October General Meeting

Monday, October 6th

7:00 p.m.                      

Richard J DeBernardis, founder and president of Perimeter Bicycling Association of America, Inc. will talk to us about the upcoming El Tour de Tucson

Register Now for Your End of Summer Rides

Cave Creek Overnight Tour

October 11 & 12, 2014

This 40 mile-per-day road ride takes you from Animas School, New Mexico, to the eastern side of the Chiricahua Mountains and scenic Cave Creek Canyon. This is a great ride for anyone trying touring for the first time. On Saturday only. riders wanting more miles can add about a 10 mile loop through the little hamlets of Cotton City and Animas.  Click HERE for the short map, HERE for the longer option.

Roadforks lies along Interstate 10 near the border of Arizona and New Mexico. The first 30 miles of the ride is through gently rolling hills with one long downhill to the first rest stop. Next we turn east towards the Canyon and start a long, gradual climb to the tiny town of Portal.

Once entering the Canyon, we'll ride along a flowing creek in the shade of lush sycamore trees, meandering on the canyon floor between colorful towering cliffs. You'll pass small meadows where deer graze at dusk, and see birds of all descriptions around you.

Our unique destination is the Southwestern Research Station, surrounded by the Coronado National Forest, and offering a welcome retreat from the heat of the desert. The Station, with its comfortable dormitory-style cabins, is operated by the American Museum of National History.

As you come upon this oasis, the beautiful grounds with towering trees and green grass beckon you! A 60-foot-long, cool, creek-fed swimming pool will seem inviting at the end of your gradual climb to the Station. After lunch you can take a short hike, dangle your toes in the pool, or take a nap if you please. After dinner there is usually a spirited game of ping-pong happening in the game room, along with other games such as cribbage.

Click HERE for more details

We are still in need of 4 more volunteers to help with this ride. If you'd like to be part of the team, contact Colleen Giles at jimmyz30us@yahoo.com or call Colleen at 254-220-2221

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Tumacacori Century

Sunday, October 19, 2014

The most popular GABA bicycle ride in Southern Arizona! Three options are available for riders from novice to very experienced cyclists: 42.8, 82 and 101 miles!

What makes this such a GREAT ride?

* It's October in the desert...perfect weather for a bicycle ride.

* It offers excellent training for El Tour de Tucson, which is one month later.

* The route is mostly flat, with some rolling hills, and very picturesque!

* Many cyclists record their best time for riding a century on this route!

* The route is well marked (just follow the GABA signs).

* Route directions and maps provided for all ride levels.

* SAG (food stops) are delicious and plentiful, served by cheerful & helpful volunteers!

* SAG/Sweep support is available along the route for tired cyclists and weary bikes.

* Bike Mechanic on hand for minor repairs and adjustments.

* Scrumptious Eegee's lunch provided to all cyclists at the conclusion of the ride.

Click HERE for more details

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And Fall is just around the corner...

Silverbell Century 

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Registration and Start 7 - 9 AM

Options for 99, 83, 67, and 30 miles

Two Weeks Before El Tour!

The Silverbell Century is a great warm-up ride for El Tour de Tucson! It comes at a time when your training needs to intensify for the last time before the great event. Ride on a portion of the El Tour route on the northwest side of town, with long stretches of straight flat roads, perfect to practice riding in a group or pace-line.

There are 4 distances to choose from: 99 miles, 83, 67 and 30. Watch for GABA signs indicating all the turns of the course, and where turnaround spots are if you are riding less than the full distance.

Click HERE for more details

We have two stories to share about the

Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway Overnight Tour  

Our first story is by Tom Mouch
 

This weekend I was part of Jim (and Deb's) Gypsies-that's right I participated in the Trail of the Mountain Spirits (TOMS) GABA ride in New Mexico.  And what a "trail" it was.  Starting in Silver City, NM to great weather, about 95 "gypsies" rode to the City of Rocks for our first stopover.  Along the way we had some challenging "warm-up" hills out of Silver City, a lunch stop at a restaurant in Hurley and then a great flat stretch of about 10 miles with a tailwind.  (Great planning, Jim and Deb!!)  If you haven't been on the TOMS yet, you're missing a very interesting geological outcropping in the plains of western N.M.-the "rocks" are formed from a volcanic eruption and are just there in the middle of the plain. 

