Last week-end was the Tour of the Gila a huge 5-Day bicycle event in Silver City that included over 700 participants. some days were spent out on the open road traveling fast and others were negotiating the mountainous roads of this area. Saturday was the Criterion which meant a fast and furious race run on teh streets of downtown Silver City. A one mile loop was roped off with one of the legs being the main street of town. The race began at 8am, ran all day, and concluded with the Mens 1,2,&3 at 3:15. It was great fun watching lots of expensive bikes being riden by riders in brightly colored outfits traveling a break-neck speed through the downtown streets.
The weather cooperated with temperatures in the 60's and no rain. It was great fun.
Sunday was the final day and it moved out into the country for a 100 mile jaunt with lots of mountain work. The group climbed the steep grade into and out of our valley, turning around in the parking lot of the National Monument Visitor Center and ending in the village of Pinos Altos.
We at RV park had two views of the racers as they went by our place on the way to and came back from the VC. The racers were basically in three groups: the lead group of 9-10, the main group of about 30-40 (about 10 minutes behind), a third group of 10 (another 5 minutes) and then several stragglers following along at various distances behind.
Behind each group of riders were their support vehicles who were there to provide assistance in case of breakdowns, etc. Nourishment was provided at specific areas called feed zones, that were at the uphill parts of the routes where the riders were going slowly anyway. It would have been interesting to watch this process. The "food" is li
quid because the riders do not stop.
Watching these bikes zoom past after handling the mountain and then zoom past again only to be faced with going back over that same mountain made me appreciate the physical condition that these atheletes are in. It also helped me define masochism.
The weather cooperated with temperatures in the 60's and no rain. It was great fun.
Sunday was the final day and it moved out into the country for a 100 mile jaunt with lots of mountain work. The group climbed the steep grade into and out of our valley, turning around in the parking lot of the National Monument Visitor Center and ending in the village of Pinos Altos.
We at RV park had two views of the racers as they went by our place on the way to and came back from the VC. The racers were basically in three groups: the lead group of 9-10, the main group of about 30-40 (about 10 minutes behind), a third group of 10 (another 5 minutes) and then several stragglers following along at various distances behind.
Behind each group of riders were their support vehicles who were there to provide assistance in case of breakdowns, etc. Nourishment was provided at specific areas called feed zones, that were at the uphill parts of the routes where the riders were going slowly anyway. It would have been interesting to watch this process. The "food" is li
quid because the riders do not stop.Watching these bikes zoom past after handling the mountain and then zoom past again only to be faced with going back over that same mountain made me appreciate the physical condition that these atheletes are in. It also helped me define masochism.
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