Burning off those holiday pounds can be a challenge. Tusconans seem to have the right idea, get rid of the pound before the holidays to make room for turkey and stuffing and pie.
Held annually the Saturday before Thanksgiving (Nov 20th this year), El Tour de Tucson is a fun ride attracting over 9,000 cyclists of all ages and abilities from throughout the United States and beyond, consisting of novice, intermediate, advanced, and professional riders. The event hosts a fantastic Web site www.pbaa.com that details all the info and timeline of events.
Participants of all cycling levels are invited to join in on the action. Cyclists enjoy El Tour and its festivities simply due to their passion for cycling, while others choose the event as part of a healthy lifestyle change or even as part of their wellness program as a survivor from cancer or other life-threatening illness. Many are attracted to El Tour’s fundraising programs for its many charitable agencies, for which the event raised over $1.8 million dollars in 2009.
Participants may cycle 109, 79, 66 or 40 miles, plus the 6, 3 & 1/4- mile Diamond Children’s Fun Ride, open to all abilities. Main routes expose participants to scenic areas of Tucson, with beautiful vistas of its local mountain ranges - three rising over 9,000 feet- complete with the backdrop of the mighty saguaro cactus, icon of the Southwest’s Sonoran Desert. The Fun Ride offers an exciting 6-mile route, highlighting the many special cultural aspects of downtown Tucson. Course profiles can be rolling to moderately hilly, though the 40-mile route is basically flat and great as a family affair or for beginners! Two often dry but sandy river crossings will greet 109-mile riders, while 79 and 66-mile cyclists experience just one. No crossings for 40-mile participants. All routes offer aid stations, spaced each 7-10 miles, full police support at intersections and plenty of morale-boosting volunteers and spectators.
The 109-mile startline (and finish line for all events) is located at Jacome Plaza in downtown Tucson at the corner of W Church St & E Pennington St, just .03 miles from the previous year’s venue. Upon crossing the finishline at the end of their ride, cyclists collect a special finisher’s medallion to remember their accomplishment and then onto the adjacent El Tour Downtown Fiesta, a festive atmosphere complete with food vendors, Michelob Ultra Beer Garden, El Tour Perimeter Store merchandise booth, and non-stop music and celebration throughout the day.
To Learn More
El Tour de Tucson, www.pbaa.com.
