zonatandem
Here's a nice challenging tour for tandem folks who love to climb!
It's the Greater Arizona Bicycling Association's 27th annual tour Sept. 28 to Oct. 7, 2007. If you like quiet roads, varied scenery, lotsa climbing and historic Route 66, this may be for your tandem team! Called the Route 66 Tour it starts just across the AZ border in Laughlin, NV, ride to Kingman, Seligman to Grand Canyon Nat'l Park (rest day/sightsee) to Flagstaff, then Payson and finishing at San Carlos.
You'll pedal through the miniscule town of Oatman, where wild burros still roam the street and beg for handouts; ride the longest stretch of Route 66 to Seligman; pedal the high desert up to the majestic Grand Canyon for a 1-day lay-over; smell the pines into Flagstaff. Next day pass by Lake Mary (yes, there's a couple lakes in AZ!) through the largest stand of Ponderosa Pines and up the Mogollon Rim. Be sure to stop in the town of Strawberry for some of the best pie! The last day pedalin' is a 9,000 ft uphill effort, but it also features a 9-mile descent as you enter into saguaro country (giant cacti . . . taller than a telephone pole!); + go over the longest steel arched suspension bridge by Roosevelt Dam (another lake in AZ?!) before arriving at the Apache Gold Resort Casino in San Carlos.
Shortest day is 50 miles, with several high-90s mile days . . . and did we mention lots of climbing?
We've ridden much of the route several times on our tandem , , , yes, you'll need all those granny gears!We were involved setting up this annual event 20-some years ago and were told ". . . but you can't ride that on a tandem!" Did it 4 years on our tandem plus once on a single (it was more fun on the 2-seater!) so it is definitely do-able if your tandem team has the legs/lungpower!
Temps can vary, depending on elevation, from frost in Flagstaff to 100+ degrees in the desert.
A well organized/supported ride with loads of options camping/motel, free T-shirt/sox, 5 group dinners,
sandwich fixins' mid-day + snacks/sag, support included. Also mechanic/massage therapists available, etc, etc. Still time to get in shape 'to conquer them thar hills!' Suggest you have a couple centuries under the belt before attemtping the Route 66 Tour . . . and you must like climbing!
Interested? www.bikegaba.org or call 520/349-5932.
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem
It's the Greater Arizona Bicycling Association's 27th annual tour Sept. 28 to Oct. 7, 2007. If you like quiet roads, varied scenery, lotsa climbing and historic Route 66, this may be for your tandem team! Called the Route 66 Tour it starts just across the AZ border in Laughlin, NV, ride to Kingman, Seligman to Grand Canyon Nat'l Park (rest day/sightsee) to Flagstaff, then Payson and finishing at San Carlos.
You'll pedal through the miniscule town of Oatman, where wild burros still roam the street and beg for handouts; ride the longest stretch of Route 66 to Seligman; pedal the high desert up to the majestic Grand Canyon for a 1-day lay-over; smell the pines into Flagstaff. Next day pass by Lake Mary (yes, there's a couple lakes in AZ!) through the largest stand of Ponderosa Pines and up the Mogollon Rim. Be sure to stop in the town of Strawberry for some of the best pie! The last day pedalin' is a 9,000 ft uphill effort, but it also features a 9-mile descent as you enter into saguaro country (giant cacti . . . taller than a telephone pole!); + go over the longest steel arched suspension bridge by Roosevelt Dam (another lake in AZ?!) before arriving at the Apache Gold Resort Casino in San Carlos.
Shortest day is 50 miles, with several high-90s mile days . . . and did we mention lots of climbing?
We've ridden much of the route several times on our tandem , , , yes, you'll need all those granny gears!We were involved setting up this annual event 20-some years ago and were told ". . . but you can't ride that on a tandem!" Did it 4 years on our tandem plus once on a single (it was more fun on the 2-seater!) so it is definitely do-able if your tandem team has the legs/lungpower!
Temps can vary, depending on elevation, from frost in Flagstaff to 100+ degrees in the desert.
A well organized/supported ride with loads of options camping/motel, free T-shirt/sox, 5 group dinners,
sandwich fixins' mid-day + snacks/sag, support included. Also mechanic/massage therapists available, etc, etc. Still time to get in shape 'to conquer them thar hills!' Suggest you have a couple centuries under the belt before attemtping the Route 66 Tour . . . and you must like climbing!
Interested? www.bikegaba.org or call 520/349-5932.
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem