El Grupo Youth Cycling: September 2008

Hey El Grupo parents and riders,
Sorry this is getting out a bit late, however here we go. So the PBAA the organization that puts on El Tour is giving El Grupo a great opportunity this year. They are going to allow us to work trade our way into the event. That means that we have to have to help them out at different events and such that they put on for 10 hours each for our free entry. So this Saturday one of those opportunities is coming up. This Saturday from 9am to 1pm Daniela and I will be in downtown Tucson across from the Library putting on a bicycle Rodeo. We are asking that all riders attend for as long as they can to help us out. I know you don't know what a rodeo is but come and you will see and I'm sure you will be able to jump right in. So I really hope that almost all of you can make it for some amount of time.
thanks
Ignacio

So I gave you the short short before but heres an attempt at a recap.

We left Tucson on Friday night packed in the Cronyn van 4 bikes on back and 6 humans inside. The younger ones made the air quality on the inside horrendous so we stopped at the Benson rest stop to eat dinner even though Max and Robbin had already eaten. The boys though were able to eat 4 pounds of pasta without hesitation. Logan even cleaned his plate. Thanks Daniela!
We got to the camp ground quite late and set up in the dark park in Clifton, AZ. A Bisbee that couldn't or hasn't yet. Kramer awoke in the middle of the night to a family of skunks and the rest of us in the early morning to a drizzle.

Saturday
Leaving Clifton, Az
We spent the morning running over and killing thousands of grasshoppers. It's not that we were trying but they were all over the road. Really the asphalt was day glow and flouresant. Making it worse though, Grasshoppers are apparently canabals so the live ones were eating the dead ones on the road creating more death.
The total elevation gain for the day was 4,800 feet and most of it was gained in one chunk. A fun little climb where at the top we reached a rain cloud. A fun experience for the new riders. To climb a hill up into rain. Once we reached Glenwood, NM the boys were pretty proud of themselves, and it seemed to me that Kramer "learned" to ride today. He came alive at every hill climb and realished the fight. This was the longest ride they had ever been on. We spent the rest of the day hanging out at the camp ground and watching the crazy heavy ran coming over the mountain and onto us. A pounding rain that lasted for hours. Good thing though we had a nice covered area to stay

dry in. Diner was awsome too!!

Sunday

We awoke in super wet tents, but just the outside of them, and had a superb breakfast with the same folks that made us diner. Touring with GABA is so easy and awesome! I mean it was hot and ready to go as soon as we awoke. Day 2 started with some difficulties, within the first 2 miles we had 4 flat tires. Enough for like a whole month. We got it together though and rode on, in what turned out to be the first epic ride for the new El Grupo team. By mile 30 Robbin had, had enough and called it quits. 30 miles though saw us 3,000 feet higher than Glenwood and freezing cold because the rain had started to come down. Not just a drizzle either but coming down. We made it into town with about 10 minutes to spare I rode in with Kramer and Logan and we were freezing and nearing trouble. We were totally soaked to the bone and proud as hell. The best part of todays ride was when I asked Logan to get in the car and to take a ride in. He absolutely did not allow that to be an option. He let me know difinitively that he was going to finish. Thanks Logan! Exactly the kind of spirit that is going to make you a great man. This again was the longest ride ever for both Kramer and Logan and we only climed 5,346 feet. This was a hard day of riding that ended in the town of Alpine 8,000 feet high.

Monday
After a great night of sleep, we set out to return home. This ride was to be 96 miles long so today I sent Kramer and Logan to the first sag stop so they eneded up riding 70 ish miles, while Robbin went to the third sag stop and rode about 30 miles. The morning then started with me, Nelson, and Max on the rode climbing another 1,500 feet into thick big tree forest and misting clouds. Just like Tucson! We cruised the first miles and once we got to the first sag Kramer and Logan were so ready to go that as soon as they saw us they were on their bikes trying to get us not to stop. So we didn't stop for long and back on the road we only were able to go about 15 miles before we realized a great problem with Max's tire and we had to put him in a car and send him to the next sag. Not to big a deal because we got lucky and were able to find a replacement wheel. The riding was spectacular with hardly any cars, perfect vistas, and great climbing. Kind of like dream land bike riding. Once at the second sag we got Max a new wheel and down we went. Super down hill fun! To just about sag three, just about because there was one last climb to concour. At sag three we picked up Robbin and had about the greatest down hill ride of all time. Really scary, really fun, and really fast! Everone should get to do it. The ride today ended with 6,831 of climbing on the day in the town of Clifton and 17,000 total for the three days.

Thanks GABA! We loved the opportunity. We can't wait to do it again, and know that there is a youth bike team in town that is willing to help out in any way that we can. The whole club treated us wonderfully and we want to make sure we have chances to give back.

Thanks Ignacio