Downtown Tucsonan - November 2007 - (Page 11)

Vital Signs 2 5 t h e l to u r t o d r a w 1 0 , 0 0 0 R i d e r s , 4 0 , 0 0 0 v i s i t o r s by Downtown Tucsonan Staff yclists from around town and across the country have plenty of reasons to flock to tucson each fall for the university Medical center El tour de tucson. some come to experience a wide-ranging route that circles the entire metropolitan area, including city streets, mountain trails and crossings of a dry river and a running creek. others enjoy the friendly atmosphere, the choice of six courses extending up to 109 miles or the chance to bask outdoors during a typically perfect period of old Pueblo weather. Mia Roth, like many El tour veterans, is motivated in part by the prospect of raising money for a worthy cause. In 2006, the event raised nearly $225,000 for tu nidito children and Family services – including more than $3,000 brought in by Mia, last year’s top fundraiser. she’s hoping to top that mark by bringing in nearly $10,000 in donations for this year’s event, which will be held saturday, november 17. truth be told, Mia’s remarkable commitment to charity is not the only thing that will be driving her to finish this year’s El tour. there’s also the matter of a small rodent. “I hope I finish because if I don’t, dad says I won’t get a guinea pig,” says Mia, who – you should probably know – is just 7 years old. and while other kids her age might well be participating in El tour’s quarter-mile or 4-mile Family Fun rides, Mia will be taking on the 66-mile course – a grueling ride usually reserved for much more mature riders. Her father, Marc Roth, says the prospect of a new pet helps Mia make it through the long training runs she’ll need to build up the strength to complete the lengthy course. But Mia herself was itching for a greater challenge after conquering the 36-mile course in last year’s El tour. “when she was four, we entered her in the quarter-mile ride and it was just a joke for her – she did the whole thing in a couple minutes and said ‘Is that it?’” Roth said. after Mia was similarly underwhelmed by the 4-mile course the following year, Roth entered her in the 36-mile ride as a six-year old. “I was kind of tired,” Mia allowed, recalling last year’s ride. “I took, like, four drinks.” Mia and her father have trained for this year’s El tour by taking increasingly longer rides on the roads around their home in Laguna Hills, calif. “we take some pretty epic rides for a girl her age,” Roth said. “she’s the skinniest little thing you’ll ever see in your whole life, but she’s got a ton of stamina. she just destroys adults going up hills.” that same work ethic carries over to Mia’s fundraising efforts. “she takes it upon herself to get it done,” Roth said. “she’ll walk dogs for some of the neighbors in exchange for donations. she goes around our neighborhood and her school and just keeps asking people for money.” Roth himself began riding in El tour about five years ago during his family’s annual thanksgiving visit to his parents’ tucson home. “It’s a lot of fun – very high energy. there’s a lot of people involved, and the course is fantastic,” he said. He said Mia enjoyed the royal treatment she got last year from the Perimeter Bicycling association of america (PBaa), which organizes the event. the local residents who gather to watch the cyclists also offer plenty of support. “It’s a lot of fun,” Mia said, “because when you ride, you get to see a lot of people and they wave and say ‘hi’ to you.” organizers encourage a friendly atmosphere in part by playing down the competitive nature of the event. “It’s a ride, not a race,” said Barbara Franklin, registration director for El tour. “we do keep times and post the results so people can set their own goals. But most people come to this event to see tucson and to participate in a well-supported community event.” this year marks El tour de tucson’s 25th anniversary, and the event is expected to attract a record crowd of more than 10,000 cyclists. some will be here because this year’s ride was named by the washington d.c.-based League of american Bicyclists as the 2007 national Bicycle Rally – a designation that draws cyclists from across the country to a different event each year. But El tour has always attracted regular riders from faraway places. Because the event fills an otherwise unoccupied spot on serious cyclists’ calendars, it often draws top-tier riders looking for a low-pressure, late-season run. c 7-yea r- o l d m i a rot h . Recreational riders, meanwhile, are attracted by the beautiful weather, the variety of scenic courses and the tireless efforts of the event’s organizers. “I really think El tour leads the pack among organized cycling events,” said Joe Lee, who travels to tucson each year from his home near Gallup, n.M., to participate in the event. “It’s just so well organized, the weather is fantastic, and it comes at a great time.” community groups help make the event special by volunteering to man the aid stations set up every 7 to 10 miles along the event route. while organizers provide fruit and water at every station, volunteers supplement those items with cookies, energy bars and other offerings. “we’ve even got a crew from a fire station that makes pancakes,” Franklin said. continued on page 12 november.07. downtown tucsonan 11 http://downtowntucson.com

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Downtown Tucsonan - November 2007 Contents From the Editor Downtown Lowdown Vital Signs Downtown Live Arts Galleries Guide Yourself Through Open Studios Performance and Film Events Museums Historic Downtown Billboard Classifieds

Downtown Tucsonan - November 2007

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