2016 AZTR300/750 Race Discussion Thread

[ScottM]

Common poorwills are also, ummm, common along the course this time of year.  Especially in the Santa Ritas and the Rincon Valley.  Reflective eye and they always wait until the last second before flying away, 20 feet down the trail sometimes.  They must love messing with sleep deprived bikepackers. 

[Adam Alphabet]

Anybody know what kind of bird it is that I saw at night up on Oracle Ridge? Others must have seen them. They would sit motionless until the last minute, and then fly off a little ways down the trail and land, and then sit there until I practically ran them over, and then fly off again...jet black eyes, and very similar coloring to the rocks.

Common poorwills are also, ummm, common along the course this time of year.  Especially in the Santa Ritas and the Rincon Valley.  Reflective eye and they always wait until the last second before flying away, 20 feet down the trail sometimes.  They must love messing with sleep deprived bikepackers. 

Those are definitely the ones! Bright red beady eyes, waiting and waiting.. buggers.

[Woodland]

...and they always wait until the last second before flying away, 20 feet down the trail sometimes.  They must love messing with sleep deprived bikepackers. 

No doubt!

Cool bird

Thanks for the link, Rooster

[Hoka Hey]

The 300 was my rookie event. I've never really bike packed before either. I just want to say that arriving at Picketpost was bittersweet. I was easy,hard and at times frustrating. These are a couple observations from my experience... I did express some displeasure at the "trail" and the fact that is was oftentimes neither rideable nor even fit for foot traffic. I expressed some displeasure at the AZT formula of going straight up the next hill and down the back, repeatedly. How many vantage points do you need? But as Stepanik said "hey, at least you go from one border to the the other" and I agree. I carried too much food even though I ditched one days worth prior to the start. I learned that I got tired of my choice of trail food real quick. I carried too much and not enough clothing. I failed to bring a light wind jacket or flannel which would have been used often but I did carry packable rain pants. I did bring things that made me feel good like the ability to have a hot cup of coffee in the AM and I left a pack of peppermint gum out until the Tucson stop. I always have peppermint gum for obvious reasons but I also is great for temporary relief of a stuffed up head and lungs which those around me were suffering like I was and it helped with dry mouth. We shared that gum and it didn't quite last until the end...I will have it for future events. Net zero calorie food like apples and celery were my craving...wtf? Oh and beer. Never used my tool/parts kit and packed 2 heavy slime tubes along. My head stayed in the game surprisingly and I was able to keep on a pretty even keel. Had an exciting moment with water but located the cache at Tiger Mine after missing the cash below the HWY bridge. Finding the bridge cache may have prompted a left turn into Oracle for satisfying an unneeded urge to get a room or food or an escape I guess. Sleeping conditions were awesome although the most comfortable options like the sand washed also had cold air shoved down into them. A mid hill bivy was warmer for sure but a bit more challenging to find a good bed. I haven't read anything about the nighttime sweats. But the CDT guys we rode with were well aware of that phenomenon. Cold sweating profusely at night is something I need to dial in. My kit was a quilt, foam pad and bivy. Even trying to keep myself on the cold end of the spectrum didn't help the sweating issue. An inflatable pillow was sublime and prior to this trip I learned that my attempts to make sleeping on the ground as painless as it was when I was younger have been expensive and fruitless. I have super cushy inflatable mattresses from Big Agnes, old thermarest ultra lights and Thermarest standard pads. I toyed with the idea of a neoair but opted instead for a Zrest that I didn't have to blow up. My Big Agnes pads take 20 breaths and a couple minutes. The thermarests are easy to inflate but heavy by today's standards. It turns out my issue has always been the pillow thing...I will not leave that behind ever again. The foam pad came in handy for midday siesta although it is bulky and seemed to be an aerodynamic menace on a couple occasions. I don't think that would preclude me from using it next time however? If it were a trail event, CDT would likely require a different approach? Maybe the windshield sun screen pad or bubble wrap is my next experiment? I learned that dynamos were not well suited for this event(from those around me with dynamos...I'm sure others had a different experience) and thankfully the new fat bike(slow speed ) dynamo wasn't going to be available so I opted for a backup battery pack that worked well...although heavy. My main light was just a 700 lumen light that I strapped to my sweet roll. It worked fine but did giggle around when the trail was rough. Not sure how to help that without a bar yak or something like that? My brake pads are roached after that event...jeez there was a lot of heavy brake use...even pushing uphill:) Next time I will probably bring a couple extra sets of pads. I can't stop thinking about the next event...Black Hills? Coconino? CDT? 750 next year? Or even come up with a Wyoming event. It was great to meet all of you out there and please respond if you have insight to share or if my observations are way off base.

[Adam Alphabet]

Awesome Job Hoka Hey! For never really bikepacking before the 300 is definitely jumping in the deep end! All the lessons and take aways will stick with you for future trips and events and as is constantly mentioned on here everyone comes to their own preferences for kit, food, bike set up etc.. based on their experience, good on you for finding your way. I always take gum too!
Congrats!

