I went for another training ride for the Tour de Scottsdale today. It was billed as a 40 mile ride and it looked like essentially all the climbing was in the first half according to the map on the website. However, just before we set off, the ride leader said he had changed the route a little. Now we were going to go up the hill on Pima to Dynamite Road (expected), turn east and go gradually uphill to 128th Street (also expected). But then, instead of turning south (and having a basically downhill ride the rest of the way) we were going to go down the "Nine Mile Hill" down to Rio Verde - and then turn around and come back up it! Well, needless to say, the climb to 128th Street would have been enough for me, but I figured what the heck. I survived the ride up, and then had a great time on the descent of Nine Mile Hill. I hit a top speed of 38 mph according to my Garmin, and still managed to get left behind. At the bottom we regrouped and I got about a 5 minute rest. Then back up the hill we went. I managed a whopping 10 mph for most of it, and again got dropped. Finally got to the top, though, without having to walk or stop on the way. Got another chance to rest for a couple of minutes and get some extra fluids in where the group stopped for a break. Then finally the mostly downhill ride along Alma School and back out to Pima, and south on Pima to where we started. Then they added on a loop of about another 4 or five miles to take the total distance covered 42.1 miles. When I got my stuff loaded up and got in my car, the outside temperature registered at 100 degrees. I drank every drop of fluids I had left, and still had to knock back another 2 litres when I got home before I started feeling normal again. I sure hope the Tour (which is 70 miles) is in much cooler conditions!

Have a great week!