Two Wheels Down

One of our riders went down today. I was not there when it happened, but I was told that it happened like this. While climbing the pass between Tucson and Sierra Vista, a motorcycle driver lost control of his bike and hit the guard rail. The motorcycle skidded along the rail and hit the bicycle. Last I heard, the cyclist was stable, but was transported via helicopter to a local hospital. The guy on the motorcycle reportedly broke a wrist, maybe both. I had not yet had a chance to meet the rider, as he was one of the new guys coming in for Week 2. His roommate is now my roommate.

My plan for the day was to keep my cadence high, above 90, and my power low. If I stayed in my triple chainring and spun fast, perhaps I could keep my power below 150 watts and my knee would hold up. The weather, however, had different plans as the morning wind was brutal. With the incline toward the pass and the strong headwind, I had to push a lot harder than 150 watts just to maintain 8-10 mph. The final two short climbs to the first snack stop required almost 500 watts.

My knee was starting to hurt by the time I got to the first stop, so I rode the van to the lunch stop with an ice bag. After lunch, I finished the ride. My knee hurt on-and-off during the final segment of the ride, mostly during the climbs, but it was not hurting when I rolled into the motel. I aconsider that progress. Another therapy session this evening and a another night of ice bags will, hopefully, get me closer to normal.

Photos

Bright Sky

Distant Mountain

1492

Ride Summary

Distance: 48.6 miles
Speed (avg/max): 12.2 mph / 25.4 mph
Riding Time: 3 hours 47 minutes
Total Time: Approx 5 hours
Power (avg/max) 145 watts / 483 watts
Calories Measured at Wheel: 1980
Heart Rate (min/max/avg): 73 bpm / 180 bpm / 146 bpm

Miles this Year: 1001