2018 AZTR300/750 Planning Thread

[todds]

Well, is it too early to start planning and looking ahead to next year!!!!?

[hanyo66]

Haha!

I'll be touring with 2 friends North to South same time as the race, can't wait to see everyone out there grinding the race out!

[schillingsworth]

I just posted this in the 2017 thread, but I'm sure it'll come up again in 2018!!

I went out to Picketpost today to ride the Hewitt Station rd bypass on FR252. It was already 95º at 9:30a today!! Took one for the team!! Personally, I think the reroute is a better ride than Hewitt Station rd. The jeep road is not your typical rugged AZ variety. It should be 100% rideable by tired bikepackers too. The road undulates for about 7 miles or so before rejoining the route on the west side of Hewitt Station rd.

Here's a short blog post about it with a bunch of pics along the way.

Hewitt Station Bypass

[jasonshearer]

Insane.  I'm in!

[dsrt taco]

I'm interested to hear the plan for the start date next year. Based on the discussion around the fire the night before the start of the race this year both Wednesday and Thursday are under consideration for 2018. This would ensure that most everyone would get past Reddington Rd. before the weekend mayhem starts up there. I hadn't thought about it at the time but another advantage would be extended business hours at Summerhaven and possibly Oracle for a large number of the racers who would be rolling through during the weekend - guess the leaders would be the ones that have to plan around weekday business hours in that case.

[todds]

I'm interested to hear the plan for the start date next year. Based on the discussion around the fire the night before the start of the race this year both Wednesday and Thursday are under consideration for 2018. This would ensure that most everyone would get past Reddington Rd. before the weekend mayhem starts up there. I hadn't thought about it at the time but another advantage would be extended business hours at Summerhaven and possibly Oracle for a large number of the racers who would be rolling through during the weekend - guess the leaders would be the ones that have to plan around weekday business hours in that case.

With the full moon and Easter falling on April the 1st, I am assuming that April 4th and 5th would be the days under consideration if Scott ends up changing the day. Be many 300 riders finishing up before the weekend is over. Would probably help with getting picked up at Picketpost......

[mel_hayes]

Hi guys, just jumping in and saying HI I am an Aussie who will be making the trip over next year. I am hoping to make it for the race, but if not, I'm definitely doing the ride the trail next year... Timing of my ride will depend on time-off work and a few other things. But, I thought I'd get in early with the planning and all and start following these threads, as bike packing is completely new to me Cheers. Mel

[JoePAz]

Wow it is a long way from Australia to go to ride a bike.  Welcome!  I guess I get spoiled having this in my backyard pretty much.   Still have plenty of time to start bikepacking.  My first bikepacking trip was in June of 2016 and I had a total of 3 single night trips under my belt before I took on the 300 in 2017.  I finished it in respectable time as well. 

[Dinodinodino]

Is there a good source out there for paper maps of the route?  I found these maps at http://www.aztrail.org/topo_maps/topo_maps.php.  I am assuming the trail at the ATA is basically the same as the race route...at least enough to see where resupply and water sources are.  Are they worth the cost or is there a free option out there?

[AZTtripper]

The official trail and the race/bike route are only the same for the non wilderness sections. If you really want an accurate paper map best thing might be to down load the race track and order maps online.

The link you posted didn't open, my assumptions are the ATA maps are going to be the hiking route. And if they do have a bike version of the trails they will include more than want the race does.

Hope that helps Tim

[hanyo66]

The official trail and the race/bike route are only the same for the non wilderness sections. If you really want an accurate paper map best thing might be to down load the race track and order maps online.

The link you posted didn't open, my assumptions are the ATA maps are going to be the hiking route. And if they do have a bike version of the trails they will include more than want the race does.

Hope that helps Tim

The ATA website has a decent map data bank for Mountain Biking, and you have to be a member to see them. I'm looking at them now, but have never compared to the race route .gpx

[phatmike]

Is there a good source out there for paper maps of the route?  I found these maps at http://www.aztrail.org/topo_maps/topo_maps.php.  I am assuming the trail at the ATA is basically the same as the race route...at least enough to see where resupply and water sources are.  Are they worth the cost or is there a free option out there?

My suggestion would be to go to the results page and click on all the linked blogs that are in there. Read, and read. In conjunction with this, download the .gpx then evaluate it in Topofusion or whatever. Try to tie in the blog stories with the actual gpx/map. I did join the ATA for their resources, mainly to support an amazing organization. You should as well. But nearly everything I received from them I was able to figure out through the vast amount of knowledge available here and in the race report blogs. Best of luck!

