Arizona Desert Training Camp

Are You Going to Train All Winter Watching Old Cycling Videos?
Shhhh......Come Play Outside to Tucson, Arizona

Our 14th Year!

Originating in Tucson, Arizona cyclists will enjoy the fine weather and roads in the southern region of the state. Each week includes breakfasts, lunches, sag stops, motels, Travel Shirt, and technical support. Collectors Edition Jersey if you register before December 15th, plus some of the driest spring weather in the United States.

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Training Goals | Signup and Details

We will begin each tour from the Country Inn and Suites Hotel located 1/2 mile from the Tucson Airport. Your arrival hotel room is included in Tucson the day you fly in to Tucson. Your departure hotel room is included the last night of the tour before you fly home the next day. A hotel shuttle bus is available to bring you and your bike to the hotel. You will be able to ship and store your hardshell bike case at the Country Inn and Suites Tucson. Rider Packets and Travel Plans will be mailed around December 15th.

Country Inn and Suites Hotel
6681 Tucson Blvd
Tucson AZ 85706
Reservations call: (520)741-9000

NEW 2008 - The Country Inn and Suites Hotel will take your reservations should you wish to arrive early or stay over a few nights. Make those reservations early! Click here for their special offer page.

In 2008, whenever PAC Tour stays in Sierra Vista, Arizona - we will be enjoying the newly renovated Windemere Hotel ! The modern meeting rooms, the access to a full spa, and a full american breakfast buffet will be some of the benefits we will enjoy at this Hotel. NEW 2008 Included - On the Camp weeks when we stay full time in Sierra Vista – We will celebrate our final night with a fantastic group dinner in one of their banquet halls.

Newly renovated Windemere Hotel

If you would rather not travel with your bike to camp - you have an option of renting a bike. Contact Jessie Menard of Cycle Tucson at www.cycletucson.com. They can put together a bike that fits you and will deliver and pick up the bike at the Country Inn and Suites.

This is an annual event first held in 1996.

See Desert Camp tips on RoadBikeRider.com.

2008 Info

Week #1
Cactus Classic Desert Tour

$995 based on double occupancy Single supplement $350
Arrive in Tucson (fly in), Saturday, February 23
68-89 miles per day to Gila Bend and back
Depart from Tucson (fly out), Saturday, March 1

This week of Camp is a fun week of riding through beautiful desert terrain. We will tour for six days in the flat lower desert west and north of Tucson. The weather is always warmer here and a good place for February training. This out and back route offers flat to gently rolling landscape suitable for early season miles. We will eat breakfast and several lunches during the week at interesting local restaurants. This is a good tour to start your cycling season and break up a winter of indoor cycling.

2008 Itinerary

The riders at this camp will range from beginner to experienced. All riders should be able to ride 50 miles in 4 hours with stops.

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Training Goals | Signup and Details

Week #2
Coaching Week

$995 based on double occupancy Single supplement $350

Arrive in Tucson (fly in), Saturday, March 1
Based in Sierra Vista 50-82 miles per day
Depart from Tucson (fly out), Saturday, March 8

Each day will begin with a stretching class. Breakfast will follow in the hotel restaurant. Daily rides will offer longer and shorter loops to interesting destinations surrounding Sierra Vista. Lunch and snack stops will be provided along the route. On some days additional miles will be available. We will have afternoon and evening seminars presented by our staff of coaches. Topics will cover nutrition, training, motivation, equipment, event preparation and other long distance related topics.

2008 Itinerary

The riders at this camp will range from beginner to experienced. All riders should be able to ride 50 miles in 4 hours with stops.

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Training Goals | Signup and Details

Week #3
Tour of the Historic Towns and Hotels

Special welcome to Bike Friday owners!

$1,195 based on double occupancy Single Supplement $450
Arrive in Tucson (fly in), Saturday, March 8
Depart from Tucson (fly out), Saturday, March 15

SPACE LIMITED

We still have 3 or 4 spots available:

• One room available for either one or two persons
• One bed in a shared male room
• One bed in a shared female room

Arrive in Tucson and saddle up for a tour filled with sizzling southwest history every day! The first day we'll ride 66 miles to an old stagecoach Hotel in Patagonia. The following morning we'll head out on an easy 55 miles through the wine country of Elgin before spending an evening walking the wooden sidewalks of historic Tombstone. On day three, we'll ride 40 miles to the hillside-mining town of Bisbee. There's an optional side trip into Mexico to stop and smell the enchiladas. The fourth day of riding is an optional 55-mile round trip ride into Douglas, Arizona to have lunch at the Gadsden Hotel. Then return to Bisbee for great shopping and things to see in the revitalized old town area. The final two days of this tour will follow the old stagecoach routes back through Tombstone and Benson before returning to Tucson.

This tour is for riders who are looking for a fun cycling holiday with less focus on training and fitness. It is the easiest tour of the PAC Tour Desert Camp series. You'll enjoy this tour more if you can average 10 mph to have more time to explore the olde southwest along the way. If you want to train for racing and average faster than 15 mph you should not attend this week. Please consider joining a longer mileage week of Desert Camp.

2008 Itinerary

Bike Friday welcomes all their customers to join this fun tour. See http://www.bikefriday.com/desertcamp for multimedia reports of previous Bike Friday Desert Camps. More PACTOUR on a Friday at http://www.bikefriday.com/pactour.

The riders at this camp will range from beginner to experienced. All riders should be able to ride 50 miles in 5 hours with stops.

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Training Goals | Signup and Details

Week #4
Chiricahua Challenge Tour

$995 based on double occupancy Single supplement $350
Arrive in Tucson (fly in), Saturday, March 15
Depart from Tucson (fly out), Saturday, March 22

This week is a cross between our popular Mountain Week with more time to ride the beautiful Chiricahua Mountains. The 15-mile climb up to the Chiricahua Monument is considered one of the best roads in the region. You will spend 2 nights in Willcox and 3 nights in Historic Tombstone to customize shorter or longer routes if you wish.

