All posts by bikepilgrim

Can’t we all just get along

Bike Advocacy, Bike Friendly Laws, Bikes and Beverages (beer and booze), Established Group Rides, Mountain Bike, Random Thoughts about bikes

In the past few weeks I have seen a rising tension between cyclist, pedestrians and cars.  This is both on roads and trails.  This weekend I witnessed my first collision when a car took a left turn in front of a cyclist.  Last week I found a pile of nails on an urban trail.  A cyclist who leads a Tuesday morning ride called and told me they are having more flats from tacks and have even been picking them up on the decent.  The Shootout was pulled over twice by the Sherriff Dept. this past Saturday.

This is nothing new.  As more and more users are taking advantage of our incredible climate and infrastructure it is not surprising that some tension exists.  On the trails this has been going on for generations between equestrian users, and hikers.  Mountain bikes have added a new dimension to the mix.  Bikes fly down trails, around blind corners, buzz hikers, and spook horses.  Riders chasing Strava KOM’s and personal bests segments are disrespectful and not willing to slow down.  An overall feeling of entitlement from everyone seems to be the norm.  On the roads group rides are acting like they are the only people on the road and are riding 4 across.   People are urinating on the side of the road without making any effort to find a bush.  Cars ignore the 3 foot laws, speed pass riders and make sudden right turns, throw things out the window, lean heavy on the horn, scream, and even mace cyclists( yep, it happened to me).

As new trails spring up or are getting more traffic home owners are becoming angered by the actions of those using the trails that cut close to their homes.   I’ve been confronted by owners on washes where I have been riding for years telling me not to ride there.  I try and have engaging and polite conversation and ask what their objection is.  I’ve heard “It will bring a bad group of people”, “The bikes and hikers will trash the wash”, “It is not our property, but It is private property”, and my favorite “you will get bite by a rattlesnake and sue us”.  I could go on and on about how most hikers and bikers leave the trails better than they find them.  From a crime prospective, I think bikes are a good thing.  We come down trails at speeds that thieves don’t like.  We are the neighborhood watch program.

As with everything, we as trail and road users need to take responsibility for our actions and do what we can to improve relationships.   Use your common sense.  Give people extra room when passing.  Let them know you are there with a bell or say “rider back” and “passing on your left”.  Slow down and say hello.  If you really need to go to the bathroom, hide behind a tree.  If you are hiking in a group don’t take up the entire path.  Move over when someone says they are passing.  Turn the music down so you can hear the outside world.  Pay attention when you are behind the wheel to what bikes do that piss you off and don’t do that when you ride.  Go for a walk on the trails you ride so you can understand what it’s like when a bike is passing and darts in front of you at speed and then quickly veers back into the other lane.  If you are a walker, get on a bike and see how walkers blocking the road can stop your rhythm.  Basically, walk (or ride) a mile in others shoes so you can understand we all have the potential to make improvements.

always show courtesy when passing path users

If we all take the time to be more patient and sympathetic we can make this a great community for everyone.  I look forward to seeing you on the trails and remember, Please say rider back when you pass me.

Loop improvements north of the Rillito from La Cholla to Campbell may cause temporary path closures

The Loop, Uncategorized, , , ,

Beginning this week, Pima County will be undertaking a river park improvement project on the north bank of the Rillito River from La Cholla Boulevard to Campbell Avenue. This 4.5 mile section of river park is the oldest and most highly used section of The Loop.

This improvement project will include widening and resurfacing of the existing asphalt path, geometric improvements to the path alignment, handrail modifications, path restriping, shoulder grading and vegetation maintenance/augmentation.

During this two-month improvement project, path users can expect to encounter occasional complete path closures in areas with active construction activities. This will be a very dynamic and fast-moving construction project so closure locations along the river park may vary throughout the course of each day.

Path users should exercise caution along this segment of The Loop and adhere to any advisory, detour or construction signing. Your patience during this project is very much appreciated.

Pima County has been developing The Loop around metro Tucson with links to Marana, Oro Valley, and South Tucson for residents and visitors on foot, bikes, skates, and horses. When completed, The Loop will total 131 miles and connect the Rillito, Santa Cruz, and Pantano River Parks with the Julian Wash and Harrison Greenways.

