2012 AZT 300/750

[tanman1337]

Alright no one has posted in a bit so I will ask a few more questions about the 300.

-Is there a guesstimate on when the new GPX file will be complete?
-Do most people just use their GPS and the cue sheets or does anyone actually carry broken up maps?
-I know this has been covered before, but what are some food recommendations to carry for the start? (Or do you just buy some HUGE Burritos in Patagonia

-OH YAH! One I have really been thinking of lately... Does anyone actually bring a pair of shoes for the huge HAB sections/ and does anyone actually recommend bring some down booties for keeping feet warm if it is going to be a cold race? I remember reading that someone was really thankful they brought the little extra weight during the bad storm on Lemmon.

Getting excited! Tanner

[AZTtripper]

Yep it's time to start getting psyched.

Pretty sure Scott now has all of the tracks he needs to put the 300 together so hopefully he won't keep you guys waiting too long.

Not sure what others do for maps, the one thing I have used in the past is photo copies of the  AZ gazetteer map http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtdItemDetail.jsp?beginIndex=0&item=72&section=10096&forge_prod=MehF5dMYP6PeZHyWjV8H8oLs:S&forge_prod_pses=forge_prod%3DMehF5dMYP6PeZHyWjV8H8oLs%253AS%7E not so much for on trail navigation but for off trail resupply and just to be able to look at the big picture planning wise. And worse case bail out options.

Food is a pretty individual thing but pizza at the Velvet Elvis is an AZT 300 tradition. Seems like most everyone stops there. They'll wrap your leftover's in foil for you so it packs well. Now that Sonoita is on course there's other options as well. It's always good to go light so for the start maybe just enough to get to the first stores.

Foot wear for the HAB in 04 I carried a pair of light hiking boots for the whole trip I don't think I even put them on, I used to carry sandal's as well. Better to have a good pair of all terrain bike shoes I think. Unless your doing the full meal deal and need to carry across the canyon, and then you buy them when you get there, I can't see changing shoes every couple of miles. None of the HAB sections are really that long, the "Traverse O' Death" on Oracle Ridge is probably the longest at 2 miles. Other then that it seems like you would be changing back and forth too much. It's always good to go light, can't really stress that enough I know I learned the hard way. And I still carry too much at times. But really you'll have more fun and move more efficiently by going way light.

Down booties perhaps not. I think your thinking of 09 pretty sure it was Kurt who carried booties but I think they were more the over the shoe type. Unless you actually think you'll continue over the Lemmon in a full on snow storm like Kurt did you won't need them. That year everyone else spent the night a Molino waiting out the storm. We had snow at the start in 2010 but Mark C, who started this thread and was that years 750 winner, was bitching about the heat by day two. I think they would be overkill. Of course now that I've said that it will likely be the snowiest 300 ever. Either that or hot as blazes.

[tanman1337]

Awesome! Thanks for all the info Tim! Are you going to be around at Old Pueblo next month?

-Tanner

[AZTtripper]

I am always around the Old Pueblo Tucson that is but no you won't be seeing me out at 24 hour town.

[Buttermilk]

The Big Ditch....any insight or pointers for situating a bike on your back for the hike. I'll be using the Talon 22 and just playing with different set-ups. Getting stoked that the deal is just around the corner!!

[Endurance Junkie]

When I did my though carry I used a talon as well thought I had it dialed and by the end shoulders were toast.
Pads,pads,pads
Or
You can always get frame pack at the GC!

[Buttermilk]

Renting an external frame pack is a great idea. My biggest concern was exatly as stated...after 24 miles the once comfy set-up is going to be hurting.

[Walkurtalk]

Escapist 20...check it

[Walkurtalk]

Then the Exos 34 with internal frame is my plan for lugging the bike through the Canyon...

[ScottM]

Bit of an update.

I have first round GPX files for the 2012 course posted!

http://www.topofusion.com/azt/race-route.php

Changes:

Both the AZT 300 and AZTR get a bunch of new singletrack in the form of the Antelope Peak gasline bypass and the entire Gila Canyons segment.

The AZTR also gets new singletrack out of Flagstaff, bypassing snowbowl road.

----

These are preliminary files, for sure, though I don't anticipate huge changes.... except perhaps new trail (non-AZT) south of the Superstitions if I can get out and scout it.

