# Toue de Blast



## tenkerman (Feb 16, 2012)

*Tour de Blast*

Who's doing it this year and who's done it in the past? I'm planning on going for the 1st time this year. How difficult is the 82 mile loop climbing wise? Toughest climb that I've done was a 17 mile climb up Mt. Lemmon in Arizona that was about 5000' of unrelenting climbing. I usually ride up and down the Skyline area so my legs and lungs aren't completely worthless.

Tour de Blast


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## moralleper (Jul 21, 2009)

The problem with this ride is it is usually very cold especially on the decent. The grades are not all that bad if you are used to riding in the PNW.


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## bismo37 (Mar 22, 2002)

I haven't done the Tour de Blast but I have ridden out there. I've done the stretch from Hoffstadt Bluffs to the JRO. The climbs are not crazy steep but can be tedious in a freezing drizzle. Nothing really in the double digit grades except maybe a few short rises. The crappy part comes when you've gotten to the top, start the cold wet descent and then get slapped in the face with the climb back up Elk Rock. If the weather is good, should be fine. If the weather is bad... 

Have fun! I did my mini-Tour de Blast in sunshine last month. (I put up a pic report in the commuting/touring subforum.)


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