Visit The Loop online for more information and for the latest maps and news about The Loop.

loop work on rilitto

Houghton Road: Irvington to Valencia construction update 1.07.14

Road Construction, , ,
From M.J. Dillard City of Tucson Construction Project Manager.  From the facebook page of the rolling reporter Kenneth Lenger.
Paving:… We just wrapped up placing the base paving on the north end of the project, and hope to have the top layer (before the rubber) completed by the end of the month. The first week in February we hope to have that traffic adjusted so we can add the Florida T intersections. We are discussing the temporary striping we want to use during this time, and until we can get the rubberized asphalt down in April (must be 60 degrees and rising for a long enough period of time in the day so we can use up a full plant batch of asphalt within the same day).
We also have the smaller paver on site so the east side path will start going in very soon.
Landscaping: We want to avoid planting anything if it might freeze, so we are holding off on plant installation until February, or when we are certain we won’t get a freeze. In the meantime we continue to install the irrigation lines and will perform testing on all of those.
Rip rap and rock mulch: You may have noticed that during last month’s rains, the site experienced some unexpected erosion in places. We are evaluating these areas and are planning to add rip rap and smaller rock mulch (2″ or 3″ and smaller rock) in various areas to make sure things will look good for a long time. We are glad the rains showed us where the existing soils were not going to hold up so we can get fixes done while we are still in construction.
We continue to appreciate your patience. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
M.J. Dillard City of Tucson Construction Project Manager 520-837-6616
………. This comment was added to my facebook post by Kenneth Lenger Additional info for east side cyclists:  Construction has completed the Houghton Rd northbound lanes from Valencia Rd to Irvington Rd.  This new pavement is about 45 feet wide, and as is noted in the construction update above, traffic will not be moved to the new pavement for a few weeks.  What this means is that, for now, cyclists have almost exclusive use of a 45 foot wide bike path along Houghton Rd, which can be used for northbound or southbound cycling.  One work of caution, as you cross the intersecting side streets, cars using those streets are not expecting any traffic on the closed off pavement, so be very careful crossing and yield to crossing vehicles. 

Update on two other unrelated construction projects: 

Rita Rd / Julian Wash:  New bike lanes are being added along Rita Rd between the UPRR tracks near Old Vail Rd and I-10 on both sides of the road.  For the last couple of months, the pavement along Rita Rd and the Julian Wash bike path has been torn up, making it difficult to connect from Rita Ranch to the bike path.  Within the last week, construction crews laid the base pavement lift connecting the bike path to Rita Rd, allowing uninterrupted cycling to the bike path.  Again, use caution as traffic can be congested due to lane closures.

Colossal Cave Rd between Pistol Hill and Vail:  Construction crews are installing new bike lanes along Colossal Cave Rd, temporarily causing a loss of cycling shoulder in that area.  The bike lane on the eastbound side (Vail towards Pistol Hill) has been completed from near the Pantano Wash to Pistol Hill, but the westbound side is still under construction.  If you are making a loop using Camino Loma Alta, Colossal Cave Rd, and Old Spanish Trail, I suggest making the loop in a counterclockwise direction to take advantage of the new bike lane along Colossal Cave Rd up to Pistol Hill.

Keep the rubber side down

Year end Stats… what really matters

Random Thoughts about bikes, Uncategorized,

My Friend Mark Flint made the following comments based on the facebook status posts about mileage, feet climbed, average speed, hours in the saddle and dragons slayed.  My comments are below his quote.

__________________________________________________________

“A perspective from one whose cycling days have been laid to rest by self-inflicted damage to my internal pump system…

I see year-end posts by some who measure success by miles ridden and elevation gained on the bike. I was never much into tracking that data because it’s a meaningless metric, and often more about ego than anything else. Sometimes those numbers mean time with family blown off, spiritual practice pushed aside, balance tilted way out of kilter. I say this as one guilty of all of the above, at one point nearly destroying my marriage.

Obsession with miles and average speed, now enabled by programs like Strava, can lead (have led, in fact) to lack of courtesy on the road and trail, a cult of egotism in the saddle. You see yourself as a marvelous cyclist; others may see you as a self-absorbed jerk.

You want meaningful metrics? How many cyclists did you stop and help with mechanical problems? How many times did you slow down to ride with someone who was struggling and offer encouragement and perhaps an energy bar? How many hours did you spend teaching and encouraging children? (Hint: if you can equal Damion Alexander you are doing very well indeed.)

