[SandLizrd]

Yes, it's the most wonderful time of year, again - desert is blooming, tempratures are warming up, and El Tour de Phoenix is just around the corner!!!! Christmas ain't got nothing on this.

For the uninitiated, El Tour de Phoenix is a friendly little 74-mile jaunt around Red Mountain. They control traffic in Tempe, Scottsdale and Bush Highway, all places where we normally have a hard time dealing with cars, and it makes for a beautiful ride! The desert's especially nice this year because the winter rains were just right. There are two mountain passes, one nasty little 9-mile incline and a bunch of that gradual-incline that makes you feel worthless and weak, until you check the inclinometer.

Every year I invite a bunch of the frozen people, but they don't seem to get the training in before April 5. Poor souls! Of course, around here we've been ramping up the miles for months now.

So who's registered?

[The BikeForums Team]

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Cya on the forums,
- The BikeForums Team
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[imartin26]

Still debating if I want to ride this one or not... I am doing the ride for the children on April 13th, not sure how the legs will feel riding in another race within a week.. but I will think about it. I really like the beeline route I did that Yesterday from the Red Mountain gun range up to the Saguaro lake turn off and back and had a good time.

[SandLizrd]

Historically, that road had good shoulder to the river, then no shoulder at all. It was two-lane deathtrap with rigs and RVs and boats and 90mph speed demons and drunk indians and 'most every other deadly vehicle you can think of. The new construction is going to fix this (or so we hear) but El Tour was the only time it was safe to ride!

[Symr00]

I'm registered. This is my first bike race so I'm just wanting to finish it before the clock stops. I'm really looking forward to it.

[scottmilk9]

Im thinking about just doing the 26miler. i haven't been riding at all. any thoughts?

[SandLizrd]

the 26-miler still has Usery Pass. Ain't no small thing! 4 miles of climbing, not exactly granny-gear but most riders find it challenging

[zonatandem]

Nope.
Will be riding Bike Patrol for the Tour of the Tucson Mountains April 27th.
Did the 1st Tour de Phoenix on our tandem (then called the Scenic Scottsdale Century).