Tandem Training - Tour de Tucson

Ben and I rode the tandem on Turnt Up Tuesday yesterday - a notoriously difficult "all drop" ride originating at Stages Cycling every Tuesday at 12:15. The route varies from week to week - from flats to hills and the goal is to be the last person standing. This week we headed out the Diagonal, up 63rd to Nelson, toward Highway 36 (where this picture was taken) and back down St. Vrain, (topping out at 50mph) and winding our way back to 63rd.

We're prepping for the Tour de Tucson - a 110 mile jaunt through the mostly flat portions of Tucson in November. Last year we stepped onto the scene as newcomers and won the mixed tandem division - camelback clad and all - beating Travis McCabe and Norene. Norene has held the tandem title for the past 10(?) years and usually partners up with her husband Paul, but injury prevented him from racing. Thanks to social media - we know Norene and Paul have been training... gulp.

Due to our inexperience at "The Tour" (as the locals call it and not to be confused with the Tour de France), we stared way back in the first corral and fought our way to the front in the first 6 miles having to dismount in the first sandy wash section and then fight our way back onto the chasing group.

It was SO much FUN!!!!

It was our somewhat maiden voyage on the tandem last year and since then we've logged 50+ hours in the saddle together, dialing in our standing, sprinting and tucking techniques. We'll be duking it out  again in about a month from now. Oh and because of our placement last year, we get to start at the front of the corral.