Tour de Safford

What to expect? Pain and discomfort for sure, maybe pull out a platinum, I don't know.

Tour de Safford was last weekend and though i'm glad I went, I probably should've done the 33 with my son.

Curtis Clifford, Taylor Auwen and I headed over on Friday and stayed in Thatcher with Meri's parents. We stopped in to the diner where Sterling had chosen as a carbo load dinner site but it was a no-go for us, we decided to go back to Thatcher and eat at the Hawaiian cafe there on Main St. I'm glad we did, it was good food and Curtis got to meet a famous volleyball coach and they chatted for about an hour. Then off to the in-laws and sleep.

The next morning we got up late, and got to the start line just about 1 minutes before the gun went off. Nice controlled start, one rider went down on a cattle guard and was out cold, people were helping so I rode on.

I was doing well enough to be in the lead pack until about 1/2 mile from the top of the longest climb. I had to decide whether to redline and stay with them or hang back with Curtis. I felt with my compact gearing I wouldn't be able to stay the LP on the downhill so I decided to fall back with a slower pack. Different pack, same anticipated result, they got away from me on the steep downhill. I was riding at the back and looked up to see a gap, couldn't cross because I was spun out and that was it, 60 miles miles to the finish and nearly all of it solo.

Every now and then i'd ride along with someone but they'd either fall off or stop at the aid stations. When I was on the highway near Safford, Meri texted me to let me know I still had 6 minutes to get Platinum, I immediately let-up and soft pedeled because I knew that wasn't going to happen, 5 miles and a steep uphill to go and I was alone. So, I just rode in easy and finished in 5:14.

The neck was highly bothersome, I would try and ride as upright as I could, stretch and down the Advil but still a nuisance. Chiropractic is next on the list of remedies.

Curtis did well, he finished around 4:58 and in Platinum time. I was proud of my son Taylor, he hadn't trained so he did the 33. He finished 3rd out of about 50 people and did so with no water and on low tires, he forgot his water and didn't check is pressure, live and learn...

I like this race, I like the openess and the friendly people. I'll be back next year and hopefully in better all-around condition.