Stopping to appreciate the beauty around you will do more for your soul than keeping your head down and pushing yourself to your limits will do for your body. Having done both to extremes I can assure you the former is the more lasting benefit. It was pushing myself that put me into heat exhaustion that led to permanent damage to the system that regulates heart rate. That’s what ego can do if you don’t keep yourself in mental and physical balance.”

_________________________________________________________

I really appreciate that Mark thinks I have done a good job, but the reality is the bike does take me away from my Wife and daughter and I do use Strava to record every ride.  I know exactly were many segments start and end and burst my lungs and light the fire in my legs to beat my own best time.  I even made a post about my statistics.

Personally, I do not think there is anything wrong with these metrics.  We all find our motivation in different ways.  Some people like to race while others are just out for the ride.  However, both are enjoying bikes and being outside.  Is that not what matters?

I do agree with Mark on many points.  If you are racing along and a cyclist is off their bike, I think we should always slow down and ask if they need assistance.  If you are riding and chasing a KOM, but you will need to buzz someone, or run a light, or any other factor that you know makes you an A$$, don’t do it.  Many of my best rides have been when I decided not to pass a slower rider but pulled up and rode with them.  As I said, I have not been the best father to my daughter and husband, but I have spent hundreds of hours and thousands of miles (really slow miles) in the saddle next to my son.  Many of those hours were coaching and mentoring other kids as well.   If you have a kid, go for a ride.  If you on’t have  akid, mentor one, and go for a ride.  I get a real thrill when I call friends who have stopped riding and invite them to go for a ride and then to see their year end stats where they rode x miles, and climbed x feet, and went x speed and slayed x dragons.

By the way, I rode over 5000 miles and had nearly 500 hours in the saddle and climbed a quarter million feet.  I put that not for ego.  I put that because I like to know what I did and where I went.  I use Strava to remind me of all the great times I have had and where I went.  I like to see improvements and strive to beat my best times and do get a small thrill when I get a KOM(even though I know it is meaningless and the tailwind is more responsible than I).  Just looking at my rides reminds me who I met and what new road I explored.  It, like facebook, and this blog, are my virtual diary.

Specialized/Cafe Roubaix Tucson version

Bike Advocacy, , , , ,

In case you missed it, in the past week Specialized Bicycle Co. received a huge backlash for sending a cease and desist letter to a small bike shop in Canada called Café Roubaix.  Specialized has a bike called the Roubaix and were alleging that the bike shop was infringing on their copyrighted name.   The social media backlash that supported Café Roubaix was incredible with their Facebook fan page ballooning to nearly 15,000 likes and Specialized bashing became a trending topic.

It was a publicity nightmare for Specialized and it only became worse when Fuji Bikes announced it was the actual owner of the Copyright for Roubaix and they licensed it to Specialized.  Specialized’s CEO flew to Canada and offered a personal apology to the bike shop owner and said they would not follow up on the cease and desist, but the damage is done.

This morning I saw another post on a clothing apparel brand called Epix Gear saying they have also received a cease and desist from Specialized because their logo resembles specialized.

Is this corporate bulling?  What is the appropriate way to respond when someone takes a name you have been building and uses it?  I have a local example that is similar to the Specialized/Roubaix example, but in this case it is Corporation using a non-profits moniker.  It involves a local non-profit, Look! Save a Life and Allstate. Allstate has a new safety campaign to try and tackle the accidents involving bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists on the roads of Tucson.  The program is called “Tucson on Two” and one of the first ads has the slogan “Look Twice, Save A Life”, but this program has nothing to do with the local charity, “Look, Save  A Life Arizona”.

At this time, having seen the public outcry towards Specialized I think any company that is in the cycling industry and makes a stink over copyrights has the potential to see it explode in their face.  What makes this case with Look, Save a life even harder is that the message that “Tucson on Two” is promoting is very much in line with the safety message that the charity is a proponent of.  It is easy to say, how can more of good thing be bad even if it is potentially confusing a brand identity.

I spoke with Kylie Walzak at Living Streets Alliance (they are also a part of this campaign).  I opened the conversation by asking is she knew anything about “Look Twice, Save A Life”.  She relied that she knew Brendan Lyons (the founder of Look! Save a life).  If that is not a clear indication of how confusing this is, I’m not sure what is.  I also talked with the City Of Tucson and am told the signs and billboards are only a small part of the Allstate campaign.  They said the slogan of Look Twice grew organically and that they choose it because it was catchy and conveyed the message.  Was it so catchy because they had been hearing it for a few years?

