With everything that happened with Brendan Lyons this past week I never had a chance to write about the Tour Of The White Mountains.  Better late than never?

Tour of the White Mountains.

Have you had that break through moment in a race that makes you look back on that event with fondness.  The TWM was the first race where I pushed myself to a level that has in many ways defined me ever since.  It was about a year after I really got into riding, my longest Mountain Bike ride going into the race was perhaps 30 or 40  miles.  I signed up for the 60 mile race( Oh, for the record, I love him like a brother, but Epic Rides mastermind Todd Sadow can’t count- it was nearly 70 miles).  Summary: Made cut off by only a minute, was a mile past the last checkpoint when I flatted, my saddle bag was open and I had no spare or tire lever, I pumped the tire, rode a mile, flatted, pumped it again, rain started, rode half a mile, flat, mud, could not get tire pumped, more mud, mud and pine needles, mud like peanut butter, tires not spinning as a result of mud, walk, soles of shoes fell off,  carry bike 8 miles to finish.    Loved every second of it!!!

This year I was heading up to take pictures and enjoy the company of the bike community.  My good friend David Tang was good enough to drive and had an extra bed in his cabin.  We also had in our company a UA med student, Seth Turner, and David’s dogs, Taco and Tamale.  Mentally I was set for a mellow weekend and a short ride with thousands of pictures.   Somehow, plans changed and I somehow found myself entered in the 50 mile event.  I‘d like to tell that story, it’s a good story, but to protect my sources I will skip it.

David, Seth and I had a plan for the race.  Ride together. Push hard in the beginning.  Ride strong.  Finish strong.  Drink Beer.  It was a good plan.  It fell apart somewhere on the ride from the cabin to the start line  when we missed the gun by 15 minutes.  It quickly proceeded to a social ride.  I would ride ahead, take photos, let them pass, take photos, ride ahead, take photos, take photos as we rode, take more photos, have David tell me how annoying it is having someone ride casually past you taking photos.   It is my favorite type of ride.  Put in 20-45 minute efforts and then relax for a few minutes.  If we saw a pleasant meadow, we stopped and had a snack.  Aspen trees-stop.  Cows-stop.  Heavy equipment-stop, climb, photos.  After every stop we would catch the same riders who passed us throughout the day.   We took time at every opportunity to chat and thank the volunteers and eat oreos, pickles, and sandwiches at the aid stations.    Boys out playing on their bikes!

About 10 miles from the finish Seth decided to pick up the pace.  At about that time David busted a nipple and due to rubbing had to ride brake free. He was in a bad mental place as he was struggling with the bike and the long time in the saddle.   I held back a short distance, offering the occasional encouragement and enjoying the scenery.

About 4 or 5 miles to the finish David passed a guy who was off his bike.  I stopped to ask what the issue was (and to get a photo).  His bike shirt was in the design of a tuxedo and he had one of the most stunning handlebar moustaches I’ve seen.  He was a big boy, tall, solid and 240 pounds.  His trouble was that due to his massive size he had broken his chain.  He found a master link and fixed it once, but snapped it again.

After introductions, (his name is Jeff) I told him to get on his bike and I’d try and push him.  On the flats it beat walking, but it was a struggle for me to keep him moving.  It became especially challenging on the single track as I was forced to ride one handed, on the side of the trail and avoid rocks.  On the uphills he had to walk.  He encouraged me to leave him, but I was content to talk with him and make his ride pass faster.  Every checkpoint we passed they told us it was 2 miles to the finish.  3 times we were told 2 miles.  It almost became a joke (Apparently not only can Todd not count, but it is contagious and all of the volunteers are mathematically challenged).  At one point I decided to try and pull Jeff instead of push.  I was feeling it and was hoping a new position might help.  It was awesome.  It worked so well I was even able to pull him up the hills.  I grabbed his camel pack under his arm, leaned away from him as hard as I could land was able to grind out the last few miles.  At one point I told him I needed to put on my music and disappear.  At the end of a 50 mile ride I admit I was feeling it.  A few times we bumped handle bars and it felt like we were going down.  However, we rode to the finish with me holding onto the camel pack as we crossed the finish line together.

The race is put on by Epic Rides and it lived up to the name “Epic”.  New Belgium beer was pouring free beer, my favorite type, at the finish line.  Jeff and I had a toast to his finishing  and I ran off to watch the award ceremony.  I was loving life as many of my friends were getting hardware.  After the last award was presented, Todd Sadow said he had a special announcement.  He called Jeff and I up on the platform and recapped the last few miles of our ride to the audience.   I was on my second beer by that time(recovery fuel) and must say, physically and mentally, It really felt good.

