Four

Two squared?  Square root of sixteen?  Well, yes, but also apparently the preferred size of fast moving groups of cyclists.  In past years it was “the boys” — two brothers, their friend, and a guy that became their friend just, perhaps to make it four?  But over the years, we’d always encounter a fast group and it almost always was a pack of four.

This year, we have two packs of four.  The electric-assist gang come in a foursome and a group of ladies out of California often travel as four.  Both are fast…well…the electric-assist gang were fast until they ran out of juice a mile shy of Bisbee.   True to desert form, the winds today were strong…really strong.  Edwin and I rode in with a 10mph moving average.  It was unrelenting wind for 30 miles — the kind that make you pedal down 4% grades and most of that 30 miles had a 2-3% uphill gradient.  So, the electric-assists faltered and just when the incline does its final kick into town.  Ouch.

But…back to packs of four.  This year we have 2 fast packs, both are packs of women.  And if that isn’t cool enough 69% of the 40-ish riders are female.  This is the most women in a PAC Tour week ever.  And, in case you’re thinking, “oooo…must be a really slow paced Historic Towns, then, eh?”  Uh…nope.  Not unless my human is really, really out of shape and I don’t think so.

Some years, particularly back when this was Bike Friday Week the group moved pretty slowly.  But this year, despite some pretty hefty winds, we’re all moving along relatively well.  The human is setting a steady pace to see if Edwin’s human can make it to the end.  Windy days like today aren’t good for Edwin’s human, but, despite being tired, we all made it into town together.  Yes!

If things go well, tomorrow we’re going off sag to visit the fort.  If we get our passes to the fort this week, then next week we’ll get an extra ride through the fort when we come out of Nogales.  Yippee!  Ain’t no way you can get too many rides through the fort.  Uphill…and whoosh down…uphill….and whoosh down…..wheeee….