Reflections on the Gila... and the final push to RAW

This weekend I competed in my fifth Tour of the Gila--and completed my third.   The Gila is a most special race, one of the last remaining amateur five day stage races in the country.  Simply put, it is iconic. No other race holds the same emotional attachment to me than Gila. For older masters athletes, the race is especially tough, as we race in a combined 40+ field.  The stage distances are more typical of Cat 2 racing.   To put Gila into perspective, compare it to the two major Arizona stage races, Valley of the Sun (VoS), and the Tucson Bicycle Classic (TBC).   The criterium at Gila has more climbing than all three stages of VoS.  Any one of the three road stages at Gila are nearly as long, or longer than all the stages of VoS or TBC combined.   Don't forget the altitude, the Gila low point is about 5700', and the climbs twice to over 7400'.  The Stage 1 summit finish at Mogollon is at the top of final 1700' climb from Whitewater Mesa.  Gila has it all, epic climbs, exhilarating descents. beautiful scenery, open roads, and fantastic support.  Gila is selective, like bike racing ought to be.  Most of all, Gila has a sense of community surrounding it, from the locals you chat with at the coffee shops, the race director mingling through the peloton at the start and shaking your hand, and catching up with fellow racers from all over the region that come to this unique venue.  It's not hype to say that the Tour of the Gila is a national treasure of amateur bike racing.

Race	Days	Total Distance (miles)	Climbing
​Tour of the Gila (Masters A)	5	255	16,625
Valley of the Sun (men 55+)	3	72	1410
Tucson Bicycle Classic (men 55+)	3	77	5239

A comparison of Tour of the Gila to the two major Arizona Stage Races.

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Stage racing gives you a unique opportunity to really enjoy being focused on just bike racing for several days--just racing, resting, and relaxing in between.  Back in 1991, we discovered staying up in Pinos Altos at Bear Creek Cabins.  It is less than a km from the Stage 5 finish.  Staying in the cabin lets us cook for ourselves most nights and enjoy the quiet mountains instead of being packed into a budget hotel in town.  For Stage 5, the road is closed just above the cabins, but there is a back gate into the property that is accessible during the race.  This year we discovered the most unexpected Buckhorn Saloon, presumably intentionally left to still look abandoned on the outside, but wonderfully restored inside.  When visiting Pinos Altos, its not to be missed.

Perhaps the reason Gila has always been special is the history I have with the event.  I began bike racing in 1986, and entered the first Tour of the Gila in 1987.  (This year, there were two of us in the Masters A field that had raced in the inaugural 1987 Tour of the Gila.)   I remember seeing the announcement to the event, and wondering if I was up to a race that seemed so audaciously difficult compared to anything else I had experienced.   I remember the thrill of the first climb up to Whitewater Mesa--a big field, side by side all the way across the road climbing out of the saddle.  I finished Mogollon, but as I learned, I was not up to three days of racing and dropped out of the final stage at 50 miles. 

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Tour of the Gila 1991.  Cathy was the best crew then, and now.

Tour of the Gila then and now (1991 left and 2018 right)

​I would return in 1990 and 1991, with better results.  One of those years, after placing in the top 10 in the ITT in a 100 rider field, I double flatted in a submerged pothole, waited 5 minutes for a wheel, and ultimately withdrew when it was clear I would not make the time cut.  The only photos we have were from 1991.  Back then, our feeders and family could still drive up to the top of the Mogollon climb for the finish.   Cathy drove all the way up that tiny little road with my first two sons Chris (then 2, now 30 years old), and Ben (just an infant then) and the Twiner Baby Jogger.  She has always been so supportive, and very special that she will be following me all 930 miles from Oceanside to Durango for RAW.  My youngest son Jack, now 26, is also crewing me at RAW, was not even born yet in 1991.

Raising a family, and moving to New England, then Pasadena would keep me away from Gila for the next 27 years.  In 2018, I returned after being away far to long.  Last year I placed second GC in the 55+, missing the opportunity for a red winners jersey with a disastrous Stage 2 where I lost over 20 minutes struggling up that same climb out of the Mimbres Valley back to Silver that I had dropped out on in 1987 and 1991.  You never can tell when the best of preparation will not be enough and some unknown force will catch up with you on race day.  I know I hurt more on that climb in 2018 than I did in 1987 or 1990, but experience got me through.  Cathy (still feeding me after all these years), knew I would be all right, and headed to the finish after the feed--so as not to tempt me with an opportunity to DNF.

This year's Gila was special as well and I felt an obligation to support the race with my participation even if the race did not really fit in with the training for Race Across the West.  I did my best to adjust the training schedule, and to use Gila as a last opportunity to refresh the legs with quality, altitude, and climbing.  I descended conservatively, and took no risks in the criterium.  I still did a fast 100 mile ride the Saturday before Gila.  However, I can assure you that Gila is not an easy race when one is not specifically prepared, especially considering the Masters A are a combined 40+ field.   For nearly everyone, Gila is the priority race of the year, the race the entire season of training is focused.   I felt like a diesel truck among sports cars, but stronger each day and near the ends of the stages.  

For me, Gila was not the focus of my season, that is still to come in Oceanside in 34 days. With no interval training in my legs, I was not prepared to stay with the lead group come hammer time.   I had to shift my perspective and my expectations.  That was tough when I was dropped on a hard acceleration on Stage 1, just before the second feed. Oddly, at the end of each day, I felt like I could go ride another few hours--that's a good sign.   Still, it was a great week of racing my bike, being with friends, and relaxing with Cathy.

My focus now turns completely to the final three weeks of training, and two weeks of resting before RAW.  I'm hoping to get in two last 160-200 mile rides, but plan to see how the weekends go.  The training is mostly there, now it's important to maintain the confidence and the freshness.   In 1987, finishing Gila seemed outrageous.  Now, in my late 50s, it is straightforward.  Descending NM 15 of Wild Horse Mesa on a closed road at more than 40 mph is thrilling.  Still, bike racing always has the unexpected. Both John Hatchitt and Jordi Conrado crashed out of our field at Gila.  Jordi went down in the high speed corner at the bottom of the descent to the Mimbres Valley right on my inside.  That could have easily taken out several riders, including me.  That is the nature of bike racing.  At RAW, half of us will not finish despite our best planning, preparation, and support.  Nature may unexpectedly raise the bar on race day with winds and heat beyond our ability to adjust. Illness or disruption of our diet by travel my trip us up.  Unexpected mishaps may delay us beyond the time limit.  In 34 days, we will find out.

​My RAW Story, Day 178.  34 days, 22 hours to RAW 2019.

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