A little disclaimer I feel I should ad in here.  You might notice on this blog that I have the Look! Save A Life Logo and a link to them.  I also have been helping them with publicity for nearly a year.  I am an administrator and create some of the content on the Facebook Page.  However, I do not have the final say in anything that they do.  This article and my conversations with the City and LSA were in an attempt to create a dialogue that will lead to a win-win outcome and avoid any negative mojo.

How do you feel  Look! Save a Life should respond?

Is this the guy who dropped all the tacks on the road?

Bike Advocacy,

 

This is a screen shot from Facebook
This is a screen shot from Facebook

This previous facebook status was posted by Nicholas Paul Meola.  I do not know this man, but a friend saw it and shared it with me.  It is nice to see the community is paying attention.

I keep asking myself “is there a way to communicate with someone like this?”   I read through most of his posts and looked at his photos trying to see if I could find some common ground with him.  I really like to think I can find common ground with anyone if I look long and hard enough.  Apart from his apparently being of human nature with an offspring, I’m coming up empty.   

How do we communicate with someone that is so aggressive in nature?  Is it even worth the effort? 

The following are some of the comments on the various facebook pages that got the most “likes”.  .

“I think this post is actually dangerously close, or outright crossing the line of criminal intimidation, bro. Has this kind of sabotage actually occurred in Tucson in the past? Does this coward’s post literally cause concern or fear that he will follow through? If it scares or intimidates local cyclists, it is quite possibly illegal. If you have a local bike advocacy group, I think they should investigate filing charges. It might actually violate some kind of hate speech law as well.”

“What’s worse – I checked out his page just to see if he was legit… finding not only, but I actually share 3 friends with this jerk. I may be 5 degrees from Kevin Bacon, but only 2 from excrement.”

“One thing is certain – if there are tacks on the road at the TdT, this post needs to be brought to the police and this dick should need a strong alibi. Definitely take some screen shots to file this away. If he is involved anywhere with violence against a cyclist, his hate posts can and should be used as proof of premeditation.”

“What an asshat. His pics show his license plate. If you see a pickup with 571 XBG around Tucson maybe let the air out of his tires.”

”That guy should be sterilized.”

“Buy thumb tacks and spread them thru out his drive way to front door and all over his yard.”

“these fucking, blow hard, ignorant, hateful, violent pieces of shit. total fucking douche nozzle, this sack of crap is. this type if garbage is the same twat nozzle that will blare a horn at 45 mph but won t even look at you at the red light because they know that the quads of justice can kick a fool until he can t see. pussy.”

“He also must not like his own community. Because I’m sure the Tour brings revenue into the city, otherwise they wouldn’t run the race. Also what douchebagery of astronomical proporty”.

“May he be beat ceremoniously with frame pumps”

“Report his status as potentially violent behavior OR possible vandalism” 

Biking Santa Christmas Tree Delivery.

Uncategorized

Santa Clause was seen this weekend at Buckelew Farms at Swan And Sunrise Picking up a tree with an elf.  After loading it onto a tow behind Sled he and the elf were observed riding East Towards Sabino Canyon.

DSC_1587

Drivers  waved enthusiastically and honked horns as they passed the Biking Santa,  many even pulling U turns to came back and snap a photo.

1471922_10153591146585154_314794632_n[1]

When asked why he was in Tucson on a bike Mr. Claus responded “this is part of my physical training in preparation the big night later this month.  I’ve put in over 5,000 miles in the saddle this year and climbed over 250,000 feet.  I feel the best I have in years.  Only issue is Mrs. Claus is going to need to bring in all my suits.”