2008 Itinerary

This week is for experienced riders. All riders should be able to ride more than 50 miles in 4 hours with stops.

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Training Goals | Signup and Details

Week #5
Century Week

$995 based on double occupancy Single supplement $350
Arrive in Tucson (fly in), Saturday, March 22
Based in Sierra Vista 60-100 miles per day
Depart from Tucson (fly out), Saturday, March 29

This week is for riders who want to ride long miles everyday, but stay at one location during the week. Daily rides can be customized for riders with specific interests. Evening cycling entertainment and programs will be provided on a variety of topics. Each day will offer longer and shorter routes with 60-100 mile options.

2008 Itinerary

The riders at this camp will range from beginner to experienced. All riders should be able to ride 50 miles in 4 hours with stops.

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Training Goals | Signup and Details

Week #6
Mountain Tour

$995 based on double occupancy Single supplement $350
Arrive in Tucson (fly in), Saturday, March 29
80 -100 miles per day, to New Mexico
Depart from Tucson (fly out), Sunday, April 6

After descending for 5 miles, I took a picture of this sign... George M.

This point-to-point tour stays at different motels each night. Our route will loop around southeastern Arizona into New Mexico. This loop has become famous among veteran camp riders for the strenuous mountain climbs and variety of scenery. The four-hour climb up Mount Graham on Day 5 is one of the highlights of this tour. This is one of the most popular weeks of Camp and is limited to 50 riders.

2008 Itinerary

This week is for experienced riders. All riders should be able to ride more than 50 miles in 4 hours with stops.

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Training Goals | Signup and Details

Week #7
Women's Coaching Week

$995 based on double occupancy Single supplement $350
Arrive in Tucson (fly in), Sunday, April 6
Based in Sierra Vista 50-82 miles per day
Depart from Tucson (fly out), Sunday, April 13

This week is for women who want to ride together and learn about women’s coaching topics. Daily rides will offer longer and shorter loops to interesting destinations around Sierra Vista. Ride 60-80 miles per day with several well-known cycling champions and coaches. AM stretching sessions will be lead by Michelle Grainger. Breakfast will be at the hotel restaurant, lunch and snack stops will be provided along the route. The Sierra Vista Hotel has a spa and outdoor pool for relaxing by after a day’s ride. We will have afternoon and evening seminars presented by our staff of coaches. Topics will cover: nutrition, training, motivation, mechanics, bike fit, developing self confidence and other cycling related topics. One sports massage per participant is included in the entry fee.

2008 Itinerary

This week is also hosts the Anne Marie McSweeney Scholarship Award Winners. Anne Marie was dedicated to bicycling and had an avid interest in promoting bicycling for women. Two women each year receive the award given by the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association.

Coaches include: Cat Berge who has in a short period (7 years) gone from being a bike commuter to a world class ultradistance cyclist, excelling in climbing and endurance events. She has been actively coaching individual athletes, started up and led a woman cycling team in (Central Valley Lunachix) targeted to making every woman excel and enjoy at her own level, and has been coaching 2 years at PAC Tour Women's Week. Cat has learned by trial and error (lots of them) and by being coached by the best coaches around, and she loves to share her experiences to help other cyclists avoid her pitfalls and set backs.

Michelle Grainger who has been coaching cycling and racing for over 20 years. She coaches both road and mountain bike and knows coaching techniques in both short races and ultra events. Michelle has several certifications in the areas of Nutrition, Strength and Conditioning, Pre and Post Natal Exercise, experience with Post Rehab-Strengthening, Fit Ball and stretching instruction. She has a college degree, several certifications, and an Elite Level 1 license to coach people in cycling. This will be Michelle 4th year coaching at our camps.

Terri Gooch, RAAM winner and former personal trainer from NYC. Terri Gooch, who rode her first century at PAC Tour Desert Camp in 1999, has gone on to fulfill her dreams of finishing RAAM. She promotes cycling events with her husband George Thomas under the umbrella of Race Across Oregon. Terri is looking forward to attending women's week as one of her main goals as an event director is to reach out to the women in cycling and to improve their experiences in the sport.

The riders at this camp will range from beginner to experienced. All riders should be able to ride 50 miles in 4 hours with stops.

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Training Goals | Signup and Details

Training Goals Before Desert Camp

The training base for riders attending Desert Camp is different than for riders joining our other cross country tours. Most riders are coming from winter climates. They are unable to ride outside during the three months before Camp. These riders can still arrive at Camp ready to ride. Here are some fitness goals:

• Try to include 10 hours per week of physical activity in your routine. Walking to work, shoveling snow, chopping wood, skiing and snowshoeing all help maintain winter fitness.
   
• Join a Health Club and participate in Spinning Classes. Riding three sessions per week will help your cycling. Training with other people will help keep you motivated. While you are at the gym, include some stair climbing, weight lifting, pull-ups and stretching in your routine.
   
• Don't forget some intensity. Remember Lon's 90% guideline of max heart rate — try to accumulate one hour per week in this intensity zone. Use a heart monitor watch with upper limit memory. When you ride your indoor bike trainer; include sprints and hill climbs. Don't plod through every workout at a conversation pace.
   
• Eat Right. At Camp it is difficult to diet and still ride long miles. If you need to lose weight...start now. Lose those extra pounds gradually before camp.
   
• The Desert Camp days are planned at a 3-4 hour per 50 mile pace with rest stops. That means riding down the road at 14-18 MPH. Use this as a guide for planning your training pace.

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Training Goals | Signup and Details