I never expected that I’d have a ride in the TWM that would be more memorable than the day in the mud.  However, I think this day surpassed that one for one reason.  Friends!!!  Both new and old.  If you are reading my blogs, you might have noticed how much I value community and how determined I am to bring the cycling community together.  Physically, this might have been one of the greater challenges I’ve ever had, but mentally this fuels me.  I’d gladly have pulled Jeff another 5 miles and would do the same for any of you.  We have something really special going on with the bikes and I can’t wait to get out there and meet you on the trail.  Thanks for reading.

I post all sorts of event photos to facebook.  Please like The Damion Alexander Team and check out the Tour of the White MTNS 2013.  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153334746475154.1073741961.228735085153&type=3

It’s Tuesday.  I’ve gone nearly a week without going for a bike ride. Before that, I don’t think I’ve gone two consecutive days without riding is the past two years. At one point I rode every day for over a year. So how is it possible a guy who was riding every day can find himself off his bike?  Am I hurt?  No.  Was I super busy at work? No.  Did I opt to swim, hike, climb, ski?  No.

I just had a few days where I did not ride and then I found it hard to get the motivation to get back on the bike the next few days.

The last time I experienced this was after a Solo 24 hour race a few years back where I was really burnt out.  What was incredible was how 5 days can quickly become 5 weeks. Months later you look in the mirror and realize you are really in shape, the shape of a pair that is.

Today I’m writing this as much as a memo to myself to get back on the bike this afternoon and not repeat the mistakes of my past.  If you have been out of the saddle for too long, I challenge you to get back on the bike tonight.  The weather is cooling down in the late afternoon and the light is still up after work. If you get home after dark, Ordinary Bike Shop has 200 Lumen lights for around $50 and 300/400  lumen lights for around $100 bucks.  This really extends your riding options.

When I made the commitment to ride every day that ends in a ‘y” for an entire year, I found a few tricks that made riding much easier.  At the end of every ride, make sure your bike is ready for the next ride.  If you have any mechanical issues, take care of them immediately. Never, ever leave a bike with a flat tire!!! Those pesky squeaks need attention.  It will cost more later, so keep your steel horse running in the best condition.  I have a few bikes, so in the case that something does break on the way out the door, I grab another bike.  I’ve also come home and swapped out bikes just to make sure I get a ride in.  Leave your bike clothing out and ready for the ride.  This should include everything from socks, shoes, road I.D., shorts/bib, butt butter, sun screen, jersey, music, gloves, helmet, nutrition bars, and water bottles.  Keep a saddle bag full of Co2(I have 3 cartridges) 2 tubes and a patch kit and a multi-tool with a chain tool.  Learn at least the basics for maintaining your bike and fixing flats.   Get the rides in before work, as the day moves on, it gets harder and harder to get on the bike as more distractions present themselves.  Join teams, group rides or friends to add a level of accountability. Commute to work.  If you are feeling a little sick or low on energy, go for a recovery ride or quick easy spin.  Often times this will clear your head and lead to a longer ride, other times it just makes you feel better.

After typing this I’m pumped. How about you? I’ll be on my bike today at 4:30 with El Grupo.  Time set, clothing is ready to go, LETS RIDE!

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I’m typing this at 8:52 PM.  I wrote the post above this morning.  So life got in the way today.  I had a party at 3:30 at 5 palms.  Free food, free booze, networking.  It would have been so easy to give up on the ride and stuff my face.  Choices.  Life is full of choices.  I went to 5 palms, said hello to the people I needed to see, gave my free drink tickets to a friend and went and rode my bike.

National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) is kicking off the inaugural season this weekend with a race on September 29^th at  McDowell Mountain Regional Park on the Pemberton Trail System.  The distance of the race will depend on what class the kids are in.  Freshman will be completing one 8 mile loop, Soph 2 laps and Varsity 24 miles over three laps.

The first race was supposed to be in Tucson.  Why the change?  I think it is best to say that we are all excited that NICA is finally in Arizona and that many of the glitches, bumps, kickers, ruts, should be excused this first season and instead we can focus on building a sport that so many in Arizona cherish and want to see flourish.

The NICA website says the following about its races “NICA -sanctioned races provide student athletes an arena in which to set and accomplish competitive goals, do achieve their personal best. Most NICA leagues have a 4- or 5-race schedule, held in the Spring or Fall depending on the regional climate. Professional race promotion, timing, course preparation and risk management guarantee every participating student athlete is given a fun and fast environment.”