When you get your tree go to a Local. Buckelew Farm has 8 Locations:

  1. Ina & La Cholla      (between Walgreens and Macaroni Grill)
  2. Swan & Sunrise      (Ace Hardware center)
  3. Oracle & Rudisill      (next to Putney’s)
  4. Broadway & Campbell      (Northeast corner)
  5. Grant and Swan (Trader      Joe’s Center)
  6. Sabino Canyon & Tanque Verde      (Safeway center)
  7. 22nd & Harrison      (Fry’s center)
  8. Ajo & I-19 (Fry’s      center)

4 types of Trees

  • Nordmann Fir
  • Noble Fir
  • Douglas Fir
  • Grand Fir

Hours:

  • Weekdays 10:00am – 8:30pm
  • Friday 10:00-9:00pm
  • Weekends 9:00am -9:00pm

We also sell:

  • Fresh wreaths
  • Fire wood (by the wheel barrel)
  • Tree Stands
  • Hatch Chile Strings

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING YOU LOCAL FAMILY FARM

About Our Trees

We use a small farm in Oregon and we are their largest client.  One advantage of working with a small farm is that we are able to pick out the best quality of trees for our customers.  Another advantage of working with a smaller farm is that when the trees are cut they are loaded on the truck and come to us the next day.  This differs from the large box store suppliers who cut hundreds of thousands of trees to supply their chains.  The big box store farms start cutting trees in October and storing them so the trucks can start hauling all over the country.  This means you could get a tree from a box store that was cut over a month ago versus our trees that are cut the day before they get loaded.  For this reason, we can guarantee the trees throughout the holiday season and ensure our customers have the best quality there is to offer

 

The Loop to be paved on the East side of the Santa Cruz South of Camino Del Cerro

The Loop, , , , ,

The Loop will be paved from Silverbell Wetlands to El Camino Del Cerro in early January, 2014
The Loop will be paved from Silverbell Wetlands to El Camino Del Cerro in early January, 2014

Bicyclists and pedestrians will be able to travel along the east side of the Santa Cruz River between Silverlake Road and Ina Road – more than 13 miles – and cross only two streets at-grade when Pima County completes a paving project on The Loop in January.

Personally, I think this new stretch is one of the most exciting sections of the loop if you are into bird watching as it will go past the Sweetwater Wetlands.    I have had many memorable experiences exploring in this area.  The one ride that comes back most vividly is of thousands of migrating birds taking flight as I rode past.  The flock would fly a few hundred yards before landing and by that time I would be approaching again and they would take flight.  This went on for nearly a mile.

The other crossings are separated underpasses of the main roadways.

Paving of a 12-foot-wide path is expected to begin next week to connect The Loop on the east side of the Santa Cruz between Sweetwater Drive and El Camino del Cerro, the last unfinished segment between Silverlake and Ina.

Bicyclists and pedestrians using the east bank will have to cross Congress Street and El Camino del Cerro at-grade. Underpasses on the route allow car-free travel at Silverlake Road, Starr Pass Boulevard, St. Mary’s Road, Speedway Boulevard, and Grant Road.

The path is being installed by the Ashton Company and is expected to be completed in January.

Bicyclists and pedestrians can travel on The Loop on the west side of the Santa Cruz between Silverlake Road and El Camino del Cerro, crossing at-grade on Congress Street. At

El Camino del Cerro they must travel on/along El Camino del Cerro in the on-road bike lanes or off-street pathway to the east side of the Santa Cruz to continue north on The Loop.

Pima County is developing The Loop around metro Tucson with links to Marana, Oro Valley, and South Tucson for residents and visitors on foot, bikes, skates, and horses.

When completed, The Loop will total 131 miles and connect the Rillito, Santa Cruz, and Pantano River Parks with the Julian Wash and Harrison Greenways. The Loop connects to parks, trails, bus and bike routes, workplaces, schools, libraries, restaurants, hotels and motels, shopping areas, and sports and entertainment venues.

 

Just in time for holiday shopping – batty about The Loop jerseys!

The Loop, , , ,

  Pima County has created a new jersey to celebrate The Loop.

Aren’t you just batty about The Loop? Then you’ll love these new Bat jerseys. Just in time for holiday gifts for friends and family. Just don’t forget to get one for yourself. Visit The Loop for more information.

BATTY

These jerseys are available in men’s and women’s styles; short sleeves ($50) or long sleeves ($55). Limited children’s sizes ($50) are available in short sleeves.

You can pick up your jerseys at Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation at 3500 W. River Road. To order jerseys or check on available sizes, please call 520-877-6000 or email FrontDesk.NRPR@pima.gov. Cash, Visa, and MasterCard are accepted. There is an additional charge for postage if your items are mailed to you.

The Loop Gila Monster jerseys are still available in men’s and women’s styles; short sleeves ($45) or long sleeves ($50). Limited children’s sizes ($45)available in short Slv.bat loop

 

El Tour 2013 race summary as I saw (and felt) it.

