etc., etc.) after your long training ride, as you will almost certainly not be
able to test the new/re-adjusted part sufficiently. Work to get everything the
way you will use it for ride day, set on or before your long training ride two
weeks prior.
Food/drink: Use the food and drink that you have used and determined to be okay
for you by testing and getting used it. You will have confidence that even under
the adverse conditions that a maximum effort ride imposes, you will still be
able to eat and drink. Eat and drink regularly as you ride. Eat approximately
100 to 150 calories every hour as you ride, and drink even more frequently (at
least a swallow or two), every 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the weather and
how hard you are working.
Strategy: Have a plan. Know 1) what you want to accomplish, and 2) what you need
to do to achieve your goal. I usually look at the course, and calculate when I
need to be at key points, in order to achieve my goal.
RECOVERING AFTER YOUR RIDE: To understand recovery, it is desirable to
understand how to eat and drink during your ride.
During your ride, high glycemic index foods (rice and potatoes are two of the
best ) will get into your system faster. Consuming 50 to 75 grams of
carbohydrate (200 to 300 calories) per hour while exercising hard will
significantly increase your stamina. Drinking enough, but not too much, requires
experimentation on your part. 12 to 16 ounces of water, 30 to 60 minutes before
you begin exercise is needed. Then for most reasonably conditioned cyclists, 16
to 32 oz of water per hour during moderate to hard exercise will be sufficient.
If energy drink is used instead of water, more liquid must be taken, as it is
required for digestion of the food in the energy drink.
After your ride, continue consuming high glycemic index foods. Immediately after
completing your workout, the enzymes that make glycogen are most active, and
foods consumed have the greatest potential to replenish your muscles. The first
15 minutes after the workout is especially important, continuing for as much as
two hours. Eat 200 to 300 calories of carbohydrate, such as an energy bar. Some
additional protein (contained in many energy bars) will enhance glycogen
replacement and muscle recovery during this period. Be sure to drink 24 to 36 oz
of water (not soda) to assist in this recovery. And, electrolyte replacement is
important too – there are several good products to accomplish this – try them
Believe in yourself. You have trained, and you have the preparation behind you,
so you are ready. Remember to not change anything on your bike, or your
food/drink.
Having the confidence that you are ready and capable is just as important as
having your equipment ready. Your long training ride, two weeks before your
event (the Silverbell Century), will be a demonstration that tells you, “I am
ready”. The confidence you feel will help assure your success, and can
contribute to even more improvement in the future.
Put all these ‘things’ together on Ride Day and you can be successful! Good luck
in the 25th El Tour de Tucson!
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Monday, December 3, 2007
7 PM to 9 PM
Come and join other GABA members in the festive annual event!
WHERE:
Pima County Medical Society Building, 5199 E. Farness
(see inside cover of this issue for directions)
PLEASE BRING A CAN OF FOOD TO BE DONATED
TO THE COMMUNITY FOOD BANK!
By Pam Cullop
Join us for our annual Holiday Pot Luck and Special Awards Ceremony on the first
Monday of the month in December. The club will provide the turkeys and hams, and
the traditional sides of dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and beverages.
We ask that you bring one of the following to share: bread, vegetable, salad,
casserole or any type of side dish of your choice. Dessert is always a good
choice too; one can never have too many sweets!
We are pleased to announce that Howard Wooten will return again this year, to
compliment mealtime with truly enjoyable acoustic guitar “dinner music”. If you
have been at this event for the past few years, you know what a special treat
this is!
A short meeting will follow dinner. Awards are given to some club members for
their various contributions to club rides and club events. These VIP’s have
donated count less hours to the cause of cycling, and this is an opportunity for
all of us to thank them for these efforts!
After dinner and the meeting, you are invited to sit and visit, eat some more
dessert, and enjoy the holiday season with your favorite “pedal pals”!
Mark your calendar now for GABA’s annual Holiday Potluck – We are looking
forward to seeing you there!
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Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007
By Pam Cullop, Social Director
Yes…it is that time again…Time to begin collecting toys for needy children
throughout the greater-Tucson area. GABA’s favorite way to assist the Marines in
this worthy cause is from the saddle of a bicycle (what other way is there?),
and on a group ride!
Here’s the scoop!
GABA is sponsoring 2 group rides different riding levels and distances:
1. The longer and faster ride meets at Udall Park (south side of Tanque Verde
just east of Sabino Canyon) at 8:30 to set up your bike and sign in.
Departure time: 9 AM for the 30-35 mile round trip route.
Pace: between 12-16 MPH. One or two regroupings, no one left behind!
