| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
48.36 miles
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Altitude Gain:
2,608 ft
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Avg Speed:
14.99 mph
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Route:
Gates Pass AZ
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Avg Grade: 143 %
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Max Grade: 165 %
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Max HR: 0 bpm
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Avg HR: 0 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Hills
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Bike: Look 585 Carbon Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny 60 F SE wind @ 5 mph |
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Fairly nice day today with bright sunshine and little wind. Really missed the seventies earlier in the week, but I can live with sixty in December. Climbed a little over five miles to Saguaro National Park to do a little climbing and exploring. Fantastic short climb was located immediately upon entering the north side of the park. My lights dimmed a little on a short section of ten percent grade, but I perked back up with a sweeping right hand fast decent followed immediately by a hairpin to the left. Tried to keep my wheels near the fog line but leaned so hard into the curve that my head was well into the middle of the lane. Loose sand in the corners and a six inch drop off from the edge kept things interesting. The rolling climbs continued for a couple of miles with the lengths of the sections getting longer but the grades getting slighter. The twisting road passed through a forest of very tall and prickly Saguaro Cacti. Course then straightened and dropped a long fast downgrade through the desert to the four corner outpost of Picture Rock. The park was less then five miles across but the only difference between that and the private land was an occasional house. There was lots of traffic on the road but had no issues with any drivers. Headed to the west for a half dozen miles of mild grade and turned back into the south side of the park. Fairly decent gradual climb through the park dumped me out on the Mile Wide Road, that really wasn't very wide, and then into the Tucson Mountain Park. Some more climbing had me cresting near the foot of Gates Pass which goes through whatever they call this mountain range. Took a brief detour to Old Tucson and cruised through the parking lot. Signs advertised live can-can dances and explosion gunfights, but the parking lot only had two cars in it so wasn't sure whether it was open or not. Didn't dally for long and headed up through Gates Pass. It didn't look too bad as it twisted up the mountain and the sign warned of only a half mile of narrow road. Had a little trouble near the top as it got rather steepish with grade popping up to around fifteen percent if I cut straight through the corners. Thought if it went on forever, as a couple of recent climbs have done, I might be walking . Climb was only a couple of miles in all and steep part was only a half mile or so and was relieved to see Tucson spread out below me as I rounded the final sharp corner. Had a five or six mile descent into south Tucson where I picked up the loop and had another fifteen miles of one percent downgrade on the trail following the river back to my hotel. This was really a great course that had it all. Rolling climbs, technical down hills, one steep kicker, a good road surface, friendly traffic, nice weather and spectacular desert views made for some fantastic riding.
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