Our second story is by James and Debra Harms

We had a record number of registrations of 92 riders and 5 non-riders who converged in Silver City, New Mexico for this beautiful 3 day ride.

Ride day 1 - City of the Rocks.  The weather was warmer than usual starting at 74 degrees and turned warmer with each hour that ticked by up to the mid-90s. Later that afternoon after a great lunch at the Gateway restaurant in Hurley, they converged on the City of the Rocks and were greeted with warmer temperatures. Upon reaching the Orion Group Site, they were welcomed with snacks and beverages. The cyclists set up their campsite, had a nice shower, some took a nap while others hiked around the area or brought their bikes over for some minor maintenance repairs or patched their inner tubes. This year was the year of the "F" word (flats) and tire replacements. Stuart Carter our amazing sweep driver was there to assist with any and all mechanical needs while on the road. That evening's dinner was catered by Donnie Forman and her Eastern Star ladies and the Masons. Enchiladas, rice, refried beans, tortillas, cherry cobbler and apple cake was washed down with lemonade and iced tea. We were sad to hear that one of the Mason gentlemen who has been coming for numerous years had passed away in December. As the sun went down the temperature was a cool 55-60 degrees and the moon was bright and the Milky Way was making its appearance.

Ride day 2 - Camp Thunderbird.  The riders woke to the smell of coffee being made. They were greeted with hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, dry cereal, oatmeal, cinnamon rolls, peanut butter, fruit and V8 for breakfast. This is typically a breezy and rainy day; however, it turned out to be a dry calm, warm day as well until they reached Camp Thunderbird up in the pines. Today's ride was through rolling hills gaining approximately 1000 feet in elevation. Some riders decided to take on this year's new extension route for additional miles through a climbing quiet road. After setting up their tent sites under the tall green pines, they were greeted with a social hour under the pines prior to the evening's meal, which featured a huge portion of either gluten free, spinach and mushroom lasagna, or chicken and cheese lasagna topped off with a scrumptious homemade cake.

Ride day 3 - Return to Silver City.  We awoke from a wonderful night of sleep to Mother Nature giving us nice cool temperatures with a light rain and lightning show making the temperatures drop into the 60s. We converged on the dining hall after breaking camp to a wonderful breakfast hosted by Camp Thunderbird. Then the FUN began!!! Traveling through the Gila Forest by Lake Roberts and then UP to the heavens. The Ride Leader was on the road to assist the riders if needed on this wonderful CLIMB! The riders were greeted at SAG 1 where Mark and had fresh fruit, snacks and cold beverages to last the riders another 17 miles through the shady but hilly forests to SAG 2 for Lunch. Michelle and Debra were there to greet them with meat and cheese sandwiches, watermelon, snacks and cold beverages. Once the tank was filled up, the riders proceeded on their 8 mile downhill run to the finish. Upon arriving back in Silver City, Hans Neilson had their luggage unloaded and waiting for them.

Throughout the weekend this year, the riders were greeted with the wild sights and sounds of Mother Nature in the form of deer, owls, snakes, and the lovely mosquito.  It was a year of wildlife!

Bidding farewell, we are hoping that we will see you again, but it is still a bittersweet parting.  For me and our volunteers, we hope to see you again next year! I hope you had a great weekend, and that you will share your experience with others, so that they may come and see for themselves the beauty of this ride. Many thanks to my volunteers: Mark Sterling & Janet Landis your SAG 1 Extraordinaire, Michelle Laws and Debra Harms as your SAG 2 super crew. Stuart Carter was on the road to help those in need of a lift or mechanical issues and Hans Neilson your Baggage and Social Hour Host.

