2011 AZTR and 300 planning thread

[tRoy]

Wow those course changes look cool.  Stoked for all of you.
For all you full meal dealers.
It is snowing in Flagstaff, and 5-11" of snow is forecast tonight/tomorrow for 8000 feet in the Flagstaff/Kachina Peaks area. 
I think much of the course was dry and ride-abled this week... but now?  But by the time you get here I think it will be good again. No need to concern yourself with it now.  Enjoy the desert next weekend!

[AZTtripper]

Crazy to see that much snow so late in the season can't imagine it will last long this time of year.

[ScottM]

2" of snow at the Fire Dept on Lemmon (start of Oracle Ridge).  I'm sure it'll melt by race time though.

Good storm for the trails, and maybe some additional greenery / flowers (ocotillo at least).

[AZTtripper]

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.

[Marshal]

Thanks for the info AZTtripper

I am in Phoenix today for work, on the way down I snapped this pic (Sunday) of the AZT crossing at Hwy 87 --(by the Ranger Station-water re-supply)

Anyway I am sure this will be long gone, but any 'accumulated' snow areas with this latest on top--well we will see

[ScottM]

Thanks Tim, I am planning to update the full AZTR GPX, including some fresh tracks from Andy S. who rode southbound on that section just recently.  I haven't been up there for some years.  I think I knew about the second map area you have last year, but the snow detour made it a moot point.

Marshal -- that's a fresh coat of snow, hmm.  I think you are right that places that were dry will be dry again, but I'm starting to think we'll be using the same snow detours as last year.

[Foster]

I think with the amount of time that will have passed by the time the full AZT riders reach the rim that at least 80 percent of the forest will be dry.  I live in flagstaff and the foot of snow we recieved in 75 percent gone already.  Things are warming up here fast.  The sun is also around longer this time of the year so things should really dry up quickly.  Hopefully there are no more storms that come through.  Good luck to those that are going for the whole state, wish I could join ya.

cheers,



Eric

[ScottM]

Thanks for the thoughts on the drying situation, Eric.

Full AZT'ers - new GPX

I just posted rev3 of the full AZT file.  I neglected to include the changes Tim points out in a post above.  They are the official signed trail route, so we will use them.  Sorry about that and especially the lateness of the file being published.

http://www.topofusion.com/azt/gpx/AZTR-2011-rev3.gpx

I also have a new version of the "snow detours" file:

http://www.topofusion.com/azt/gpx/AZTR-2011-snowdetours-rev1.gpx

Basically I deleted the first few detours because I do not think they will be necessary.  The detour for Hart Prairie road by the Peaks in Flag is still there, as is the highway along the north rim.  I'd love to hear from any Flag locals about what they think on the Hart Prairie detour and whether it will be necessary.

Last year the convention for the detours was: use them only if you want to.  If you get to the turn for a detour and you think the trail will be rideable/passable, by all means, go for it.  Either is acceptable.  If you're going purely for speed... you'll have to decide if the detours are faster. 

This also brings me to an important unwritten rule for the AZTR, and that is that it's always OK to follow AZT signs, even if they are taking you off the GPX.  Since the AZT is under construction and reroutes are frequent, there's no way I (or anyone) can keep up with it all.  Signed AZT is always good.  It should rejoin the route later on.  The GPX is the course as well, so that is OK too.  This rule is in effect for the 300 as well, but less so since that route is much more known and locked in.

Starting the AZTR - I won't be there, but shoot for 6:30am at the border (and someone please note the actual start time).  Last year the start was a neutral-ish ride from the border to Parker Lake where the AZT 300 will be starting shortly.  If you want to stop and socialize, go for it, but don't feel obligated to stop and chat.

General AZT notes

* This is looking like it could be the hottest AZT race yet.  Plan for lots of water...

* Those wanting to pick up SPOTs beforehand I think will have to wait until Thursday afternoon/evening.  Slight chance I will have them tomorrow (weds) but it's looking more like Thursday.  I will post an update here.  I will be at the start of the 300 (Parker Lake) with all of the SPOTs.

* Remember 2AA lithium batteries to power the SPOTs.

