99% in high gear. I just used low gear for a few steep climbs and mounting.
Nicely Done
You must be feeling pretty good right now Andy, and rightly so.
You really delivered on a goal that would have been very difficult under the best of circumstances…and you did it on your unicycle.
I can remember Bruce Dawson making a comment that distance riding is reliant on skill as much as endurance and thinking to myself that it sounded somewhat pompous. Dawson is modest and uber capable, so it seemed all the more odd a statement. I believe he was correct in hindsight. If you fail to become laminar, choose a good line, anticipate and adjust proactively to the terrain and the other riders in the crush of the pack, you may not finish at all. It sounds like plenty of bicyclists went down hard and did not finish even with the advantage of another wheel and more gears.
If you fall and manage to surmount whatever injuries you sustain, as a unicyclist, there are not going to be too many options if your wheel gets taco’d unless you have a robust Plan B and a road crew.
On many levels you accomplished something extraordinary. It would take far more than your “ride time” on the Tuscon 111 to list all the aspects of the challenge if I could even manage to attach the words to this feat that I am aware of.
Thanks for taking the time to write this up. Vicariously at times we all live through each others experiences and I was wondering how the ride went.
Again, nicely done. Epic
Thanks for the kind words StraightArrow. Yes, it is a combination of training, determination, skill and luck to succeed in an event like this. I have to say thanks to Bryce and Leif for paving the way in this event by finishing the distance un-geared two years ago.
Great ride!
Nice!
Side note: I think I may have been stopped a couple times by a friend of yours who used to ride unicycles with you. Do you know any one on Lummi Island?
JM
I am very happy for you, 
Congrat’s!!! 
Congrats! Quite an accomplishment.
I very much enjoyed your write-up.
Congrats, well done. Stay in shape and go to Italy and compete, you are flying.
Thanks.
I have never heard of Lummi Island. Must be someone else.
Italy sounds like fun, but how do you get a 36’’ unicycle to Italy without spending a fortune on shipping?
Awesome Ride! So inspiring. Makes me almost want to bite the bullet and upgrade to a KH/Schlumpf 36er. Sadly road riding in my area is very, very dangerous (rednecks and ignorant/distracted drivers) and no bike lanes. Someday perhaps. Until then I’ll get things done on the little old KH/Schlumpf 24", not fast but I’ll get there!
Excellent write-up, sounds like an incredible event, crazy to hear about so many cyclists in one event. Never been to a ride that large, I know what you mean about it being tricky at the start. I couldn’t believe how slow the cyclists started out, was very difficult to ride so slow!
Yes, it was a little sketchy at the start. The cyclists were moving so slow, I was having to sneak between them to keep going fast enough to stay upright. Luckily, I was up far enough that I didn’t have to do that for long.
El Tour is a huge event. There are people from all over the country and even some from Europe. There were a lot a large Team in Training groups from a number of states including Illinois, Texas, and Georgia. The Georgia riders had peaches attached their helmets! I actually got an e-mail from the team leader for the Illinois group congratulating me on my ride! He was on the course 11 hours getting his whole group across the finish. Bill Walton and Barry Bonds road in this year’s race. I think I finished before Bill Walton.
I finished number 2661. 3169 cyclists completed the course. I believe there were over 3500 registered for the ride.
This is close to the half way point on the ride.
Believe it or not, you can get a 36er on international flights for free. While it is technically “oversized baggage” I have only gotten charged that fee out of 15+ times flying with my 36er. Also, on international flights, they don’t usually charge the silly $25 or $50 baggage fee. All you have to do is make a bag for the wheel and but the frame and handle in your suitcase. Come to Italy! We always need more competition.
I’m on my way! Jk jk
Probably not too hard a sell to the wife to take a trip to Italy!
There are a lot of powerful riders out there, I think I would get killed in the marathon. If there was a metric century race, I might do OK.
there IS a metric century race at the next UNICON TucsonUni. Time to start schmoozing the wife.
Guess what?! There is a metric century race!
Hey, thought I’d also give some congrats on the ride. I thought I might jump on the forums here, as I haven’t in a while, and am really glad I happened to catch this. Nice job on the time despite conditions, as well as an awesome, inspiring write-up.
What a great place to ride, Tucson. I was there a month ago and really enjoyed the crystal clear mornings and the excellent paths for unicycling. Enjoy it!!!