Two-4-Tucumcari Sneak Peak

It’s not the end of the world. But you can almost see it from there.

Such is an apt description of the new Two-4-Tucumcari route, a 2X200K event slated for 8-9 Spetember 2007. The route goes from near Canyon to Tucumcari and back, with an overnight stay in a vintage Historic Route 66 motel in Tucumcari. Click the route map thumbnail below to see the roads we’ll be taking:

Starting at 3630 feet elevation, and maxing out at a little over 4900 near Ragland NM, the route on Day 1 concludes with a very nice drop of about 800 feet to Tucumcari. Of course, it’s all done in reverse the next day as we return to Canyon on the same roads. With the exception of the fall off the Caprock Escarpment at Ragland, the terrain is very gentle, with only a few shallow draws and playa lake beds to dip into. Otherwise, the grassy plain gives the illusion of being perfectly flat.

But we know better.

This is rural riding at its finest, a place where the cattle outnumber the people by at least 10:1. With a daily mileage of 129, T4T will prove to be a tough test of stamina, endurance, and mental stick-to-itiveness.

The T4T is sanctioned by RUSA (Randonneurs USA). Riders need not be members of RUSA to participate, but those who are may receive credit for completing these 200K brevet events.

Entry fee for T4T is $109 double occupancy, $139 for single, and includes everything except Saturday evening’s meal (also at a vintage Route 66 diner). We’ll have our SAG vehicle out on the course, and Becky will be providing a delicious breakfast and lunch each day. We’ve got a post-ride picnic planned back at our houseon Day 2. Local lodging for before and after the events is available in Canyon (as us for details). Register online at hellweek.com, or give us a ring at 806.683.6489. In the mean time, check out some pics along the route.