[Woodland]

I really wish I had brought some gum, or cough drops. Funny enough, bncrshr77 had offered me some cough drops at the start and I declined not thinking I would need them. But my throat was trashed after Day 1.

I've been meaning to ask. I passed a racer on the second night, around 2am just at the bottom of Oracle ridge, who was asleep in their bivy with a small fire going in what looked like an alcohol burning stove? I kept thinking about that flame, and wondering about it's purpose. Warmth? Keep the animals away? Or did you just fall asleep with your stove burning! Let me know, if you're on here.

[Yogi the Barry]

Love their glowing salmon colored eyes when your light hits them. A couple people told me they were poorwills, which I think is correct. See link...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_poorwill
Every night it takes a few birds to not get startled when they flush. A couple times, I would have almost reached up and grabbed one. I could swear one was trying to grab the tiny pebbles flying off my front tire, probably mistaking them for insects.

Anybody know what kind of bird it is that I saw at night up on Oracle Ridge? Others must have seen them. They would sit motionless until the last minute, and then fly off a little ways down the trail and land, and then sit there until I practically ran them over, and then fly off again...jet black eyes, and very similar coloring to the rocks.

[Yogi the Barry]

HH,
Re: 300 Food - The alien-class guys and gals somehow seem to be able to carry ~three days worth of... feathers, air, foam... [/] or whatever they derive body fuel from. I just carry about 2500-3000 calories and rely on stops in Sonoita, Safeway in Tucson, Summerhaven and Oracle to restock the food I eat during the day and to also get the most important big calorie meal, once or twice a day. I'm very disciplined to eat ~200 cal every hour of moving, but I've learned that isn't enough. I must have at least one, perferably two, 500 to a gazillion calorie extra meal during the day.
Re: Peppermint - I carry a tiny vial of pure peppermint oil. I've read that it helps respiration function. I try to remember and down a bit of water in the morning with a few drops of the oil. Brings to mind some lyrics of a Laurie Anderson song - "gonna choke 'em to death with your peppermind breath."
Re: Oracle - no shame in restocking there. Yes, off route, but not that far. That saves the water caches for those on foot. Cool local market in Oracle is now closed down, but there are some restaurants [love the metal artwork at the biker bar] and a Circle-K. Good thing it was too early when I biked past the biker bar. Otherwise a pint of something would have been consumed...
Re: Dynamos -Once down to HAB speed, they are nothing more than a nightlight. However, sure is nice when you're going 6-7 mph or faster. And having at least one light which doesn't require batteries, is a huge peace of mind for me. I would use my Nitecore HC50 on the 2nd and 3rd dimmest setting [35 & 170 Lm] when the dynamo bar light faded. This is an awesome light. I got in three evenings of riding on one 3400mAh 18650 rechargeable battery. I had a 2nd 18650 spare and pair of CR123s as backup that I didn't have to use.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?375703-NITECORE-HC50-565-Lm-Headlamp-REVIEW
Re: Brake pads - run metallic composition pads and change them out BEFORE a race like this. Don't know what your rotor sizes are, but bumping up a size would cut down on your pad wear. I run 180-160 mm front-rear respectively.

You now have memories to last a lifetime, right?

Ciao,
       -Barry

... I carried too much food even though I ditched one days worth prior to the start...
...a pack of peppermint gum out until the Tucson stop. I always have peppermint gum for obvious reasons but I also is great for temporary relief of a stuffed up head and lungs ...Net zero calorie food like apples and celery were my craving...
...Finding the bridge cache may have prompted a left turn into Oracle for satisfying an unneeded urge to get a room or food ...
... I learned that dynamos were not well suited for this event(from those around me with dynamos...I'm sure others had a different experience) and thankfully the new fat bike(slow speed ) dynamo wasn't going to be available so I opted for a backup battery pack that worked well......
...jeez there was a lot of heavy brake use...even pushing uphill:) Next time I will probably bring a couple extra sets of pads....

[ScottM]

Just a brief update on results.  I've started putting together the 750 ones, and I believe 300 results are now complete.

http://topofusion.com/azt/results.php

If you have an updated finish time, or a blog/story link to go with your result, please email me.  But if you do, please be as precise as you can: include the full date/time you finished, elapsed time and your full name.  I had to do a lot of digging around to figure out who was talking to me, what day, AM/PM, etc.

Thanks.... and congrats to ALL finishers!  Finishing either route, in any amount of time, is a feat worthy of much accolade.

[jzskoorb]

Great job Hoka Hey! Very tough course for your first. This was my second race and it did not disappoint. I don't know if I'll do the 300 ever again but I will do the 750. I use a Klymit Inertia Ozone sleeping pad which has an integral pillow and weighs 12 ounces and packs to the size of a soda can. The pillow is great and the whole thing blows up in 10 or less breaths even after riding for 12+ hours. Works great even on bumpy ground. 

