Seen and heard: El Tour brings out the fun and color of Tucson

Coffee on the go

Coffee sounded like a great idea early Saturday morning.

Thank goodness for Ramon Olivas.

Olivas, who works for Stella Java, rode around on a “Cargo Joe” bike on Saturday, handing out free coffee to El Tour riders and spectators.

“We just kinda wanted to give back to everybody that comes out here for this race,” said Olivas, a Tucson High grad.

Olivas rode BMX bike in high school, but he said it’s a lot different lugging around a coffee tap.

The coffee itself was a “nitro cold brew” from a nitrous tap, similar to a Guinness tap, which gives the coffee a “creamier body and a little bit of sweetness to it,” Olivas said. “It tastes delicious, and has a nice chocolate-y taste.”

Big number

6-7

Height of El Tour’s tallest rider, Jim Holbrook from Phoenix.

He said it

“There aren’t many bike riders my height. There’s some people who are my height that bike race but it’s hard to find a bike that works….It’s a huge disadvantage. It takes me a little more to get going, and to get through the wind.” — Holbrook

Celebrity status

Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was greeted by a crowd of friends, fans, photographers and supporters when she crossed the finish line.

Giffords rode in the 11-mile run ride on a recumbent tricycle alongside her husband Mark Kelly, who rode on a regular bicycle. She crossed the finish line at about 10:25 a.m.

Once she crossed, Giffords took pictures with some fellow riders. Giffords suffered a near paralysis of her right side in a 2011 shooting. She trained to be able to ride on the recumbent bike.

Said Kelly, smiling: “This is great.”

Tweet of the day

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"Beautiful day for a bike ride! #TourDeTucson"

— @GabbyGiffords, before Saturday's ride.

School pride

A number of colleges were represented on riders' jerseys Saturday. It was, after all, a college football day.

Some we noticed: Florida State, Michigan, Stanford, New Hampshire, Texas, Arizona State and, of course, Arizona.

More brew

Matt Sadowsky and two of his friends had just finished the race, and needed a moment to sit back, and relax, in the sun. They went to the Michelob Ulta tent and ordered a few brewskis.

"It's my recovery drink," Sadowsky said, laughing.

Sadowsky, from Tucson, was a platinum finisher in the 104-mile race, with a time of 4 hours 45 minutes.

One wheel

Andy Moore has been riding a unicycle since he was eight or nine years old.

He started by practicing in his mother’s kitchen, where he'd hold on to the counter.

In the last five years at el tour, he’s went so far as competing in the 111-mile and 42-mile twice.

Saturday, though, he settled for the 5-mile race alongside his wife and daughter, who both rode on regular bikes.

His daughter, though, is learning the way of the unicycle.

“She knows how,” he said, “because I taught her.”

— Zack Rosenblatt and Luke Della