Phoenix might be hot, but its a dry heat, right? 
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A lot of snow in Tucson too, but I have no doubt the 70s-and-sunny forecast for this weekend will come through. Unfortunately, I’m doing TBC, not BWR, so I get to freeze my tail off on the TT first thing tomorrow before things warm back up.
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We are flying in this afternoon and headed to Tucson, looked at the forecast and it looks like the weather we’ve been having here in Sacramento.
Turns out it was a good idea to cancel my assault on Mt Lemmon, and do BWR instead.
Packing jackets 
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Haha, I have not looked for reports, but no doubt Catalina Highway is closed! You’ll regret the jacket by 10 a.m. on Sunday 
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Pistol Hill TT sounds fun though! I’m bummed they are the same weekend. I love TBC!
Jacket for not riding. Yeah I saw the Sunday weather, a good bit of that I’d wear bib tights, but figure I’ll pack my knee warmers and thermal bib shorts instead.
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Full ride report, please….and how was the Bad Ass beer?
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Also want a race report! Teammate who was supposed to go got too busy with work.
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I did the waffle course yesterday. It ended up being 122 miles and 9000 feet elev. (saw a few folk get over 10k but my wahoo isn’t so generous) Absolutely loved it! They threw in some techy stuff, flowy trails and nice long stretches of pave. I’m from Phx so I’m familiar with all of it but I think some riders were taken by surprise by how long the first 30 miles took. After that the conditions got faster. The aid stations were excellent and I got the impression that the locals were pretty stoked to have the event, the start/finish in Cave Creek was a great location. I haven’t tried the beer yet, I was too tired last night and want to make sure I savor it.
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I did the Waffle. Great course, but so brutal. It was a good variety of road, single track, flowy stuff, and gravel roads. I was really hurting at the end. Also that wash at the finish was such an “F you” to finish it off.
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I just saw that sand pit sector at the finish and I can only imagine the pain. Can’t stop because you’ll get trapped - got pedal no matter how hard it hurts and keep going forward. Well done on finishing that beast.
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LOL I was expecting to walk but no skilz for that type of riding. Had registered for Wafer and did the Wanna, looking at the results I should have registered for Wanna and snagged 8th out of 20 in 55-64 age group even with all the walking and doing an easy endurance climb.
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Sounds like a missed opportunity to test all that fitness you gained with your FastCat coach no?
I’ve gotten myself involved in MTB races where I’m way in over my head skills wise, but it’s fun learning and balance that line between a broken hip and a fast descend.
Had some crud recently and I just wanted to have fun at the event. Basically I have no gravel/MTB experience, and knew that BWR likes to throw some stuff that makes you feel under-biked. Wed drop rides start next week, plenty of weekly fitness testing ahead of me!
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the face of fun wearing his DeathRide 5 pass finisher jersey! Off to see if they can move the peaks behind me for better framed pic. Always catching the group behind me on climbs LOL.
Excerpt from Anna Yamauchi race report:
"BWR Arizona was no joke - this course certainly felt like more dirt than the advertised 50% “unroad.” And the dirt, well, that wasn’t “just dirt”, it was loose, technical single-track for drop bar bikes, with flowy and fast descents. This course definitely required strong off-road skills, which would separate the field quite quickly once we got through the initial road section.”
and
"When we hit the dirt about 40 mins in, I eased up a bit, concerned about the miles left in the day. My stomach was churning. Those pre-race pancakes weren’t sitting well after the hard effort at the start(should have had waffles). On the first section of downhill I tasted my breakfast a second time, sending chunks to the cactus and intercepting bits with my shin. Not the way you want to start a long day.…
I was much more content once I settled into the long descent and found my flow in moto land. My MTB skills were coming in handy as I was sliding around loose corners, pumping the whoops, and playfully dodging puddles. The few men behind me were happy to let me do my thing and lead the way. My stomach was settling down and feeling better."
Excerpt from Peter Stetina race report:
“During those recon rides I realized this course was perhaps the most “mountain-biker” route I’d ever raced a gravel bike on. The Unroad sectors weren’t dirt roads but were actually MTB purpose built trails, rugged sand washes, and chunky 4x4 roads. All housed under a postcard perfect sky of desert rock and cacti.”
and
“I was struggling to hang on the DH but in one particular bumpy ravine I smacked my bike so hard I sent my shifting into crash mode: it stopped working in the biggest gear possible. Seconds lost became minutes as I fumbled with every trick I knew trailside, rider after rider passing by.”
WindWarrior was wishing for wind, I’m not an MTB-Warrior!
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I’m glad gravel segments are introduced in Grand Tours, even if gimmicky. It quickly filters out riders that lack a robust riding background.
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Thanks, did you notice the pic clearly shows a climbing angel helping the dude passing me? Clydesdale cyclists with a less robust riding background get no special treatment going up or down Clearly I shouldn’t have sold my Santa Cruz Superlight 29er after breaking my collarbone on it 8 years ago because I could have more well rounded battle scars by now 
Off to follow Ben Delaney on Strava…
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thanks, love the rider falling in the sand behind Ben at 4:20.
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It was an amazing race at an amazing venue! Everything great that is BWR!!! If you have not participated in the series, or if this was your first one,…do NOT make it your last!! CA is bananas for all the right reasons. And BWR UT is probably the fastest race course on the circuit. BTFU and get after it. I WILL SEE YOU THERE!!!
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