# 2012 Tour de Palm Springs



## Digger51 (May 12, 2006)

I did the century ride at the Tour de Palm Springs this last weekend. If every event were run as well as this then there would be more cyclist on the road. The SAG stations were extremely well stocked and plenty of volunteer help. They even had volunteers to hold your bike while you use the portapotty. The wether was great for the most part. The early morning had some stiff winds for about 10 miles, but then it calmed down and the day was great. 

It was my first Century ride and I am glad I chose TdPS to do a century for the first time. The elevation was about 3,000 feet mostly in the first 25 miles and there is a huge downhill between mile 30 and 50 that was a rush.

I have heard that there were between 7,000 and 10,000 cyclist at the event and I was at the start line for about 20 minutes just watching group after group and bike after bike go by me. I doubt if I will ever see so many bike in one location ever again (unless I go back to do the TdPS).

Anyway, kudos to the people that run the Tour de Palm Springs.


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## fast ferd (Jan 30, 2009)

I rode it a few years back. Indeed very well organized. 3,000 elevation gain sounds optimistic to me. I suppose it can accumulate over the course of a century.

This was the easiest hundred I ever did. We averaged about 20mph, riding-wise. (oh,no...this is where the boo birds chime in!) Stopped only twice for three minutes each. Total blast. Great food in town. Tip for all centuries: don't wait in line for the rollout; start on the outskirts of the route on your own terms. Unless you enjoy a glob of riders to slow you.


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## sdsuaztec89 (Aug 3, 2009)

The 2102 edition was my 3rd overall at PS, and first since 2006. This event has totally blown up, from a "pistol start" at the Palm Springs High School, in 2006 for no more than 4,000 riders, to over 10,000 riders from a staggered 90 minute start on a shut down 3 lane Boulevard downtown. I see good and bad in the growth. More people, makes it more exciting in town, and along the route. It can also lead to a Circus like atmosphere, and create a certain amount of danger, as many lesser skilled riders, get mixed in with seasoned pack riders. I saw some crazy stuff, including a crash right next to me in Coachella as 2 riders in a pack of about 15 converged into each other, and bit the asphalt. I heard a lot of yelling behind me. Someone was seriously pissed. A cap, for the number of participants might be a good idea. 

Other than that, it was in fact windy as hell for the first 10 miles, uphill and into the wind, (by the windmills). After that, just an epic February day here in the desert. SAGS are well positioned along the route, well stocked, lots of whatever you need to get around 100 miles. Support and first aid seemed abundantly available.


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## tomdecel (Feb 2, 2010)

This was my first TdPS and my last "organized" ride. I was there. Heading West somewhere around mile 65 in Thermal. There most have been 10 to 12 of us moving pretty swiftly. I passed a group of 4 or 5 middle aged riders (like me) that seem to be having a good time. I had a couple of riders ahead and 3 or 4 guys on my tail when I heard someone yell something like "oh no" and heard what sounded like two guys coming together. I saw one of them hit the pavement really hard at over 20 to 22 MPH.

I wanted to pull over but I was 30 yard ahead by then and had these guys on my tail and it looked like many others were stopping to assist, so I slowed a bit and kept going. I hope that guy(s) is OK, but I told my wife on the way home that 7 centuries in two years is good enough for me. No more mass events like this one. 

Besides this incident, I saw two other guys, one with bloody knees and the other elbows at the 48 mile lunch break and heard the sound of ambulances more than a couple of times near the route all through the day. 

Somewhere round mile 90, the 25 mile course joined the century route and I just moved over to the left and stepped on it to get out the way of hundreds of people in their beach cruisers and rusty garage bikes going half as fast waving all over the road. 

Except for the first 8 miles, I loved the ride. Very festive, very colorful but it is just not worth the danger of riding with large groups or getting "sandblasted" crossing the sand dunes by 40 MPH headwinds and cross winds with 60 MPH gusts.


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## tomdecel (Feb 2, 2010)

Found this on youtbe Windy Tour de Palm Springs, 2012 - YouTube

Don't know who this guy is so I hope he does not mind me posting it, but it descries those first 8 miles quite well.


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## beactive (Jan 2, 2012)

TdPS was my first century and I loved it. Took my 5 hrs and 55 mins which was under my goal of 6:15:00. The morning was really difficult with the cross winds blowing and seeing cyclists leaning over was funny. Then from mile 10-30 was a blast mostly downhill. I'd do it again.


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