Held annually the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the El Tour de Tucson has been alive in Tucson for 27 years. I have mostly participated from a Sponsor's view. Placing advertising in the Tail Winds Newspaper and writing a Tucson related paragraph for monthly placement in the Perimeter Bicycling website.

This year however, I had a very different experience. My husband, Jay and son, Tyler both participated in the El Tour. Participants may cycle 109, 80, 66 or 35 miles. Since this was their first time, they chose the 35 mile ride.

I dropped them off at the start line. It was so exciting to see the other riders, all ages with so many different types of bicycles. Some looked very experienced; some riding in "memory of", others had decorated helmets and bikes. I quickly had a whole new appreciation of El Tour and its special meaning to each individual.

Jay and Tyler experienced the aid stations, full police support and morale-boosting spectators along the way. The organizational efforts that lead up to pulling off the El Tour are amazing to witness first hand.

Being at the finish line to cheer them on was a very proud moment for me.

The El Tour de Tucson is now so much more to our family than "one of the premier organized rides in the US".