Tucson is going to be well represented.  Two teams that I know of are participating.  A Northwest team that I expect will be representing either Ironwood Hills or Canyon Del Oro.  I look forward to filling in the details in the post race blog.  Of course, El Grupo will be representing as well.  A few of the kids will be sporting their school colors.  Tucson High has a team that is made up of El Grupo kids.  The other student athletes will be racing under the El Grupo colors with new sponsor free kits ( No the kits are not free and it is big $$$ to participate).

El Grupo is heading up on Saturday to camp and pre-ride the course.   Ignacio likes to say we are a road team that are new to Mountain Biking.  It will be very interesting to see how the well conditioned “roadies” do on the single track.  We have been told the course is not very technical and that may be a bonus for our athletes.  Samuel will be competing in the 8 mile Freshman race.

Hopefully, many other schools and teams will also be camping so we can start to build lasting friendships with the other riders across the state.

Check back here at BikePilgrim.com early next week for a follow up and look for photos that will be posted to The Damion Alexander Team on Facebook.

I had an interesting discussion with a leader of a Tucson cycling team about doing an interview about the Tacks in the road.  This team sent out a very nice e-mail with some recommendations of what to do in case you encounter tacks on the road.  Matthew Schwartz with KVOA news contacted the author to do an interview and update on the tacks, but they declined because they did not want to bring additional attention to the issue.  They feel that the result of additional TV exposure might be to send the a“tack”er underground.  They wanted to have a discussion of all the good things cyclist do for the community and change the dialogue away from the tack issue.

Personally, I think the more attention we bring to the subject will have 2 results.  1- the A”ttack”er will stop for fear of being caught.   2-Someone will turn him in.  See the KVOA Interview here.   http://www.kvoa.com/news/tacks-back-on-bike-paths/

What do you think?  Are we better off keeping a low profile or screaming from every rooftop?

____________________________________________________________________________________

Here is a copy of the letter sent out to the team.  I really appreciate the “DON’T BE A JERK ON THE BIKE” comment

“Here are some things to do:

1. If you come upon some tacks in the road, you should take the time to
call 911 and hang around for the police.  You should especially call 911
if you flat, as you will be there for a while anyway.  The sheriffs are
pretty quick about getting to the scene.

If you can’t wait to call, DO NOT PICK UP THE TACKS AND FLING THEM INTO
THE DESERT.  Instead, pick them up and put them in a pile just at the
edge of the pavement, and send me an an email with the location.

To help the investigation, it’s really critical that we know the date,
day of the week and the time of the incident.  A pattern is developing
and needs to be corroborated.

2. If you flat from a tack and have the tack in your tire, you probably
picked up the tack anywhere from 1/4 to many miles earlier.  I had an
occasion where I picked up a tack and then rode to work for 15 miles
and only at the end of the day saw the tack in the not quite flat tire.

The reason that I say this some have flatted further up on the mountain,
and have assumed they got the tack there.  If the tack is in the tire,
you almost certainly did not get tacked on the mountain.  If the tack is
not in the tire, and you flat, it could be that you picked up the tack
on the mountain, but more likely, the tack came free and you flatted.
It’s important to report these, but you might not necessarily assume
that the tack was placed on the mountain.  The sheriff’s department is
trying to determine if the mountain is being tacked, because this is
very much more dangerous than on the flats.   If you don’t call 911,
email me.

3. Riding etiquette:

Remember the rules of the road when you are on a bicycle.  This means
don’t blow through the stop sign at Snyder Road.  At least slow down
and be prepared to stop.  You should actually come to a complete
stop, but you don’t have to put a foot down.  This is especially
necessary when there are motor vehicles at or approaching the
intersection, so those drivers don’t see all cyclists as jerks.

The bike lane on Catalina Highway is wide and usually pretty clean,
which means, if you can ride 4 across and still be to the right of
the fog line, then fine, but riding to the left of the fog line, is
and always has been illegal if there are more than 2 cyclist abreast.
Since the bike lane is so large, there is NO reason for any cyclist
to be riding to the left of the fog line, unless they are passing
other cyclists.

The bottom line on all this etiquette is DON’T BE A JERK ON A BIKE!

Please talk to other cyclists about this email.  The cycling community
can help find this person with proper reporting.

Thanks for listening.”

