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This one is a monster to the west of Town here in Tucson. If you have ever done it then you will know what I’m talking about. Wolfe used to say this one played for “keeps”. If you rode it right you had something left for the 50 mile trip home. If not they would leave you a body bag to stuff yourself into. Out of all the rides, races and climbs that I have done. This is one of those that wakes me in the middle of the night with the sweats….
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You know what dude, I’ve never ridden that fucking hill. I rode out there once, and it became so far just to get there, that I think I only glimpsed the turn off in the distance before I retooled back to home base with a “fuck that” revolving in my mind. So maybe I need to keep that thing under the radar. I mean, I can’t just die without hitting that. Goddamn son. Don’t you go get’n all tuned up, tanned and rested.
Snake be slithering up to no good.
New Paltz NY, Tour de Pain… 120 miles 12,000 ft of climbing
bring the fucking sweat
god damn I miss climbs like that… I miss being able to ride climbs like that and not feel like dying… Must. Move. To. Mountains. Again.
holy shit Quick go to joe papp’s web page and watch cipo get punked
Man I miss that stuff…hot dusty windy flat desert or 25+ miles to 9000′ up Mt. Lemmon…Tucson has some pretty good variety all within arm’s reach, if you have the fortitude for it.
Never did Kitt though…serious regrets, so I think.
total agreement with el jefe.
Best downhill of any climb I’ve ever done.
The chip seal is fucked and sketchy half the time. Last time I rode it, I noticed at the summit that my front tire was cut and had tube poking out. Made for an anxious ride down.
The Kitt Peak observatory ride!! I never did it either. I rode Ajo Way quite often, though, and wrote a poem about it once. If your tires survive the broken glass and debris on this well shouldered (but still dangerous) highway, you might make it. Having a spare foldable tire is smart on a ride like that. Yep, that one is an ass kicker. Sandario Road and Ajo Way – total mind fuck land. Seriously. Especially with a head wind.
The only comparable ride that I did was East Tucson to Sonoita and back, in one day. This is a ride I did twice before but in two days, sleeping in a horse stall at Sonoita Fair Grounds. There are no places to stop for water along those 50 miles. It is a very beautiful, and WAY WAY less busy highway. But, because you can’t get water somewhere and turn around, it’s a forced 100 mile ride. Exactly. When I did this back in ’99, I had set aside the racing bike for a full touring rig, and the helmet for a wide sun hat. I was passed by my old club mates several times, at such a speed that I don’t even think I was usually recognized.
…anybody old enough to remember the old orange jerseyed w/ black lettering tucson wheelmen ???…they always talked of the mt lemmon ride…
…just wonderin’…