2. The shorter and slower ride meets at McCormick Park (east side of Columbus,
just north of Glenn) between 9-9:30 AM to set up your bikes & kid carriers, and
to sign in. Departure time: 10 AM for a 10-mile round trip ride,
Pace: at or about 8-10 MPH pace. Lots of regroups, no one left behind!
Bring toys! – as many as you can carry on your bike, in a backpack, panniers, or
trailer. Strap to your body, or to your bike, in any manner. But you carry the
toys that will be delivered to a great big box at the Reid Park Zoo! Each toy
grants you a free entrance into the zoo during the "Toys for Tots" toy drive in
December. So remember if you are meeting someone at the zoo who is not riding
(sad face ), make sure they bring along a toy too!
Upon arrival at the zoo, wheel your bikes around to the back of the snack shop
where they will be admitted for parking, behind a locked gate for the duration
of your morning visit. Then, go back to the front gate to get into the zoo and
to deliver your toy. After that - enjoy the zoo in whatever way you desire.
The snack shop will have bagels and muffins on the menu (especially for us),
along with the regular snack shop fare. Sit, enjoy the warm December sunshine
(it hasn’t failed us in all of the years we’ve been doing this ride), and visit
with fellow cycling enthusiasts. Or you might want to pay a visit to the animals
(the polar bears are a personal favorite), while strolling around the decorated
“themed” Christmas trees in the park. I love this zoo because it only takes
between 45 minutes to an hour, to explore – perfect!
After about an hour, the ride leader(s) who brought you over will reassemble
those who would like to return in a group. You may wish to pedal along with
them, or return on your own. Whatever your decision, we welcome and encourage
your participation this year in helping to make a child a little happier this
Christmas season. Not only will it make you feel good, you will have a whole lot
of fun doing it!
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President: DONNA LEWANDOWSKI
Vice President: OPEN
Treasurer: JANET LANDIS
Secretary: SANDI ROUSSEAU
Membership: STEVEN GRAEBER
Publicity: BOB KLENKE
Education: MATT ZOLL
Touring-Day: MELINDA CORRELL
Touring-Centuries: JILL HEWINS
Touring-Overniters: JUDY BOLT
Editor: SUZANNE COUVRETTE
Volunteer: JIM & DEBRA HARMS
Web Master: DAVE SWANSON
Legal Advisor: DONNA AVERSA
Social Director: PAM CULLOP
Bike Shop Coord.: JIM & DEBRA HARMS
Correspondence: SANDI ROUSSEAU
GABA Merchandise: SANDI ROUSSEAU
Shed Master: BILL BORLAND
Bike Swap Coord.: GREG YARES
Great AZ Bike Adventure: OPEN
Elections of officers will take place
at the January Monthly Meeting,
on Monday, January 7, 2008 at 7 PM.
Anyone interested in serving on the Board?
Contact Tony Everett ahead of time at 975-7801 or president@bikegaba.org.
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Sunday, Jan. 6, 2008
Remember where you used to live? The closest you came to riding a century in
January was trying to get your old Buick started when it was 5 below. So join us
January 6 for the first century of the new year. Then call all your friends in
North Dakota and tell them what a good time you had!
This ride is a great first century or metric century. The terrain is flat, the
roads have relatively low traffic, and if history repeats itself, the weather
will be sunny with a high of 70. What more could you want?
Try two sag stops with water, fruit and snacks, as well as a hot BBQ lunch at
Dave White Regional Park in Casa Grande. You'll also get a route map,
commemorative socks and a raffle ticket for lots of bike-related prizes. Join
some 400 cycling friends for PMBC’s biggest ride of the year!
New to cycling or club rides? Try our 34-mile option. You’ll get one sag stop, a
route map and commemorative socks for the reduced price of $10.
LENGTH: Options of 34 miles, 62 miles (metric century) or 100 miles (century).
TERRAIN: The 34-mile ride is out-and-back and flat. The 62-mile ride is
out-and-back, with a slight hill. The 100-mile ride is mainly a loop and flat.
STARTING POINT: The Safeway store at 4970 S. Alma School Road, Chandler. It is
on the northwest corner of Alma School Road and Chandler Heights Road. (Chandler
Heights Road is between Queen Creek and Riggs roads.) Please park at the edges
of the lot so we don't block Safeway customers.
DIRECTIONS: From Phoenix or Tucson: Take Interstate 10 to the Riggs Road exit,
then go east three miles to Alma School Road, then north one mile to Chandler
Heights Road. From Scottsdale, Mesa or Tempe: Take Loop 101 south past Chandler
Blvd. to Loop 202 exit, then go east two miles to Alma School Road, then south
four miles to Chandler Heights Road.
REGISTRATION TIME: 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. (Sleep in for once and enjoy starting when
it's close to warm!) No mass start, so you can leave any time after you
register.