Community Bike Events

.As you might know, I like to take pictures.  However, this is one race where I left the camera in the bag for the entire race.  I did manage to get a few shots of the 107 mile race as it passed on my way to the start.  I have done the full distance 2 times, and had a tiny bit of remorse for not riding it this year.

See all of the photos of El Tour De Tucson 31 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153536496520154.1073742001.228735085153&type=1
See all of the photos of El Tour De Tucson 31 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153536496520154.1073742001.228735085153&type=1

My ride was to include coaching El Grupo Youth Cycling in the 57 mile race.  El Grupo had riders in the 80 and 107 mile rides, but I opted the 57 so I could be with my son Samuel.  He had a choice of being the team leader for the shorter distance or hanging on with the longer distance.  For convenience, this ride is the best for us.  We can ride our bikes to the start from home, there are no wash crossings, and 50-60 mile rides are normal weekend  training rides.    I opted to race on my Mountain Bike as I thought it would be more challenging and that I might actually win that category.

From the start of the race El Grupo pushed the pace with very few people passing us.   The team held together until Oracle, but we ended up dropping 3 riders as we headed North.  As soon as we turned onto Rancho Vistoso the wheels started to come off for Samuel.   He had the conditioning and mental strength, but he did not have the best clothing.  The water had penetrated his coat and vest and he was soaked to the core.  As a father it was one of the most difficult things to watch.  Here is my boy, freezing, teeth chattering, still hammering away to stay with the team.  I stripped down to my jersey and gave him my jacket, but it was too late.  His core was chilled and there was no coming back.  He stuck with it until the I-10 rest stop.

When we stopped Samuel could barely lift his leg over the top bar.  We walked in to the medical tent and they helped him make the decision to stop.  A minute later he was stripped of all clothing, wrapped in a heat blanket and in the back of a car heating up.  I sent the team on and stayed with him in the car.   I was also shivering and joined him.  There were two other gentlemen in the car who were also in a world of hurt.  Everyone who was volunteering were so helpful and except for the regular check-ups where they opened the car door allowing the cold air in, I could have stayed there all day. After 30 minutes we were presented with the option of taking a SAG wagon back to the finish line.  Samuels clothing were sopping wet and he was still shivering, it sounded like a good option.  I asked him if wanted me to stay with him or if I could finish the race.  I was hoping he would say “Stay with me Papa”.

As I got out of the car to put my gear back on my teeth started to chatter uncontrollably.  After I was fully dressed I got back in the car.  One of the other riders was talking about getting back on the course, but after seeing me said “you are not doing a good job on encouraging me”.    I have a very difficult time not finishing what I start, so with that in mind I left the warm embrace of the Volvo station wagon and got back in the saddle.

Did you know there are three types of rides?  1- those that are great, and you look back and they are great.  2- Those that suck and you look back and they were epic.  3- Those that suck and you look back and they really sucked.  The first mile was feeling like a SOLID 3.  My  teeth were like a typewriter.  As I headed south on the frontage road a blast of cold wind greeted me.  My thoughts were limited to pedal as hard as possible until a burn in my legs or lungs replaces the chill.  I was fortunate to have a strong rider pass me and I was able to jump on his wheel and that helped block the wind.  I still had to put out a full effort and for the first time during the race was wishing I was not on a Mountain Bike.

I started taking turns pulling after I regained my composure and we started to pick up other riders.  Every time someone passed I’d try and recruit them to ride with us.  The smart ones jumped on and we shared the work load.  The others were all caught eventually and either joined in or were dropped.   With considerable effort and direction I was able to from a rotating pace line.  The miles disappeared.  In the final sprint we all went off at our own pace in anticipation of finishing.  I definitely lost that sprint and was feeling very empty.

It is Monday morning as I type this.  I have had a few days to reflect.  What was this ride on my 1,2,3 scale.  I’m going with a 1 with a few moments of 2.  Riding with people you love and seeing them suffer is far more challenging than suffering myself.  I’m very proud Samuel made it as far as he did.  I’m frustrated he did not have the proper attire that caused his chills.  Like all experiences, we both will learn from this and be more prepared the next time we are racing in the rain.

I did not take many photos during the race, but I did take some of the 107 and the start and finish.  If you are not a fan already, please Like The Damion Alexander Team on facebook.  I post all images there.  Nearly 13,000 to date.