Pictures will be coming soon to the GABA website~

CYCLIST PRAYER

May the road rise up to meet you... But be smooth and slightly down hill

May the wind always be at your back... preferably a 20-25 mph sustained tailwind

May the sun shine upon your face just enough sun to create a healthy glow but no skin damage            

May the rain fall softly upon your fields... Only at night and never while we are riding

Until we meet again. It has been a pleasure

In Memoriam

CLARA DOW

First President of the Tucson Chapter of GABA

May 14, 1925 to July 23, 2014

We are very sad to inform GABA members of the passing of Clara Dow on July 23, 2014 at the age of 89.

Most of her life Clara was an extremely energetic person and had a zest for life that was hard to match.  In 1980, she began bicycling at the age of 55 not long after her husband died of cancer.

As hard as it was, she quickly grew to love the outlet bicycling gave her to move past the grief and heartache. Plus, she was outside and a part of nature which she always enjoyed.  She was so enthusiastic about it that she talked her two daughters into joining her and they also discovered the fun and challenge of bicycling.

As she grew stronger, she searched for more people to ride with and discovered that there wasn't a formal cycling club in Tucson. As she met other cyclists she found that many of them wished for more opportunities to do group rides at varying degrees of difficulty and distance. There was an especially large void for beginning cyclists who were left behind when riding with stronger ones. Her outgoing personality and warmth drew people to her and soon she had recruited several other cyclists to lead group rides and make sure no one was left behind. With others, she developed a rating system so cyclists would know the level of difficulty of the rides, including distance and hills.   

She discovered that there was an organization in Phoenix called the Greater Arizona Bicycling Association (GABA). Clara took the steps needed to form the Tucson branch of GABA and became the club's first president in 1981.   

Over the next 4 years she also lost her mother and father to cancer and cared for each of them through their illness. Yet she still managed to make sure the club was growing and developing more organized day rides as well as longer weekend trips, including Sonoita to Bisbee and rides in the White Mountains. Even her young granddaughter was introduced to the joys of cycling. Sometimes she was pulled in a special buggy behind the bicycle and other times she pedaled on the back of a tandem that was converted to fit her.

Clara was among the small group of cyclists that did the first El Tour De Tucson and rode in it for several years as it grew larger and larger.  In addition, she helped to organize the Grand Canyon to Mexico bicycling tour. She also participated in several out of state bicycling events and tours.

After her father's death, Clara decided to take on one of the most difficult cycling events in Arizona called the Arizona Challenge. It was a 325 mile non-stop cycling marathon through the mountains of central Arizona. It started in Phoenix and went through Payson, the Verde Valley, Prescott, then back to Phoenix. It was held on May 11, 1985 which was three days before her 60th birthday. After weeks of intense training and long distance riding, Clara completed this marathon in 29 hours and 41 minutes. Clara was recognized for her accomplishments by receiving a beautiful trophy for that event and was also awarded a hand sculpted trophy for Woman of the Year from the El Tour De Tucson III in 1985.

In addition, Clara became very involved in hiking and backpacking. She again had a whole new group of people gravitate toward her and her magnetic personality. The more difficult events still appealed to her like backpacking in the Grand Canyon and climbing Baboquivari Peak.  

In 1989, Clara, her daughters, and granddaughter moved out to Vail to experience country living. As usual, Clara totally threw herself into it and the family soon had horses, goats, chickens, geese, plus the normal assortment of dogs and cats. There were many adventures in horseback riding and being thrown off a time or two didn't deter Clara from her new passion.

But aging did start to concern her and after 14 years in Vail, Clara and her family returned to city living.  She was still active but life got more sedate as time went on. She did short walks in Saguaro Monument East and being outside in nature continued to be a lasting love of hers. Even when she finally couldn't walk very well anymore, a drive with her family through the monument or the scenic route out to Vail and Colossal Cave always cheered her up. 

