THE SHOOTOUT

Tucson - Saturday morning at 5:45, Teenie and I lined it up with 50 other riders for the SHOOTOUT- B. This event starts every Saturday on University near the AZU campus. Imagine about 40 Masters Racers and 10 CAT 1/2/3 Women and you have the picture. With a name like the SHOOTOUT, this is no ordinary ride.

The is a loop of 60 miles with the 27-28 miles headed out, uphill and into the prevailing wind. The climb is only about 1500 ft but it is relentlessly slightly uphill. About 4 miles out (the last red light), the ride ramps up and each little hill or pitch becomes an accelleration. Teenie and I comfortably passed the bailout at Helmet Peak but the last very hard selection was in front of us. The hill was .4 miles long and 4.6% grade.......it really turned up a the end. I attacked and was about 4th wheel at the top. I pulled over as riders were strung out. Dan, with Echelon Racing Team, told me Teenie was good but she had fallen just off and could not recover.

We rode back very fast as it was again a gradual gentle grade but this time down. Average speed was 21.1 and that is fast with all the stops.

Not sure if the SHOOTOUT is a ride or a race? I am sure I like it!

The SHOOTOUT-A leaves at 6:00AM. They did not catch us, but I saw the group as I was headed to STARBUCKS.............wow! They looked like they could fly.