Has it really been 30 years since El Tour de Tucson founder/avid bicyclist Richard DeBernardis started this event with only a few hundred people, and it has now grown to about 9,000 riders? I’ve been volunteering the El Tour Expo for about 10 years of those 30. All the El Tour de Tucson rides are on Saturday November 17, 2012.

In May 2012 Tucson got ranked #1 in Outside’s top ten bicycle towns, click here for article online.

Expo & Packet Pickup
Expo is:
♦ where all cyclists pick up their rider packet, timing device and goodies
♦ where there’s a trade show with cycling and health-related vendors and exhibitors
♦ where cyclists attend meetings about important event information
♦ and more!

2012 Sanofi El Tour Bike, Fitness & Health Expo.

Interested in a booth at Expo? Contact Expo Director Ila Stadie: development@perimeterbicycling.com, (520) 745-2033

♦ ♦ ♦
El Tour Bike, Fitness & Health Expo
Tucson Convention Center (TCC)
260 South Church Avenue, Tucson
Downstairs in Exhibition Hall
Registration & Packet Pick-Up

Wednesday, November 14 / 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 15 / 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. * NEW TIME *
Friday, November 16 / 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

El Tour week attracts over 30,000 cyclists, volunteers and spectators to the greater Tucson and Pima County area. The location of El Tour Expo in downtown Tucson attracts attendance from downtown area businesses and residents. The El Tour Expo is the exclusive packet pickup location for over 9,000 cyclists. It is free and open to the public.

The Expo offers something for cyclists and non-cyclists alike with over 100 booths offering:

Sports and fitness products
Athletic apparel
Cycling gear
Exercise equipment
Recreational activity displays
Nutritional products
Free samples

Three Fun Rides (new 5 and 10 mile rides this year)
Putting The “Fun” in Fun Ride

Diamond Childrens Medical Center
EL TOUR FUN RIDE
For cyclists on road bikes, mountain bikes, BMX, tandems, wheelchairs or any human powered cycle.

10-Mile course starting in Armory Park and heads up the Santa Cruz River multi-use pat – sceneic and mostly away from traffic!
5-Mile course: easy and mostly flat along the Santa Cruz river path!
1/4-Mile course especially for cyclists on tricycles, training wheels,
or babies in trailers features fun activities for the kids!

As always any questions, concerns, registration information contact:

Perimeter Bicycling Association of America, Inc.
www.perimeterbicycling.com

2609 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85716 USA
Tel: (520) 745-2033
Fax: (520) 745-1992

UPDATE 11/17/12 unofficial results published in separate blog post: http://tucsoncitizen.com/community/2012/11/17/unofficial-2012-el-tour-de-tucson-results/. Congrads to all who finished their rides today, and also those who didn’t but attempted it.

28th annual El Tour article already written by Co-editor Ryn Gargulinski (click here).

For more details: go to Perimeter Bicycling Association’s website, www.perimeterbicyling.com.

Several rides tomorrow November 20:

The Routes
Participants may cycle 109, 79, 66 or 40 miles, plus the 6, 3 & 1/4- mile Diamond Children’s Fun Ride, open to all abilities. Main routes expose participants to scenic areas of Tucson, with beautiful vistas of its local mountain ranges – three rising over 9,000 feet- complete with the backdrop of the mighty saguaro cactus, icon of the Southwest’s Sonoran Desert. The Fun Ride offers an exciting 6-mile route, highlighting the many special cultural aspects of downtown Tucson. Course profiles can be rolling to moderately hilly, though the 40-mile route is basically flat and great as a family affair or for beginners! Two often dry but sandy river crossings will greet 109-mile riders, while 79 and 66-mile cyclists experience just one. No crossings for 40-mile participants. All routes offer aid stations, spaced each 7-10 miles, full police support at intersections and plenty of morale-boosting volunteers and spectators.

The Finish (downtown):

“The 109-mile startline (and finish line for all events) is located at Jacome Plaza in downtown Tucson at the corner of W Church St & E Pennington St, just .03 miles from the previous year’s venue. Upon crossing the finish line at the end of their ride, cyclists collect a special finisher’s medallion to remember their accomplishment and then onto the adjacent El Tour Downtown Fiesta, a festive atmosphere complete with food vendors, Michelob Ultra Beer Garden, El Tour Perimeter Store merchandise booth, and non-stop music and celebration throughout the day!”

Proceeds from El Tour benefit Tu Nidito which is Southern Arizona’s “little nest” for seriously ill and grieving children. “Yearly, Tu Nidito provides comfort, hope and support to more than 800 children during the most difficult times imaginable. Thousands of children and families have received support from Tu Nidito over the years as a result of contributions made from cyclists of El Tour de Tucson. ” I am familiar with the work of this terrific group (as our son was a Tu Nidito child for 7 and a half years) and that is why I volunteer every year at the El Tour Bike, Fitness & Health Expo downtown at the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave. This Expo runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today.

UPDATE: 11/20 unofficial results posted online (click here).

El Tour 2009 poster

It’s that time again, for the Annual El Tour de Tucson, the famous 109 mile bike ride, as well as the 80, 67, and 35 rides, including the ever popular Kids’ Fun rides of .4 and 4 miles, plus a new 8 mile Fun ride for families. It’s in its 27th Year, to be held on Saturday November 21st. Once again proceeds from the ride benefit Tu Nidito Children and Family Services.

“Tu Nidito, which is Spanish for “your little nest”, is a very special not-for-profit organization. Its mission is to provide individual, family and group support through emotional, educational, social and spiritual services to children and their families as they deal with serious illnesses and death.” I’m familiar with Tu Nidito was our son was a Tu Nidito child for 7 and a half years.

One of the fun parts of El Tour is the Bike, Fitness and Health Expo on the days preceding the bike rides at the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church, downstairs in the exhibition hall. This fair includes registration and packet pick up, and is scheduled for:

Wednesday, November 18, 4 to 9 p.m.
Thursday, November 19, 10 to 6 p.m.
Friday, November 20, 10 to 9 p.m.

The Expo also offers something for cyclists and non-cyclists alike with over 100 booths offering:

* Sports and fitness products
* Athletic apparel
* Cycling gear
* Exercise equipment
* Recreational activity displays
* Nutritional products
* Free samples

I’ve been helping with registration and distribution of children’s t-shirts for several years at the Kids’ Fun Ride booth. I’ve met some amazing cyclists and bike patrol volunteers, as well as very enthusiastic families and children who want to cycle the 109 mile El Tour ride someday. Many people think I am an El Tour bike participant, but the longest I’ve ever ridden is 30 miles, back in Virginia years ago.

Come on down to the El Tour Expo for information and current tips on bicycling in Tucson. For more info, call Perimeter Bicycling (2609 E. Broadway) at 520-745-2033, or write info@perimeterbicycling.com. There’s lots of information about El Tour and other community events on their website: www.pbaa.com.

NEW this year: start/finish line for El Tour will be moved to Church Ave. near W. Pennington at Jacome Plaza where the Main Pima County downtown Library is located.

Also, online registration for El Tour ends TODAY, so don’t delay!

Happy bicycling!