Clara was a unique woman with an extraordinary amount of strength and stamina.  She was a loving daughter, wife, mother, and nana and her life had a big impact on many people. In addition, she was always a champion for animals. Her granddaughter created the Clara Dow Memorial Fund with the Humane Society. You can access the web page through http://action.humanesociety.org/goto/claradow.  

Clara was the center of her family's life and will be missed more than words can say. She is survived by daughters, Carol Dow and Linda Kinkade, and granddaughter, Jennifer Kinkade.

https://www.facebook.com/GabaBikeSwap 

Bicycle Articles of Interest

Pima County is connecting another stretch of The Loop, this time along the east bank of the Pantano Wash.

Starting Monday, Sept. 8, Pima County and its contractor, Clear Contracting Company, will begin construction of the Pantano Wash Project: Broadway Boulevard to Kenyon Drive.

This project includes a 12-foot-wide multi-use asphalt path, installation of a new underpass at Broadway Boulevard, a new steel footbridge over an unnamed wash, and drainage improvements.

Loop users are urged to use caution while traveling through the construction zone. Construction is expected to be completed by January of 2015.

Once completed, Loop users will be able travel on the path for 5.7 miles between Fifth Street and the intersection of East Irvington and South Harrison roads.

For more information about the project, contact Nancy Cole, Project Manager, at 520-724-6312.

Construction to connect the path between Fifth Street and Speedway is expected to begin early next year, pending Arizona Department of Transportation approval. Once that connection is made, Loop users will be able to travel 7.6 miles on the path on the east bank of the Pantano from East Tanque Verde Road to the intersection of East Irvington and South Harrison roads.

Please visit The Loop online for the latest maps and updates on access, improvements and other news about The Loop. Or check out - and "like" - The Loop on Facebook.

Nancy Cole

Project Management Office

520-724-6312

 Nancy.Cole@pima.gov 

BICAS Benefit at La Cocina - Tuesday SEPT 9th, 5-10pm

Fix-a-Flat Challenge and Raffle! 10% of dinner and drink sales go to BICAS.

Wishlist

Every nonprofit has a Wishlist. Be a BICAS wishlist hero! click here to learn more

BICAS CLASSES:

Bicycle Camping 101 - $20

Beginner Level. Three-part series.

BICAS is pleased to announce the return of our workshop series on bicycle camping and self-supported bicycle touring. Bike camping is an instant vacation you can take with minimal planning and a few supplies. This series is a great way to prepare for our Overnight Bike Camping fundraiser in the spring. For photos from this years trip: BICAS goes camping at Colossal Cave.

Topics covered: bike and gear selection, planning your route, lodging options, packing, roadside repairs, road safety, and lots of first-hand tips and tricks from people who vacation by bicycle every year.

Wheel Building Class $80

An intermediate-advanced class

Already comfortable working on your bicycle and wanting to learn more? This 2 day class explores the construction and design of the bicycle wheel. Our experienced instructors will guide you through measuring hubs, rims and spokes; and constructing a true bicycle wheel.

Recommended Prerequisite: BICAS Build-a-Bike Class

September 27th & 28th, 1PM to 4PM.  SIGN UP NOW!

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CALL for ARTISTS ~ 19th Annual BICAS Art Auction

GABA El Tour 

      Sunday September 14th 

The 2014 GABA El Tour training rides begin on September 14th and run for 10 weeks.   There will be a total of eight training rides with the Tumacacori Century and Silverbell Century on the other two weeks.  The calendar with the rides can be found on the GABA MeetUp website.

There are training rides on the eastside and westside this year. 

The eastside long training rides start form from Udall Park. 

The eastside short rides start from Swan and Ft. Lowell. 

The westside long training rides start from the Fry's Marketplace at Thornydale Road and Tangerine Road.

If you have questions, please contact Chuck Martin at dayrides@bikegaba.org or call him at 795-1000 or 906-0719.

Save on your El Tour registration fees and support arts education scholarships for at-risk and special-needs students

Arts Express, a local non-profit organization that strives to improve lives through the power of the arts, is a beneficiary organization of the El Tour bike race.  Arts Express  provides arts education programs for children in partnership with such organizations as UApresents, Broadway in Tucson, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind.  Approximately 85% of the students who attend these programs are on scholarship because they are at-risk or have special needs.

