Tucson Shootout!!!

So today was the local "shootout" 170km of unforgiving riding across the desert and up to Madera canyon and back .

Quite the experience, with its fair share of pro riders putting the hammer down and an average body fat level of 7%.

The first 40km out side the city limits was a gradual false flat with heavy roads and a steady 2-4% gradient, which meant there was little place to hide from the heavy pace being laid down at the front of the group.

I made the cut though, holding on for dear life at the back of a group of 30 riders thats had made it from the original 150 or so, chasing a small break away of the front.

Thankfully after the first main climb the tempo settled a bit before a short respite for refuelling.



Then it was a slow 30km slug uphill to the canyon. With the 130lbs grimpeurs setting a pretty unpleasant pace up the 4% lead up to the base of the climb. All to soon that became a 7% grind and then a 15% nightmare that left me spat out the pack and on the rivet wondering how the feck i was going to make it back home ; still another 100km away.

Anyway luckily that 100km home was pretty much all down hill at around 45kmph avg.

have to say i felt pretty good by the end, having survived the shootout intact and with some semblance of honour.

Over all it was an amazing experience, awesome landscape, with a very friendly and amazingly talented bunch of riders.

i love it here, wish i could stay!

heres the details: shootout