Day 5 Back to Tombstone

Yes, what comes around goes around! We woke up to a beautiful day with light winds. The first 7.5 miles were the exact same as yesterdays route with the difference that I was going 18 mph in a paceline instead of 8 mph slogging into a headwind! I was able to leave with the young Canadians and stay with them to the first rest stop. We were averaging 16.6 over the first 25 miles! Marcy my roommate and Veronica one of the crew were still at the stop and were leaving just as I was ready to leave. I asked if I could try and hang with them and off we went. It is my goal to be as strong as they are. I loved riding with them! We made it to lunch with a crazy ave of 17.5 over 47 miles! After lunch I struggled to keep up with M and V as we started a slight uphill climb. I ended up getting dropped so I turned on my iPod and enjoyed the day. I wish I were strong enough to keep up but I was still moving pretty good on my own. The next rest stop came too quick for me so
I just kept going. The next several miles were the prettiest of the day. Unfortunately, I came across an accident. Peter and Bob had gone down with Peter being injured badly. He was airlifed to Tucson and Bob was taken to Sierra Vista. Thankfully both are okay although Peter had several broken bones.

Eventually M and V caught back up with me and I chased them for several miles. They stopped at a turn and waited for me and we all rode in together.

Today was a great recovery day after the awful wind from yesterday. It was just fun to be outside riding in warm weather with friends

Day 4 Chiricahuas

Today is the big day! The day the whole week is named for - the Chiricahua Challenge and yes, the day lived up to it's name because of the wind! We woke up to a cold but sunny and windy morning. I decided to wear my new PAC Tour wool jersey since it was cold and I had also heard there was snow on the mountain. Like our first day going to tombstone, we started with a slight uphill climb and my legs felt really heavy. I tried in vain to hold onto Sid and Karen's wheel. They are a Canadian tandem couple who befriended me the first night. The wind was awful and I was doing everything I could to slog along at 7-8 mph. You have to climb through a pass 18 miles into the ride before you even get to the Chirc Mts. This 18 miles ended up being the hardest of the entire trip. The climb itself probably wasn't that bad but with the wind blowing at 30mph mostly headwind but with some ugly crosswind gusts, it was hard to stay upright. Numerous times I found myself struggling to hold onto the handlebars to keep my front wheel from being jerked away from me. It was like two kids fighting over a toy and both wanting it so much it is just a huge power struggle. More often than not the wind would win and I would end up on the other side of the road! Fortunately the scenery is breathtaking! Mountains are on either side of me and I eventually cycle into this great town. I finally made it to the summit and the rest stop. With the wind being so bad many cyclist decided to turn around and not attempt the big mt climb. With 20 miles still to go to get to the base Lon sagged 7 of us up to the next rest stop so we would have time to make the climb. From that rest stop we still had 6 miles to climb to the base. Slowly we made it to the foot of the mountain. At first when the climb started it seemed as if the wind had died down. But as I reached each switch back the wind would gust and I would have to wrestle again for control of the bike. Even with the struggle with the wind I felt like I had power in my legs. I was also awestruck by the beauty of the unique rock formations. After 3 miles and 3 extreme gusts of wind blowing me off of the road, I gave up and cycled down the mt. This is where I learned I need to practice decending more! I can get really fast really quick and did not know if I could handle the bike over 40 mph so I eased down the mt toward the lunch truck. All in all I was pleased with my perfomance in light of the 30 mph wind.

Lunch was the famous grilled cheese sandwhiches and fried potatoes! Yum! My favorite!

I rode all the way back from the lunch stop with a massive tailwind. Still kept the bike under 40 mph on the downhills.

Day 3 To Willcox

This was one of my best cycling days ever. I am still so stoked just thinking about it! We left tombstone into wonderful recumbent friendly
rolling hills. I passed several cyclists on the way to the first stop and averaged 16.8 for the first 21 miles. It was sunny and cool but comfortable. Leaving the rest stop 5 of us had trouble with the directions and doubled back 3 times before figuring it out. We turned into a massive headwind and onto I-10!

