2016 AZTR300/750 Race Discussion Thread

[Adam Alphabet]

Home stretch John! Get it!

[Yogi the Barry]

RE: John's bike
OMG! That would be my most ironic nightmare. Snow in the desert! God speed, John Schilling!
-B

[Adam Alphabet]

The latest pic John posted on Facebook shows his bike entirely caked in mud... so close to the finish. Dude has been paying for it since Tusayan. Hard Man status for sure!
Hope he doesn't mind me poaching and posting his pic...Keep grinding John, so close!

[LandSharkBrian]

Hi all – as with Hoka Hey this was my first foray into the world of ultras, and the 300 left me wanting more!  Impressions from another newbie:

Shakedown/Brake Check Hill is aptly named.  Especially for newbies who only think they’ve worked out all the bugs. 

I had been warned to not underestimate the Canelos – true dat!  Nevertheless, not knowing how my body would react to riding days later left me riding more conservatively than necessary.  A learning experience for next time!!

The people make the ride.  Trailside, people were genuinely excited about it, including the folks who leapfrogged Paul S and I as we rode up to Redington, video cams running.  I met the indomitable Sarah J in Patagonia, and thoroughly enjoyed watching her incredible battle all the way to Utah (who walks 30 miles to a new crank??!!)  Meeting George H, John S, Riley, Brett, Eijay, the other guys whose names I don’t remember, and riding with them off and on, made the whole thing special.

I totally get Brett’s comment about climbing out of Mordor on the way to/from Molino campground.  Those and the soul sucking Traverse ‘O’ Death (I called it a Dementor to my followers on FB) were just about the end of me in an otherwise completely enjoyable (4+ day) ride through the desert. 

Did anyone else see the strange motionless lights in the sky over Ripsey Ridge?  Being up there in a near-full moon on a clear, warmish night, with city lights visible all around but far away, was a special memory I’ll cherish forever.  The hovering lights appeared three or four different times, always toward Kearney and always lasting upwards of thirty seconds to a minute.  Looking into the behavior of ocean flares, only the “multi-star rocket flare” description comes close - this hovering light couldn’t have been many things and that’s about the only thing I can come up with.

Personal challenge taken on in an intensely personal way. Capturing the whole experience is a very difficult thing when discussing with people who followed the race online.  I find that every conversation focuses on a different aspect of the experience, and I actually pity the people who will never do such a cool thing in their lives. 

Thanks to Scott and the army of ATA volunteers who make this thing possible.  Thanks to Todd D who dragged me and Adam H into this, all of us finishing!  Is the 750 on deck for 2017?  My guess is: Absolutely.  Flying home I wished I was still out there.  Then again I see the pictures of snow and mud on Schilling’s bike up at Kaibab and have to step back a moment!  There is still plenty of time to decide.

[GunPilot]

I wish I had a picture of you cooling out the dogs on Santa Rita Ranch road.

[evdog]

The latest pic John posted on Facebook shows his bike entirely caked in mud... so close to the finish. Dude has been paying for it since Tusayan. Hard Man status for sure!
Hope he doesn't mind me poaching and posting his pic...Keep grinding John, so close!

Damn....  that final descent should be a happy ending not a mud slog!

[ECEGatorTuro]

He did it!! Hell yeah John!! Way to kick some ass even with the AZT throwing everything it had left.

[iambarnard]

Pretty Sweet!

[Adam Alphabet]

John's dot bouncing up and down at the border! I'm sure it's him jumping up and down for joy. Hell of an effort John, legendary ride! Huge Congrats.

[GunPilot]

Big time.  Congrats John, way to push it on through.  A true ultra effort.

[geekonabike]

OMG, truly epic finish in epic conditions John!
 I'm still shivering watching JC, Ron, Sara & Josh tuffing it out. My crashing out seemsome to be easily Lee painful.

[LandSharkBrian]

I wish I had a picture of you cooling out the dogs on Santa Rita Ranch road.

Me too, George!  I promised Todd I'd try to get a photo of riding the easy stuff in flip flops, but alas!

Congrats, John S, on an epic epic!!

[SlowRide]

Way to go John S!!! Great job!!!

[jzskoorb]

Very tenacious finish John! Congrats! Should make for an excellent story.

LS Brian, I had similar observations and feelings about the race. I rode and leapfrogged with you and the rest of the guys you mentioned throughout the race. My finish was a little bittersweet since I got to the finish with Riley and Ejay and wanted to continue with them. Not sure if I will be able to make it next year but I will definitely make it in 18 for the 750.

Jeff

[schillingsworth]

Way to go Ron!! Hope you didn't encounter the death mud that I ran into north of Jacob Lake..awful stuff.

I tried calling into mtbcast last night with a finish call, but kept getting cut off after 20-30 seconds.

Thanks to everyone for their overwhelming support during the ride, it's all very humbling. Those last few days were a true test of one's limits, but there was no way I was going to be denied a roll into Stateline. Each time Mother Nature tossed me a curveball I had to laugh at how things were unfolding. The mud was a bit much especially so close to the end and considering how clean the Voodoo looked until then seemed unfair to my bike!! In the end, the Voodoo powered on, even shifting gears with all the caked on clay - I was in disbelief that it still functioned those final miles.

I have a ton of photos to pour over, some 600+ I just can't help myself, this state is so beautiful and I need to catch my breath often. It was a tremendous journey over those two weeks, one I'll never forget. Best of luck to those still grinding away, the end is near!!

-John S.

[geekonabike]

It should be noted that Josh Gloor has been riding along with Ron Thompson & actually waited a full day for a Ron at Jacob Lake. Josh's track leaders dot has been lacking in stats & the bluedot doesn't show him at all. I'm positive that Ron & Josh finished together as that was their pattern as we leapfroged in the 1st 500mi.
 A huge Congrats to you both Ron & Josh. From the looks of the conditions, my crashed bones caused less suffering than what you guys went through to finish.

[sdrffpp]

Sara Dallman is about to leave Jacob Lake, headed for the finish.  She's trying to find transport to St. George, as she needs to be able to get her bike shipped home and get on a plane back to Ohio.  Is there anyone local who can get her to St. George.  Obviously, she's happy to compensate the time and expense.  So far, she's only found someone who will take her to Page, which has no real bike shipping options, or maybe, grudgingly, to Kanab, which has no airport.  If she could get all the way to St. George by tonight, that would be ideal.  Any suggestions??  Thanks in advance!

[swami29]

Congrats to Ron and Josh my heroes. Finishing this race is huge I don't care how long it takes you.  The heat , the elevation, the storms, the grueling descent and climb to get thru the canyon. Nice race fellas. I relived the excitement thru you....

[geekonabike]

Sara & Ian both with True Grit Put this Monster down yesterday. Sara suffered a debilitating deep muscle bruise early on yet toughed it out with incredible  determination.

[ScottM]

Finishing this race is huge I don't care how long it takes you. 

You can say that again.