SUPPORT: Vehicles will be available to collect those suffering from physical,
mechanical or mental breakdowns.
OTHER QUESTIONS: E-mail ride leader Jane Larson at JLreports@qwest.net or call
(602) 319-2238. Registration forms and other ride info will be available soon at
www.sportsfun.com/gaba. Ride will be held rain or shine.
FEE: PMBC/GABA/ABC members before 12/29/07: $15.
Non-members before 12/29/07: $20.
PMBC/GABA/ABC members after 12/29/07: $25.
Non-members after 12/29/07: $30.
34-mile ride only: $10.
Make checks payable to PMBC, and mail to: PO Box 26788, Tempe AZ 85285-6788.
Coming soon: Register online at www.active.com for an additional $3.
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By Catherine Crandall
This year I found myself leading some days rides, organizing some overnighters
and I also volunteered to help at the Lunch Sag on the Cross State Tour with my
mother.
We had ridden this tour in 1986 on our Tandem. But I had just as much fun
volunteering as I did riding my bicycle. The members are what make our Club. You
will meet just as many friends by volunteering to lead a ride or by helping SAG
a tour. I have met so many life-long friends through our club, and I even got a
husband out of GABA while leading the San Xavier to Madera Canyon ride in 1981.
If you help Sag a tour, you can perhaps include a ride of your own as well. An
example of this happened when we helped at the John Farr Desert Double. My
husband and I had a Sag Stop that we called Rosie's Cantina, by Kitt Peak turn
off. After all the riders where watered and fed, George & I then mounted our
bicycles and rode up Kitt Peak. This is an example of helping others and still
being able to ride our bikes.
I saw this on this year's Cross State Tour. Our club’s Vice President, Donna
Lewandowski, invited her parents to manage SAG 1. Donna not only helped them
with their SAG stop, but was also able to ride her bicycle between SAG stops.
Incorporate your family, be creative! Lead a ride, volunteer to help on one of
our many rides, or one of our social functions. I’m thankful for the many miles,
new adventures new friends, and a great husband that GABA has given me!
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We still have some superior-quality 2006 jerseys with the southwest design,
currently available at the low, low, bargain price of $35 per jersey!
Sizes are limited, so hurry!
To take advantage of this sale,
contact Merchandise Coordinator, Sandi Rousseau
at 349-3749 or at merchandise@bikegaba.org.
You can also buy directly from Sandi at regular GABA monthly meeting, on the 1st
Monday of each month.
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By Steve Graeber
Every year or so, I rendezvous with my buddy Rick to do some cycling in some
spectacular place. We’ve ridden the west coast highway, the southern Cascades
and the Oregon Alps, to name a few. This year I was thinking Sierras. I was
there a couple of years ago after Labor Day and there was not much traffic to
speak of, and the roads and scenery were magnificent.
I did some research, and we decided to start in Yosemite. Great scenery, great
roads, and the valley is only 4,000 ft. Rick lives in Portland, at an altitude
of 300 ft., so we figured we had better acclimate for a day or so before we went
for the high country. We spent a day in the valley, a day climbing to Glacier
Point (16 mile climb), and a day on a nice road outside the park.
Then came the ride we were aiming for. Highway 4 east of Angels Camp. We started
in Bear Valley just before Lake Alpine, rode over the Pacific Summit into Hermit
Valley, and climbed to the top of Ebbets Pass. I’ve been on many spectacular
rides, but this was as fine a stretch of road as I have ever been on. What makes
it so? Great scenery, of course. Very few cars is always good. But this road has
2 things I have seldom seen. First, it was like riding on a 20 ft. wide bike
path. No center line, incredibly smooth - you could count the bumps and holes on
one hand. It literally looked like the California Highway Department had gotten
out there just before our arrival and vacuumed the whole distance. I am not
exaggerating .....it was perfect. And secondly, it was STEEP. (after my
research, I had decided to put on lower gears. I went from a 30/25 low to a
28/27. Really one of the smartest decisions I’ve ever made!)
We were not sure where the steep grade was going to be exactly, and around every
bend (the first 7 miles is a climb up to Pacific Grade Summit) we kept saying
“wow, that’s steep! Must be the 24% grade!” Hah! Little did we know!
As we rounded the bend we got a spectacular view: Hermit Valley! We both started
screaming about the vastness of the view. A narrow valley about 2 miles wide
with walls on both sides. You could see those peaks out in the
distance....that’s where Ebbets Pass was.
Right after this scene, we get a short stretch of “only” 8-10% down, then around
a turn the road seemed to disappear. Just dropped off. And I mean DROPPED OFF.