One advantage that I really did not realize a bent has is a head wind. On the flats I was able to ride with others I normally can't ride with. So, I was able to hang on to the back of the others for several miles until we started up Dragoon Pass. The pass was two long climbs of 6% or so. Not difficult on their own but very challenging with our 20+ mph head wind. I really had no trouble with either major climb until a gust of wind blew me into the rumble strip! Instictively I unclipped and at 6% there was no way for me to get back on the bike. So I just walked the last of the climb!

With the hardest part of the day over I got to rest and ride in with a group of others. Many people including Susan N said they really did not know if a bent could handle a climb like that with that kind of wind! Well I did it and felt great doing it!

Can't wait until tomorrows ride!

Day 2 To Tombstone

All I can say is Oh my gosh I am having fun. These last two days have been very rewarding.
We rode from Tucson to tombstone over a really difficut pass and then from tombstone to willcox
over another difficult pass plus we had massive head winds that even the most expierenced cyclist
found difficult.

So, Sunday on the way to tombstone my legs felt like led from the very first mile. It was not long
before people were passing me and at a speed I could not latch onto. I kept telling myself that it was the
first day and one of the hardest. I did not go mental but slowly kept trudging along. I should mention that
almost all of the first 33 miles are uphill including the sonorria pass. I reach the rest stop 3 miles from the
summit to find that I am 15 min behind the next slowest rider and 30 from the next group. In order to keep
the group within the time limits I am sagged 3 miles to the top of the pass. I am okay with this and it does not
bother me. I know I could have made the climb if there had been no time constraints.

From there we hit a substatial 20 downhill to rolling hills trending downward. Susan r catches up with me and
we play cat and mouse to the lunch stop. There were still many people at lunch so I felt good that I was back up
with the group. The next 10 miles would climb another 1000 ft or so thus I got back on the bike to get to Tombstone
with the group.

The day was beautiful and the temps moderate. If it reached the 70s then it was a cool 70 as I wore my longsleeve
shirt under my jersey and leg warmers allday.

Day 1 Pre Ride to Saguaro Park

Ok I don't know how much blogging I will b getting done this week. The day is very full and I am ready
for bed. Had a good day. The bike came together pretty good thanks to sid from Canada and Eddie from
berkly ca. Cycled to the sagurao national park by myself. I am glad I was alone so I could go easy at my
own pace. I did 38 miles. Well I am falling asleep while typing so I will try to add more later.

Arrival in Tucson

So, I made it! The first step in my journey to my transcon. I am not
as nervous as I thought I would be. The flight here was uneventful.
It was very nice to step off the plane into warm sunshine. I arrived
too late to get my bike from storage so I will have to put it together
tomorrow. I have already met several riders that will be riding this
week as well as many who have been here for week 3. We belong
to a very tight community. I met several people here that know pam
and Dan from LSR and Matt settle from VA. There are several cyclist
here that have already completed transcons in previous years. I do
intend on learning a bunch from them. I also met Veronica who will
be crewing this week and for the transcon. For whatever reason I find
that comforting.

I am headed to bed but I willtry and keep updating the blog daily.

Btw I am blogging on my iPod so excuse my typos please

My Pretty Blue Bike has started its vacation!

After a cold and dreary winter with lots of sub 45 temps and lots of indoor trainer miles, my pretty blue bike is on its way to Tucson. I sure hope it makes it okay. The bike case is humongous! It is a crateworks tandem case. I decided to ship the bike instead of tryng to fly with it before I saw how big the case was. Boy, was that a good decision. I would hate to try and lug that big boy around an airport.

I was filled with a lot of anxiety when I left Jim's after the case was packed. Jim is in a cast after his surgery, but he has a scooter he can get around on. He was able to direct me in how to pack the bike, but was not able to help get it in the case. So, it was all up to me to get it packed. Boy, I hope and pray I packed it right and it ends up in the disassembled pieces that I know about and not any more! Then a dread came over me about the upcoming ride. I just can't believe that Desert Camp is here! I have been training for over a year now, and I am a completely different person physically today than I was a year ago and even 3 years ago when I attended Desert Camp the first time.

I know I can do this ride. It is scary though. I have no idea how to climb mountains nor do I know how to get down them. But that is what this trip is all about. Training for the mountains. I am just jealous that my pretty blue bike has started the trip without me!

BTW, to see pics of the Desert Camps that are currently going on log on to www.pactour.com. You will see a link for each week. Look for me on week 4!