Mike S called he is out and on the way to my place to pick up his van.

Here's some pics from yesterdays work up on Oracle Ridge.


The Magic Gate almost didn't recognize it for all of the fresh growth.


Fritz the new Segment Steward for Oracle Ridge.


Kurt was still looking strong when we saw him in the Traverse. Even after all of the work Kurt mentioned how much fresh growth there was from last year especially the briars. The good news is that section now has someone who wants to keep up with it.

We had set ourselves up to do a shuttle hike. So we were driving back up the Control road when we came across Caroline (I think I got her name right). I was surprised when she said Kurt was bailing out. I offered her a ride but she wanted to finish riding up and over the mountain. Back at the trail head I told Fritz I would wait and give her one more shot at a free ride. After she arrived and realizing that she still had a long way to go she took me up on the offer. We got a hold of Kurt and made arrangements to meet him down by Campo Bonito. Kurt mentioned the lower single track is also getting a little over grown. That may have to wait for fall at this point.

Yeah those blister shots are gruesome, takes some real will power to continue with that going on. This thread may need to have a warning added to the heading. Graphic images contained.

Not sure about and signage it does seem like they shouldn't have it signed as that is the norm. If anything a sign saying under construction. Looks like he is almost back on track at any rate.

Pretty sure that single track is a dead end, Aleck and some friends rode out there last weekend and he said they just followed the trail about 4 miles to the end. Not sure what he was thinking but he should be able to bushwack back on course by following some wash.

Looks like Max is checking in at the store in Summerhaven, he has a part time job there last summer and had promised to stop by.

We saw Joe up on Oracle ridge not long after seeing Kurt so he should be well down by now. There were no down trees in the Traverse section but lots of fresh growth. I didn't even recognize the Magic Gate we almost couldn't see it for the brush. I'll post up some pics in the morning.

Marshall that's sux but there are times when it's best to listen to your body, or was it the GPS talking to you.

Oh well there's always next year.

I see there is one other 750 rider still in Patagonia, in out or just making it a short day yesterday after driving all day and night to get to the start. Matt and Mike both from CA look to be at the Hotel in Patagonia. They had hoped to get here earlier Thursday evening there was even talk of getting a room in Sierra Vista to get a good night sleep the night before. In the end they got here at midnight and we all left my place at 1 am. The only sleep they got was a couple of hours while I was driving and then sitting in the van at the border not really good sleep. I was a little late getting pics up because I fell off shortly after getting home, man beds are nice. But alas I would rather have been sleeping out there in the dirt.

Just getting back from the border and Parker Lake.

Matt, Mike, Max and I arrived at the border in the wee hours of the morning. Marshall showed up right on schedule, Brad and Matt are only in for the 300 but wanted to see the border without snow.

They all got going right at 6:30 this morning.

Brad and Eric left Parker about 6:40 per Yuri.

Andy left ant 7:51 with Yuri right behind at 7:55.

Jill was off at 8:50.

Every one else lined up for a typically late start at 9:04.

Then Dave and Lynda at 9:18.

Looks like Eric Foster is tearing it up.  

And here's some pics from the starts.

The three 750 riders.



The 750 riders plus Brad and Matt.



Heading north from the Border.



Yuri.



Jill.



The Pack.

August 15th seems like a better time to be on the Kaibab Plateau, at least in regards to temps, but I wouldn't trust the monsoons to provide very good riding conditions anywhere.  No way to predict that sort of thing, but if at all possible I would try and delay your trip at least a month until conditions will likely be drier and temps slightly cooler.  I rode from UT to Payson late last September and I decided to pull the plug there because it was too hot to drop down into the desert.

The good part about the Kaibab during monsoons is that the soils don't get sticky. The problem south of Flagstaff and a lot of the rim country is gumbo mud.

Good thing I double checked...

So if I started from the Grand Canyon around September 15, I should have more luck? I should also say that once I hit Phoenix, I'm riding east into California.

Wow all the way around the world why not just head west and you will be there in no time. Just kidding.

