TT for TST

Tucson Training for Team Southern Tier

Needed to get out of PNW (Pacific NW) to drier warmer climate to cycle some consecutive longer rides. Started with 55 miles and 1100’ on the Tucson Loop. Super popular on a Sunday morning with beautiful rest stops, art work, a small outdoor arboretum, courteous walkers, runners, “Sunday” cyclists and pelotons! Parts of the ride had a fair share of big city, unhoused people too.

Then on the next day to Mt Lemmon! An iconic climb for cyclists! Amazing ride with climb, climb, climb!! Tom made it to the top or at least to Summerhaven. I made it on my rented bike to just short of Palisades.

This was my ride one way!

TransAm 3.0 overview

Once again Tom and I with our friend Steven Stark are planning to cycle across America from east to west – this time (#3!) – beginning in St Augustine, FL on March 20, 2026 and if all goes well, ending in San Diego, CA on May 6, 2026! Training through the winter in Portland, OR is proving difficult, but we persevere and hope muscle memory and prior training will get us through the long, low elevation early days of the eastern portions of the Southern Tier. We have hired a support vehicle driver from Vancouver, BC, Canada, Jody Ritchie. This trip across is projected to be 42 days cycling, 6 rest days, 3058 miles (with 1000 miles in TX!) and 87,800’ elevation gain, the shortest & least hilly!

TransAm cycle #1 TransAmerica Bicycle Trail June 13 – Aug 17, 2015 (56 days cycling + 10 rest days) from Rehoboth Beach, DE to Gearhart OR, 3927 miles 178,626’ elevation gain. 3x 100+ mile days & 3x 90+ mile days. Trip at https://www.facebook.com/share/14aHvMGjxGe/?mibextid=wwXIfr

TransAm cycle #2 Northern Tier with some changes June 22 – Sept 6, 2023 (66 days cycling + 10 rest days) from Bar Harbor, ME to Anacortes, WA, 4240 miles 153,813’ elevation gain. 0x 100+ mile days & 3x 90+ mile days. Blog at americabybicycle2023.wordpress.com

Training

Steven, Tom and I finally got out together for a gorgeous 46 mile 1900’ bike ride in Portland – industrial, port facilities, golf course, parks, Columbia Slough, Kelly Point Park, St John’s, downtown, Terwilliger. I so love cycling outside! Indoor winter training with great help from Leah, Patrick, Jennifer & Stacy have been great, but still nothing like outside. 9 weeks to launch from St Augustine, FL!

Kelly Point Park