It felt like going off a diving board! Now we knew where the 24% grade was! As I
was descending, 2 things were going through my mind: “Oh crap! I’ve got to ride
back up this!” and “If Superman was flying along 4 ft. above this road he would
feel the same as I do now”. Incredible! The hairpin turns gave you an idea of
the steepness!
By the way, it is a 1,000 ft. decent/climb in about a mile and a half! Think
about that. Mt. Lemmon climbs 1,000 ft. in about 4 miles! When we were riding
back up, I thought I needed a ladder on some of those hairpins!
After that spectacular descent, there was a mellow ride across the valley, and
then a 1,700 ft. climb up to Ebbets Pass in about 3-4 miles. Steep, but nothing
like the Pacific Grade.
We made it!
This was an out and back ride of about 35 miles, with somewhere between 5,000
and 6,000 ft. of climbing. If you wanted, you could add about 20 miles (and
2,700 ft. of climbing) by riding down the other side of Ebbets Pass before you
turn around. Luckily for me, it was too late in the day for us to add that
stretch! I heartily recommend this ride for anyone who loves riding in mountains
with spectacular climbs and descents, and awesome scenery. I’ll be going back!
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Scheduled for
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Mark your calendar! GABA-Tucson has given the go-ahead to work on a new century
course! This century will also feature two shorter options of 60 and 35 miles.
The area around Sierra Vista offers new routes and new challenges for Tucson
cyclists
Larry Robinson and Linda Kurick have volunteered to organize this new exciting
century starting in Sierra Vista. They are hard at work as they explore all the
different possibilities for this new century.
More details will be published in the next Update, as our volunteers progress in
developing a great course that will please all riders.
Volunteers will be needed: call Larry or Linda at (520) 237-5792 or contact them
at lin_kur@msn.com if you are interested in helping out with this new century!
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Sunday, December 2
Meet at 9:30 AM at the Tumacacori Mission
for a ride to Nogales on remote and quiet backroads. Experience the traditional
Mexican breakfast
at Zula's in Nogales at mid-point!
After the ride, enjoy local-cooked food,
Mexican and Native arts & crafts,
and entertainment/music at the annual
Tumacacori Festival!
The Festival is usually set up in a field,
just north of the Mission and goes on all day.
Directions to start: drive south on I-19
to the Tubac exit; then, cross under the freeway
and drive south on the EAST frontage road
to the Mission.
For more info, call Tom Ward, (520) 625-3649
or twardasso@dakotacom.net.
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A properly fitted helmet can prevent about 85% of head injuries resulting from a
bike crash. It should be the correct size and NOT be worn on the back of the
head like a beanie!
Eyes: The helmet should sit level on a person's head and rest low on the
forehead, 1 to 2 finger widths above the eyebrow. You should be able to see the
very edge of your helmet looking up past your eyebrows. A helmet pushed too far
back will not protect the face or head in a crash.
Mouth: The buckled chin strap should be loose enough that you can breathe. There
should be enough room so you can insert a finger between the buckle and chin,
but tight enough that if you open your mouth, you can feel the helmet pull down
on top.
Ears: The straps should be even and form a "Y" under the earlobe (where the
earlobe meets the head) and should be snug against the head. Straps and buckles
can loosen up over time, so check them.
Thanks to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine for these guidelines.
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TONY EVERETT, GABA-TUCSON PRESIDENT
IS OUT OF TOWN AT TIME OF PRINTING.
HE'LL BE BACK NEXT MONTH.
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Taken from "Cycling Past 50" by Joe Friel, and reprinted from Adventure cycling
Association.
The decade from age 50 to 60 is the most critical time in life to stay fit and
healthy. Here are 7 simple rules for you to enjoy riding a bike throughout this
decade and for a long time to come.
1. Ride Frequently. The most basic element of health and fitness is regular
exercise. Don't let your bike collect dust! Wear one out every 4-5 years: the
more often you have to replace your bike, the healthier and fitter you have
become.
2. Rest regularly. Frequent riding demands a balance of regular resting. Keeping
a balance between stress and rest is necessary for physical improvement.
3. Set challenging goals. Expect nothing but the best from yourself whether on
or off the bike.
4. Eat like a hunter-gatherer. Get back to eating at Mother Nature's original
training table: lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and water.
5. Believe in yourself. You have a lot going for you as a past-50 cyclist,
especially the wisdom that comes from experience. See each day as a golden
opportunity to grow and gain new experiences.
6. Seek the support of others. Surrounding yourself in all walks of life with
enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and positive people will keep you joyful and
focused.
7. Don't slow down. Aging need not be characterized by poor health and rapidly
decreasing fitness. Vigor and high energy are strong medicine. Take them
regularly.