Soda Pact

What is this? Well yesterday we heard from Pablo that he made it a whole week without drinking soda. A goal set for him by Daniela. So because of his enthusiasm for his accomplished goal and the utter astonishment of this by the rest of the team, we all decided together to make a pact that none of us would drink soda until after El Tour. We even had a moment with everyone in a circle with hands on top of each others to solidify the deal. So El Grupo riders help each other out and clean out your refridgerators and lose all your spare change.

Also yesterday was our first after school practice and I think it went great. We rode 25 miles as a team and made it home just before the storm. We rode in the Western mountains and coming home into downtown we could see the storm covering the Catalinas and numerous rainbows across the sky. Great ride team.
Thanks
Ignacio

GABA invites El Grupo on The Blue Loop

GABA, The Greater Arizona Bicycle Association, a bicycle advocay, education, and riding group in town has invited us to come along on one of there awesome bicycle rides. The ride is taking place over the Labor day weekend of Aug. 30-Sept. 1st 2008 Saturday thru Monday. We have been asked to help and participate in exchange for the ability to ride 2 out of the 3 days. The ride begins in Clifton, Az then goes north east to Glenwood, NM and on to Alpine, Az and it ends back in Clifton. Thanks GABA for the great opportunity. To get exact info about the ride you can check out the GABA web page www.bikegaba.org.

So for the riders who are going I want to leave town on Friday night the 29th of August. I want to leave Tucson at 6pm. So if you can arrive early to my house with your gear that would be great. I then presume that we will be back in Tucson on Monday in the late afternoon around 5pm ish.

What do the riders need?
Gear List
road bike
2 bike shorts
2 bike jerseys
4 pair socks
1 rain coat
1 sweat shirt
1 pair pants
2 shorts
3 t-shirts
1 winter hat

Sleeping bag
eating utensils-- spoon and fork
tooth brush and paste
towel and soaps
homework
Flash light/ head lamp

Please bring nothing more. You will not ned it. Also all of your stuff, minus the sleeping bag, should fit in one back pack. So when you arrive to my house you will have three items. 1 back pack, 1 sleeping bag, and 1 bicycle. That's it.

Also I checked the weather and it seems we could be encountering some rain so don't forget the socks and rain coat. As well it is going to be chilly in Alpine, AZ at night so be aware.

GABA has offered to provide us with free meals the whole time we are with them on the ride. So I believe that we will be on our own for only two meals and snacks for while we are on the road. The only other cost involved should be gas. So for the whole weekend I would like to ask each rider and parent participant to contribute $40. Please let me know if you may need assistance with this.

Please call me with any questions you may have, and I look forward to a great weekend.
Ignacio

New Practice Schedules Available

I have completed the practice schedule for September. Many of you picked them up after practice on Sunday so you guys are ready to go.

If you forgot your schedule or were unable to make it to practice I have plenty of extra copies.

If you are interested in riding with the team but want some more info please contact me Ignacio and I would be happy to email you a copy.

As for practice times and meeting places:

Wednesday 3-5pm

Friday 4:30-6pm

Sunday 6:30am ( for now while it's still too hot)

All practices meet at the coaches house, for now until we get a club house.

Nickle and Elliot go off to College

Congradulations Nickel and Elliot!!!
Two riders from last years teams are officially college boys. Nick is off in Flagstaff attending NAU and Elliot will be in Amherst, Massachusetts attending Hampshire College. Both of the boys came to there senses and decided to bring two bikes.

Have fun away from home boys and I am chucking already at the prospect of you two desert boys enduring a real winter. Good luck and don't ask me for anything to keep yourselves warm. I warn you now winter and cold is a butt kicking thing.

We'll miss you guys, but we hope the adventures are bountiful. We'll look forward to hearing your stories upon your return and hope you'll come pedal with us when you do.

Ignacio

Mt. Lemmon Time Trial

Yep! The youth team attacked the mountian and everyone agreed they liked the down hill better than the up.
Max had ridden the mountian before and did his best not to noodle. He came down with Dad smiling a storm.
Pablo rode a great ride and was impressed with the number of spectators.
I was most impressed with Logan and Kramer though. Neither of them had ever ridden any part of the mountain and they both made it the whole way. They didn't even hate me for it when they got down.
Skinny rode it on his fixed gear, but only up. 39x20. Great ride Captain!!

Also thanks to all the old school El Grupo team members that came out. It was great to see you all.

See you on the mountain soon

Ignacio