----

If you want to sign up for SPOT tracking and reserve your spot, the paypal button and google form are online.  Go here:

http://trackleaders.com/aztr-signup

Either SPOT1 or SPOT2 are the same price, with batteries.  Pros/cons of both.  I would imagine most 300 racers will want the 2's, and some long course racers will opt for 1's due to their battery life, battery size and reliability.

Questions?

I leave you with an image from Gila Canyons, new trail!

[Beardog]

Does anyone have any knowledge on whether it best to post a pack to Tusayan or Flagstaff? Or can you seriously rely on getting one on the south rim? Sounds iffy on a weekend if you land there around day 6 or 7.
 
I was thinking about drop shipping old trail shoes and pack to either one and carrying out the rest to Utah or ditching it all at Jacob's Lake. Any thoughts?

[tanman1337]

Hey Scott,

If I already have a SPOT tracker, will I be able to use it in conjunction with your overall race feed or do I need to rent one of your units? Will I just need to give you the info about my specific SPOT? Thanks

-Tanner

[tanman1337]

Haha nevermind... I just saw the drop down menu on your Paypal page. Just curious still, if you do the privately owned option do we just give you our SPOT info?

[AZTtripper]

Does anyone have any knowledge on whether it best to post a pack to Tusayan or Flagstaff? Or can you seriously rely on getting one on the south rim? Sounds iffy on a weekend if you land there around day 6 or 7.
 
I was thinking about drop shipping old trail shoes and pack to either one and carrying out the rest to Utah or ditching it all at Jacob's Lake. Any thoughts?

I have done the mail drop thing into Flag in the past and it was a pain. The office that gets all of the GD packages is the one way off course.

Tusayan is small so there's only one PO haven't used it tho.

There is a pretty good store at the south rim you could likely get a pair of shoes there.

Tim

[Walkurtalk]

Tusayan PO, hmmmmmmm.....

In all my searching and planning, I keep thinking this is the best bet.

[ScottM]

Haha nevermind... I just saw the drop down menu on your Paypal page. Just curious still, if you do the privately owned option do we just give you our SPOT info?

Yep, there's an option for private SPOT tracking.  Once you sign up the form just asks you for your SPOT's serial # and share page URL, plus some biographical info.  So it's pretty easy.

[tanman1337]

Cool thanks Scott. Is there a deadline of when you need those in by?

[fastmtnbiker33w]

Yep, there's an option for private SPOT tracking.  Once you sign up the form just asks you for your SPOT's serial # and share page URL, plus some biographical info.  So it's pretty easy.

Another dumb question....Do we have to have a Spot subscription service?  Or do we just buy a spot without the subscription, give you the serial number, and turn the thing on?

[Erick L]

I cannot tell you how disappointed I am that neither Bloodsucker Wash nor the jeep roads north of the Gila aren't in the race this year.  I experienced my lowest of lows on these parts of the course last year and am bummed that future racers will be able to run the course without experiencing what it's like to be giving it everything you've got in your granny gear riding DOWNHILL in Bloodsucker, or the torment faced, by pushing your bike to the top of a jeep road only to find that the half mile descent leads to an even higher jeep road hike.

I can't begin to count the number of times in the last 60 or so miles of the race last year I swore to myself I'd never set a wheel in AZ EVER again. Weird what a year of reflection will do to you.

See you all in Parker Canyon Lake   

[AZTtripper]

Classic, not to mention all of the jeep roads you missed from previous years namely all of the stuff on the west side of the Santa Rita's.

It will be interesting to see how all of the new single track changes things north of the Gila. Single track is usually always slower but most of it is so well built it's hard to say.

The good news is that the trail is mostly complete now and there won't be as many changes in the future.

There is more new single track in the planning stages tho, one of these years you'll all get to ride trail instead of highway from Patagonia to Sonoita.

The ATA is looking at adopting trails that parallel the Catalina Highway. If Scott made people ride up Bugs Springs and even more up on Green Mountain the drop out rate might just double. Most likely the race will stay on the pavement. We're thinking the trails will be good for southbound traffic but not for northbound. We aren't recommending southbound riders go up Oracle Ridge, tho it's been done, so they'll get their fill of road on the Control road. The though of coasting down the highway as part of an AZT trip just seems wrong.