Up next . . .

. . . on my racing calendar is Kitt Peak, which is this Sunday. The time trial is just about the same length as Mt. Lemmon, but the climb itself is a little harder. Unlike Lemmon, which gets steeper or flatter in sections and averages 5-6%, Kitt Peak is an engineered 8% grade. And it never lets up. Because of the observatory on top, they figured that an 8% grade was the absolute steepest it could be to get the mirrors up the hill. Here's a cool 3D isometric view of the climb. The wise Don Melhado of my team Saguaro Velo says that Kitt is a "zen" climb--you find your gearing, find your cadence, find your breathing, and just get into the zone for the entire climb, as it is relentless. My 7th place in the Lemmon TT puts me in striking distance for a top-5 finish for the combined mountain series--well, that is if I have a good day!