Temps can stay high into early October but it cools off more at night and even if the high is 100 it likely only gets that hot for a few hours rather then all day.

As far as temps go Flag to Payson would be fine but if there are afternoon rains a lot of the trail in that section turns to gumbo, but you could always bail out to improved roads or the highway.

After Payson it would be hot at mid day but if you timed it right you might be able to ride in the mornings and then hold up at one of the lakeside camp grounds during the heat of the day. It has been attempted in Sept by night riding but as I recall the prevalence of snakes made things interesting.

Upper Oracle Ridge got some TLC yesterday. My friend Steve and I put in a pretty full day work down from the top. We must have moved about half a dozen down trees and beat back lots of oak and briar patches. We didn't do any thing I would consider sanitizing so there will still be plenty of walking. I only did a little bit of tread work and then only in places where it seemed like the trail was deteriorating down the side slope.

Still hoping to get up one more time as last Sundays work got snowed out. The new plan is to go up Saturday so that should put us up there ahead of everyone but Kurt

I think a spare for the 300 is overkill--but not for the full meal 750--so I will have the old one along again--it's 3rd time on the AZT

Seems reasonable to me maybe not with a brand new one but if one were already over a year old having a spare might save the day at some point.

My first Legend lasted over 2 years did the 06 tour and the 07 AZT300. The new one has the chip and the first ride was 12/20/08 so the first one must have lasted about 2.5 years banging around on the handle bars. The new one is still working after 3 years but I am not sure I would want to trust it for a big ride.

I am going to both starts so I can handle the spots if needed.

Tim

Ouch, or thank Scott since he made you fire it up again or it might have died on you right at the border.

Any way depending on your route through town there is Summit Hut (local store like REI), an REI, as well as a Best Buy and Walmart all in the same area First and Wetmore north Tucson.

Assuming you have a way to load tracks up, laptop?

You can always put 3.75 in it, if you are filtering through the hose just fill as much as the bag will take. My frame bag is smaller I can only get about 2 in mine the camel style lid takes up some space as well. I like having room for one bottle so I can have drink mixes, not a fan of mixes in the bladders.

I ended up with a Camel brand shutoff and bite valve on mine. The nice thing with MSR is lid is the same as nalgene bottles I have the hyperflow pump that came with a lid kit as well.

I didn't care much for their accessory hose. If you get their 3 liter one it comes with the hose built in and then the lid is the standard one. I already had a Camel Bak bladder so that gave me the 6 liter capacity I wanted.

Tlim

A couple of things I noticed about the course.

First at Gonzales Tank


The track has you on a fairly flat dirt road the AZT sign is going to point to the right on a 2 track that climbs up to a single track after a short climb the single track is a fun downhill. This adds about a half a mile and climbs about 100 feet but picks up .7 in single track.

At the snow detour

Of the three options at the snow detour the middle one being the signed AZT is all complete now guessing it's about 50% single track.

Near Alan Lake Landing is likely the only section where staying on the true AZT single track might be easier then the dirt road of the course.

Hopefully they will get some warm dry days before you guys get there it won't take much of that sticky gumbo mud to force a detour. Should be an interesting year even a couple of days could make the difference of these trails being ridden or not.

Hey all!
My friend Mike (racing the 300) and I (the 750) plan on getting to Tucson about 7pm on Thursday the 14th. Since the AZT starts so early, we'll probably drive down to the start the night before and camp. We have space for one more person and gear (it'll be tight, but doable).
What we need some help with is getting the van back to Tucson and a place to keep it till he finishes the 300. Anyone want to come to the start and drive it back? Mike will hitch/poach a ride back to Tucson after the 300, hang out a few days and then find me when I'm done.

Thanks to everyone who is putting time and energy to make this happen! It's super awesome to see so much altruism.

I can get the van back to Tucson for you guys I have plenty of room to park it here at home.

Could possibly get up to Picket Post as well.

I'll shoot you a PM with my address info.

Tim