As a beneficiary organization of El Tour, Arts Express is able to register cyclists for both an indoor El Tour race held on Sunday, Nov. 16, and the outdoor El Tour bike race held on Saturday, Nov. 22. Arts Express handles the processing of the rider's registration, so the processing fees normally charged by El Tour are not passed on to the rider. Because of this, it is actually cheaper for riders to register for the race through the Arts Express website: www.arts-express.org. All additional pledges raised by riders who register through Arts Express will fund the scholarship program.

Upcoming Programs for Arts Express include:

Behind the Scenes: Broadway and More -  Broadway in Tucson and UApresents partner with Arts Express to create this one-of-a-kind program.  The morning training session is led by local drama teachers and actors and focuses on specific aspects of production. Students then learn first-hand from the actors and producers of the show, about how Broadway professionals and other world-class artists made it to the top, what life is like on the road or how the production team creates "magic" on stage.  During this training, students present their learned skills in a "Showcase" for the general public as they arrive for the Broadway in Tucson or UApresents production.  The afternoon is spent enjoying the show and seeing how the tactics they learned in the morning are applied in the professional production.

Building CareACTOR - Developed in partnership with the Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind, Arts Express' Building careACTOR program pairs deaf or blind students with students that can see and hear to create a united musical theater production.   Utilizing synchronized speaking/singing and sign language, this production offers  a rich environment for personal growth and community building for all students and the audience as well.

* Many other programs are being planned for the coming year!  See the complete list at www.arts-express.org.

To support scholarships for these and other Arts Express programs, register  today for El Tour at www.arts-express.org and begin raising pledges! Registration fees for the 40-mile, 55-mile, 75-mile and 104-mile El Tour outdoor bike races are $135 per rider. Fees for the 5-mile, 11-mile and 1/4-mile outdoor Fun Rides at Armory Park are $25.  Register before Oct. 31 to avoid the $35 late fee mandated by the El Tour organization. All registrations must be received by November 12. 

A new event for Arts Express this year is the Indoor El Tour.  This event will be held at various gyms around town on the Sunday before the outdoor El Tour race.  Indoor El Tour riders will choose from the distances in the outdoor event to ride on a stationary bike or may bring their own bikes on trainers. Indoor El Tour registration fees are $20 and are also subject to late fees after Oct. 31. Indoor El Tour riders do not have to register for the outdoor El Tour bike race and vice versa. Registration for the indoor event is also available on the Arts Express website.

All riders who register through Arts Express for the Indoor El Tour and/or the outdoor El Tour bike races will receive an El Tour t-shirt and a medallion.  Outdoor El Tour riders will also receive a subscription to Tail Winds newspaper.  Riders are asked to raise at least $100 in pledges that will go directly to Arts Express in support of the scholarships for at-risk and special-needs students. Those raising $100 in pledges will receive a  skullcap with the "Cycle 4 the Arts" logo on the front.  Those raising $250 or more will earn a "Cycle 4 the Arts" jersey. Pledge money must be received by Nov. 15 and can be mailed to Arts Express or taken on the website:  www.arts-express.org.

Share the power of the arts with at-risk and special-needs children. Register today for the Indoor El Tour and/or the outdoor El Tour bike races through Arts Express, and start raising pledge money for Arts Express scholarships.  You'll provide children with access to the enriching world of the arts that will create meaningful memories and spark aspirations for the future. 

New Cyclovia Route  

Mark your calendar for November 2nd; Cyclovia Tucson is back with a brand new route for our first-ever Fall event. Help make it happen!

The next Cyclovia Tucson will take place on a NEW route on Sunday, November 2nd from 10 am to 3 pm. We're thrilled to announce the return to some of the very first streets, neighborhoods and business districts ever to host Cyclovia in Tucson. If you joined us for that first event in 2010, it's not hard to remember the smiles and faces full of joy as they rode, car-free, down parts of Fourth Avenue.