Thanks to Scott Morris for putting this together and my apologies for all of the bad things I said during my low points while pushing my bike up yet another hill. 

[Yogi the Barry]

Scott,
I sent you a PM with my time to the minute.
Also, just a comment about the 750 folks who are included in the 300 results. Mixing apples and oranges? Didn't they start an hour earlier? Seems like it would be hard to split out the time/distance from the 750 border start to Parker, unless you are just assuming all the 750 riders took exactly an hour to get to Parker Canyon... which probably isn't the case.
And a big thanks back to you, for all you've done!
-Barry

Just a brief update on results.  I've started putting together the 750 ones, and I believe 300 results are now complete.
http://topofusion.com/azt/results.php
If you have an updated finish time, or a blog/story link to go with your result, please email me.  But if you do, please be as precise as you can: include the full date/time you finished, elapsed time and your full name.  I had to do a lot of digging around to figure out who was talking to me, what day, AM/PM, etc.
Thanks.... and congrats to ALL finishers!  Finishing either route, in any amount of time, is a feat worthy of much accolade.

[evdog]

I learned that dynamos were not well suited for this event(from those around me with dynamos...I'm sure others had a different experience) and thankfully the new fat bike(slow speed ) dynamo wasn't going to be available so I opted for a backup battery pack that worked well...although heavy.

So the issue with the dynamo is that it wasn't bright enough when HABing or at slow speeds?  Freeskier was satisfied with his, so maybe it depends on the particular model you have? 

Great job finishing!  And yes, definitely come up with a Wyoming event!

[Jalene]

A huge congratulations to Sarah Jansen for a superb finish!  What a demonstration of great will and perseverance to overcome challenges being thrown at you from every direction.  Not to mention the impressive distance, including the ultimate hike in one swoop, she pulled off yesterday.  I hope someone was the line to hand that girl a beer!

[hunterkeating]

Long shot, but did any one find a lezyne multi tool or an iPod shuffle?

[ScottM]

Scott,
I sent you a PM with my time to the minute.
Also, just a comment about the 750 folks who are included in the 300 results. Mixing apples and oranges? Didn't they start an hour earlier? Seems like it would be hard to split out the time/distance from the 750 border start to Parker, unless you are just assuming all the 750 riders took exactly an hour to get to Parker Canyon... which probably isn't the case.
And a big thanks back to you, for all you've done!
-Barry

Ah yes, I was wondering if someone was going to bring up the 3 minute late start!  I'll adjust the results accordingly.

I do agree that including the 750 riders isn't super clean -- but it's hardly apples/oranges.  They did ride the same course, on the same days and with the exact conditions.  I gave them a start time of 8:00am, so, if anything, their actual 300 'splits' are faster than what is shown in the results.

In most cases that I know of when there was a 'dead heat' at Picketpost, the 750 rider seems to have won out, which seals the door pretty solidly.  That was the case with Alex vs Calvin, and you and Mike Pro, right?

I would certainly give 750 riders an improvement in their times, if they submit it, for their actual 300 split.

[hunterkeating]

So the issue with the dynamo is that it wasn't bright enough when HABing or at slow speeds?  Freeskier was satisfied with his, so maybe it depends on the particular model you have? 

Great job finishing!  And yes, definitely come up with a Wyoming event!

I used John Schilling's Dynamo with the supernova e3 triple last year which toggles between 1 and 3 LEDs depending on speed. It was nice to not have to think about batteries, but I found myself in a flicker zone on the climbs. Not a real problem, but kinda annoying

[ScottM]

I recomputed the 300 results with the more precise start time of 8:03am (given to both 300 and 750 riders).  It also includes 750 riders that finished the 300 but later scratched (I missed them last time).

Additionally, 750 riders are denoted in the 300 results, as in years past. 

[evdog]

Hey Scott,

Is there something going on with the Live tracker?  

Edit - NVM, it refreshes now to show everyone properly...  looking forward to see John cross the line soon!   Everyone else seems to be trucking along as well.  Jack is making good time on the unicycle!

[ScottM]

Hey Scott,

Is there something going on with the Live tracker?  There were a number of people still on course yesterday, now it just shows Holly and one other guy.  The people who were on course yesterday are all marked as Finished at whatever their mileage was at some point over night.  John is listed as finished, with 728miles, with most recent update 930pm yesterday.  Was looking forward to following him to the end!

Sorry about that.  It was me hacking the system to recompute 300 results -- which resulted in finishing all 750 riders for a few minutes there (since they'd reached Picketpost).  Should be all back now.

[ECEGatorTuro]

The AZT is not ready to give up John just yet!! She's been throwing all sorts of curveballs at him and he keeps trucking along. The weather up north has not been pleasant. That's an inch of snow on his bike! Apparently there was some whiteout conditions all day on the Kaibab.

Major HTFU mode!