Rose Pedals . . .: The Chiricahua Challenge

Day 3 - Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Out & back route to Chiricahua National Monument - 88 miles

Today was the biggest ride of the week - the ride to the summit of the Chiricahua National Monument. We refer to it as the Chiricahua Challenge because it is actually a feat of bravery (really, foolishness) to attempt such a big climb this early in the cycling season. Today's ride would be an out-and-back route, 88 total miles with over 4,300 feet of climbing. My legs are probably going to be very angry with me by the end of the day. Be that as it may . . . the morning temp was a crisp 38 degrees and sunny, so I started the ride wearing my wool jersey. As soon as we rode out of Willcox city limits, the route began to ascend, gently at first, but then gradually more steeply. To add to the challenge, we faced a strong headwind that remained with us for most of the day. Between the climbing and the headwind, I must've been working pretty hard because, despite the chilly air, I was sweating my buns off by mile seven. Our first "hill" of the route was the town of Dos Cabezas (translation: "two heads"), aptly named for the double peaked mountain that overlooks the town. Thereafter, we encountered rolling terrain as we ascended toward Chiricahua. At mile 36, we started the actual climb to the monument. It was a fairly tough 8-mile climb, especially considering it was my first "sustained" climb of the season. At the beginning of the climb, the grades ranged from 5 to 6%, but as we ascended, it became steeper with grades ranging form 7 to 9%. The views were absolutely spectacular. The rock formations were amazing. I'd have to rank it as one of my favorite domestic climbs. We spent some time at the summit taking pictures and enjoying the scenery. The decent, of course, was fast and furious. Fortunately, there were very few cars on the road, so you could really let 'er rip. After the descent, we enjoyed a wonderful PAC Tour lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches, salads and all kinds of other delicious fare, which, after that climb, really hit the proverbial spot. From there, we had about 33 miles to return to Willcox, most of which was either rolling hills or decent (the reverse of our morning route). Remember that headwind I mentioned we had to contend with in the morning? Well, it decided to reverse direction and continue to be a headwind for us as we made our return trip. (Yes, it's unfair. But Mother Nature can do whatever she wants, apparently - even if it defies logic.) Thankfully, we were still able to make good time because it was slightly downhill as we approached Willcox. Arrived back in Willcox by 3:00. A good time was had by all - even my legs (although they refuse to admit it).