Go to cycloviatucson.org to see the route.

So much has changed in the last five years since that first Cyclovia. South 6th Avenue is bursting with new businesses, art galleries, and will soon be the site of Tucson's very first Parklet. And, of the course, Sun Link, Tucson's Modern Streetcar began revenue service last week. You'll be able to ride the streetcar right to Cyclovia this year!

Grant Anderson's Ride

1) Bike Ride Preparation

This is the first of many installments of the 600 mile bike trip log from Rapid City, South Dakota to my parent's hometown of Gowrie, IA prior to the July 4th weekend.

 This will be the first of a series of post on the preparation leading up to the ride. This first is on the route--how it was chosen and where it may take me.

When the initial idea for this ride came into mind I knew that I wanted to end in Gowrie, IA the week of the 4th of July to be there with my parents and siblings who are all going to be coming in. I also know I'm capable of about 100 miles a day and had about 6 days between my company board meeting and the 4th, though going without a day of rest will be new and a challenge. Drawing a mental rough circle 600 miles in radius around Gowrie gave me a few starting points. Pierre could have been one. Kansas City would have put me on the Lewis and Clark trail. Even Chicago had some merit. But the purported beauty of the badlands, and the desire to avoid extended climbs such as going upriver for 6 days sold me on starting in Rapid City. I initially thought I could loop through the black hills on the first day but the miles started to add up and that was dropped in favor of a direct assault on the badlands. But if my staging day on Friday, the 27th of June, goes well I will get a drive through the black hills and mt. Rushmore country.

My route is mostly shown in the two pics below. Starting in Rapid City I go to Interior on day one, Winner on day 2, Pickstown on day 3, Vermillion on day 4, through Sioux City to Mapleton, IA on day 5 and Gowrie on day 6.

Right now I'm calculating 591 miles, but I am sure some twists and turns are not accounted for that will take it over 600!

At Pickstown I pick up the Lewis and Clark trail maintained by the Adventure Cycling Association (http://www.adventurecycling.org/). That's the map on the right (they supply them and they are a biker's dream) and I follow that trail for roughly 250 miles with detailed instructions highlighted.

The whole route can be found here: http://mapq.st/1qCWgmR

Why chop up the road map? There's only so much room in the waterproof map case!

Next installment will be on the packing and shipping of the bike to Rapid City. Two week's from now I will be in Interior (hopefully) getting ready for the second day (and longest) of riding.

2) Logistics, Shipping the Bike

This is the second installment in which I explain how I shipped and biked my "ride" from Tucson to Rapid City, SD

So how do I get my bike from Tucson to Rapid City?

Below is a picture of "my ride" (the nearer bike) which is a 59cm aluminum aero-tube, composite fork Fetish bicycle. (Fetish is a small custom shop in Phoenix.) I have a few extras like aero bars, the strap on panniers (the red bags on the back), and lights.

But that bike has to meet me in Rapid city in 9 days. I can't fly with it, because due to the small planes into airports like RAP I can't guarantee it will be arriving with me. So I use a service called BikeFlight. Pack it up, they pick it up or you drop it off, and it's at my motel when I get there (I made arrangements with the motel and made sure they would accept it.)

The other two pictures are the bicycle disassembled and in the box. Packing a bike is somewhat a 3D puzzle. But some pieces are wired together and others are greasy or sharp. It took me about 2 hours to figure out how to get it into the new case. Altogether the shipment is 50 lbs on the dot. If all goes right, I will be reassembling it in my motel room on Friday the 27th. I have scoped out a bicycle shop nearby if something is amiss (or bent) from shipment. I will also then be shipping the box to Iowa to be there for the shipment back to Tucson.

My next installment will be on what goes in the red panniers on the back and what I have to schlepp 600 miles. Only the essentials I assure you!

Editor's Note: Grant will occasionally refer to a photo that I haven't included in the article. I'm sure he'd be glad to share them with you...