Labor Day Gate's Pass

The Gate's Pass road ride is one of the better known Tucson road rides. To the yellow-jersey wearing, $5000 bike riding, spandex wheenies in town it is known as "the poor man's Mt. Lemmon".

Not really though, I just made that up.

Anyway, it's a sweet, scenic road ride starting in the city, going west up and over Gate's Pass through the Saguaro National Park West. The pass itself is pretty brutal, but short. As long as you can go for short periods of time up some high degree slope you're good. It's the headwinds you need to worry about. Pictures..

This one is from the top of the pass looking East into the city of Tucson...pretty steep but nothing compared to the climb on the way back over.

This picture doesn't capture the complete brutality of it, but it is from Saguaro National Park looking East towards Gate's Pass (the road cuts right up through the saddle of the mountain). It's a short climb, maybe a mile or so, but the slope in some spots is close to 18 percent. Comparable to a black diamond.

That's my bike, aka "Red". Picked it up at a garage sale while living in DC. Every time I take it out some unknown object falls off, but it has gotten me this far. I really should get a new one, but I think I'll wait until it completely craps out. I think it's a 1995 Cannondale R500...don't judge.

And here's a wreck I came across on the way home. Damn teenagers.