I believe in Hell.  I believe there is a special area in hell dedicated to bike thieves.  They are destined for an eternal torture that includes a never ending headwind, golf ball sized hail, acid rain that boils the skin, no hydration, bonking, a corner store just ahead, but they never can reach it, a crank that slips on every rotation, saddle soars, occasional blasts of artic air that freeze to the bone marrow followed by extreme heat that causes a tingling sensation that is best described as having their skin stripped one layer at a time.  Actually, I think it is much harsher, but I really don’t want to disturb my readers with graphic images.

Why am I off on the Bike thief tangent?  Unfortunately, yet another Tucson cycling family was violated last night.

Stephanie and David Raine use their bikes as their primary form of transporation.  They live in Sam Hughes near 4^th and Tucson.  On the night of August 30^th, 2013 they had three bikes stolen from their home.  Please keep an eye out for the following bikes.  As I get more details on each I’ll update this post.

If you have info please contact Stephanie at scbegonias@gmail.com or call 520.271.7377

Bike 1- 1996 bontrager privateer comp.

Bike 2- Gt Dyno Moto Glide Kustom Kruiser Purple

Bike 3- Surly Crosscheck

The website greatist.com published their annual top 20 cities for 20-somethings. I was pleasantly surprised to see Tucson at #2. Today also marked the arrival of the first streetcar in Tucson. There is a buzz that has existed in our community in the 25 years I have lived here. The following is from the article and at the bottom I have commented on the links that they provided as reference.

“When we released last year’s list of the top 20 cities for 20-somethings, some readers were pleased and some were less so. We were looking for ultra-cool spots where young adults could find jobs they love, unwind at happy hours, join sports leagues, and make new pals. This year we’ve updated that list, and many of the cities you suggested met our new criteria. In general, it’s hard to pinpoint what qualities 20-somethings go for in picking the perfect city. There are common factors such as cleanliness, park space, and efficient transit systems, but this year we expanded our scope: Does a city provide ethnic and cultural diversity? Can you walk in peace or are the streets packed with cars? We compiled this year’s list taking into account as many factors as we could to bring you the most accurate list of healthy cities for 20-somethings. Read on for our 2013 picks, presented in reverse alphabetical order, and let us know: Did we include your favorite?

2. Tucson, AZ
Average Temp (High, Low): 82, 55
Per capita Income: $20,460
Average Rent for 1-Bedroom Apt: $669
Population: 524,295
Median Age: 33
Take a deeeeep breath. Tucson is one of the cleanest cities in the U.S., as measured by year-round particle pollution. That should come in handy when we’re panting heavily on a bike, hike, or simple jog. Surrounded by mountain ranges, this year-round sunny city is the place for outdoor activity aficionados, especially cyclists. A program called “Bicycle Boulevards” helps turn city streets into safe pathways for bikers. And unlike some of the other cities on this list (cough New York cough), Tucson’s not a place where we’ll end up blowing our whole paycheck: The city’s been rated one of the most affordable places to rent an apartment. Spend some of that extra dough at the restaurants, bars, and boutiques in the historic Fourth Avenue district.”

My thoughts on the links
On the affordability scale I feel after traveling this summer to Utah and Colorado just how good we have it. Our organic produce is less than the cheapest produce. Gasoline in Tucson is .50-.75 cheaper. Eating out, going to the bar, every time you go out in Tucson it just costs less. Rents and home prices are very low. I needed to leave Tucson to appreciate this. http://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/get-more-apartment-for-less-money-in-these-top-metros-infographic/

OK, the concept of the bike boulevards are good, but there are even better resources and examples of what is good about biking. The loop I think is better for commuters. The 6 foot shoulders that are covering hundreds of miles in Southern Arizona are better then any of the boulevards. Howe Actually, the Bike boulevard on 4th and Fontana is mostly unpleasant in terms of road quality and views. However, the concept is good, traffic calming is great, and with time and money they will improve. http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/projects/bicycle-boulevards

Tucson is number 8 for year round Particle pollution according the American Lung Association. http://www.stateoftheair.org/2013/city-rankings/cleanest-cities.html

This is what they used to talk about the mountains. http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/best-towns/Tucson- Arizona.

As you might know, I like bikes. So when I keep seeing Tucson ranked in the top cities and the articles reference bikes as a reason, I get very excited. I wish they would say more, because there are so many incredible bike activities, commuting, races, recreation and the list goes on. The government gets it and have done an outstanding job with the pushing of a dedicated community. http://www.bicycling.com/ride-maps/featured-rides/12-tucson-az

The #2 ranking was a reverse alphabetical placement. I know, this should be at the top of the article, but it was brought to my attention after I originally published this.