[JoePAz]

Maps are important, but prior race blogs/trip reports are even better since they can give you an idea of what to expect on the trails.  The map may show 15 miles, but is that is 5 hrs, 2 hrs or an hour and 15 min?    The blogs help with that and really help set expectations of how far you can or should be able to get each day.

[hanyo66]

Maps are important, but prior race blogs/trip reports are even better since they can give you an idea of what to expect on the trails.  The map may show 15 miles, but is that is 5 hrs, 2 hrs or an hour and 15 min?    The blogs help with that and really help set expectations of how far you can or should be able to get each day.

This x1000000000

I see the route logistics by looking at the map, but I "know" and understand routes by reading blogs and hearing rider experience.

If i just looked at a map and said ok this is the Highline section and called it a day, I'd be in for a rude awakening on the trail!

One nice thing on the ATA site is the finisher list, some of them are clickable (hyperlink) and take you to websites / blogs (most are hikers, but when you see finishing times between 6-14 days, it's usually a biker):
http://www.aztrail.org/finishers.html


John Schilling is one of my favorite people that blogs the trail / races, for example:
http://schillingsworth.blogspot.com/2016/04/aztr750-mexico-to-utah.html

This page of his has an absolute wealth of knowledge, broken down by each passage and segment:
http://schillingsworth.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-arizona-trail-via-mtb.html

[todds]

This x1000000000

I see the route logistics by looking at the map, but I "know" and understand routes by reading blogs and hearing rider experience.

If i just looked at a map and said ok this is the Highline section and called it a day, I'd be in for a rude awakening on the trail!

One nice thing on the ATA site is the finisher list, some of them are clickable (hyperlink) and take you to websites / blogs (most are hikers, but when you see finishing times between 6-14 days, it's usually a biker):
http://www.aztrail.org/finishers.html


John Schilling is one of my favorite people that blogs the trail / races, for example:
http://schillingsworth.blogspot.com/2016/04/aztr750-mexico-to-utah.html

This page of his has an absolute wealth of knowledge, broken down by each passage and segment:
http://schillingsworth.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-arizona-trail-via-mtb.html

^^^^^^This. John is the man when it's comes to the AZT! His helpfulness and Arizona Trail knowledge is 2nd to none!

[flyboy]

Hi guys, just jumping in and saying HI I am an Aussie who will be making the trip over next year. I am hoping to make it for the race, but if not, I'm definitely doing the ride the trail next year... Timing of my ride will depend on time-off work and a few other things. But, I thought I'd get in early with the planning and all and start following these threads, as bike packing is completely new to me Cheers. Mel

Hey Mel. I am planning on an attempt next year as well, subject to leave approval. Good luck with the training and prep! Where on Oz are you?

[Dinodinodino]

Thanks for all the advice so far! 

Do you feel a suspension fork is a good idea for this trail?  I have used a rigid carbon fork for the TD and other bikepacking races in Western Canada, but from what I have read so far, this trail sounds like a lot more technical single track.  The suspension fork might might be worth the extra weight.

[hanyo66]

Thanks for all the advice so far! 

Do you feel a suspension fork is a good idea for this trail?  I have used a rigid carbon fork for the TD and other bikepacking races in Western Canada, but from what I have read so far, this trail sounds like a lot more technical single track.  The suspension fork might might be worth the extra weight.

You're definitely going to want front suspension at the least for the AZT haha

[flyboy]

You're definitely going to want front suspension at the least for the AZT haha

Would a "plus" size tyre bike be an advantage from a ride quality point of view or would the tyres be too succeptible to punctures? I understand the trail is very hard on tyres. Do many AZ locals roll plus tyres in their general riding?

[Adam Alphabet]

Thanks for all the advice so far! 

Do you feel a suspension fork is a good idea for this trail?  I have used a rigid carbon fork for the TD and other bikepacking races in Western Canada, but from what I have read so far, this trail sounds like a lot more technical single track.  The suspension fork might might be worth the extra weight.

Yes a suspension fork is a wise move. This is definitely a trail race on single track (at least the first 300 miles that I've done a handful of times now). After that it apparently becomes a bit more dirt roadish with some hellish hike a bikes thrown in for good measure on some rough trail. I mean people ride whatever they want/prefer of course, but I think most would be better served with some form of sus.