Winter on Two Wheels
The League of American Bicyclists recently named Tucson and the eastern Pima County a Region Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community. The award reflects the commitment of local leaders to provide safe, accessible and enjoyable cycling opportunities for all.
At Dove Mountain, we’re proud of our bike-friendly community and how it allows residents of all skill levels to have fun and stay fit during our enviable sunny and dry winter weather.
Tucson and Pima County have long been recognized for outstanding cycling opportunities, whether for serious mountain bikers or those who enjoy leisurely cruises through breath-taking Sonoran Desert scenery. In fact, the region is consistently ranked as one of the top United States cycling cities.
Here is a sampling of popular cycling events perfect for the region’s amazing winter climate include:
- 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo — The event, Feb. 18 to 20, features teams of various sizes and skill levels in an endurance test to determine who can cover the most ground over 24 hours. [When the dust settles what matters is who had the best time.]
- The Tucson Bicycle Classic — This event, March 4 to 6, is a key warm-up race for North American road cyclists featuring a challenging three-day USA Cycling sanctioned stage race offering a time trial, and road and circuit races.
- The Gran Fondo — or “Big Ride” on March 12 is open to all skill levels and celebrates the sport of cycling by offering 82-mile, 62-mile and 32-mile scenic routes through Tucson and wraps up with an after party at the start/finish line featuring live music, games, food and craft beer.
Tucson’s flagship bicycling event is El Tour de Tucson, an annual event in November that attracts more than 6,000 cyclists from across the country and beyond. The event has raised more than $101 million for local charities since 1983. There are six routes ranging from 101 miles to a single mile, including the Town of Marana’s 28-mile loop.
Dove Mountain cyclists also have easy access to Tortolita Mountain biking trails and the famous Huckleberry Loop, a 131-mile car-free network of multi-use and paved trails with spectacular mountain views winding through desert washes and connected to parks, eateries, coffee shops, brewpubs, libraries, event venues, local employers and much more.