Questions?

[SlowOldGuy]

I'm sure your going crazy with prep about now, so I hate to ask, but being a newbie I wondered if there would be any more cue sheets for the new tracks forth coming?

[ScottM]

Cues sheets coming, yes, thanks for asking.  Hope to finish them today.

I am not racing, so no prep for me, just many other irons in the fire.

[krefs]

I am not racing, so no prep for me, just many other irons in the fire.

Why do you have a fire going if it's going to be so hot down there!? Put it out quickly!

[ScottM]

Why do you have a fire going if it's going to be so hot down there!? Put it out quickly!

Somebody's gotta make this thing challenging for you guys...

OK, cues are online:

http://www.topofusion.com/azt/gpx/AZTR-cues-2011-rev1.xls

In making them I realized a slight boo-boo in both the 300 and AZTR tracks.  So there are new revisions of both.

The change is absolutely nothing to fret over.  The old files use a tiny bit of singletrack out the backside of Kentucky Camp, while the new track and actual AZT use a road that climbs and goes through a gate.  Both are the exact same length, both are acceptable this year due to my error, and probably within 30 seconds of moving time within each other.

So if you have nothing else to do, load up the newer tracks.  Or follow the AZT signs when you get there.  Or just follow the track when you get there and ride a tiny bit of bonus singletrack.  It's all good in this case.

[Marshal]

Help

My Garmin just totaly quit--will no longer power on (UBS or Bat)

Can anyone tell me where I can buy a Garmin eTrex Legend HCx or Vista HCx in Phoenix or Tucson?

(ha--and I blame Scott and all the revs)

Marshal

[AZTtripper]

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?

[Marshal]

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?

Thanks for the local info--Summit Hut has some in stock so that is where I will head when I get to Tucson.  My unit crapped out shortly after I updated the last rev into it late last night--I had left the USB/computer plugged into it and got busy doing other things--then I noticed the unit was off but did not remember actually turning it off (with usb power--should have still been on I think)-- anyway it's now 100% toast--I suspect a glitched 'control' circuit as the secret master reset has zero effect, web search says same prob has happened to some other Legend users, 
anyway--I am sure it's all Scott's fault for making me do all the revs

[ScottM]

I like Tim's perspective... where all the rev's saved your race!    Or saved bumbling through the first 130 miles, then seeking a new GPS in Tucson, waaaay of route!

[dream4est]

Good luck to all the racers. I wont be joining you for the 750- I am opening a new business May 1 here in Idaho Springs, Co. We will be selling the pain cream I used as a chamois in the AZT/CTR races!! It is called Fall River Botanicals and will have a website with the pain cream avaiable online.

I really wanted to race but I will have to wait for CTR or maybe the Dixie thing in Utah.

Mark C.

[Marshal]

Good luck to all the racers. I wont be joining you for the 750- I am opening a new business May 1 here in Idaho Springs, Co. We will be selling the pain cream I used as a chamois in the AZT/CTR races!! It is called Fall River Botanicals and will have a website with the pain cream avaiable online.

I really wanted to race but I will have to wait for CTR or maybe the Dixie thing in Utah.

Mark C.

good luck with the new biz Mark!!!!
bty--owning a biz is much harder than the AZT

[Marshal]

I like Tim's perspective... where all the rev's saved your race!    Or saved bumbling through the first 130 miles, then seeking a new GPS in Tucson, waaaay of route!

no no--1st I am sure I could get to Tucson--might have new turn that would have been a question mark--but I would have just pulled out my 'back-up' GPS. It's a bit ragged looking and the display has some CTR gouges --but it's still clicking along

Anyway the 'new one is now all set--and no more revs ok?


Seriously though --thanks for all the effort you put into this thing

3 cheers for Scott

[ScottM]

No more revs, I swear!    Thanks Marshal.  You carry a spare GPS? 

SPOT update: I am sweating the arrival of SPOTs, and have had to borrow a few locally due to a big box coming from Colorado being delayed.  If anyone has signed up for one and is not going to make it, please let me know.  It looks like we'll be fine for everyone that has signed up til now, and I should have them by Thursday at noon.