2019 AZTR 300/750 Race Preparation and Planning Thread

[Halberto]

Hey All,

Happy New Year's.

Hoping to do the 750 this year and am in process of planning. How do people get out from Stateline Campground if you are from "out of town" and don't have a support crew to pick you up? Do you get a shuttle service to get you back to Flagstaff for a flight out?

Thanks,

Hal

[LandSharkBrian]

Hoping to do the 750 this year and am in process of planning. How do people get out from Stateline Campground if you are from "out of town" and don't have a support crew to pick you up? Do you get a shuttle service to get you back to Flagstaff for a flight out?

Hey Hal - check the 2017 AZTR race prep thread.  At the time Rhino's grandma had a rickshaw service from Page, and you only ran a moderate chance of being throat-punched for being 'too sissy' (her words) to just ride there yourself.  Unsure if she's still in business or not.   

[AZTtripper]

Ha, not to worry the State line is actually a popular area with lots of outdoorsy types. Most go for The Wave a permit required hike. Rider's have had good luck hitching out of the area.

[nelsjustin]

Hey Hal - check the 2017 AZTR race prep thread.  At the time Rhino's grandma had a rickshaw service from Page, and you only ran a moderate chance of being throat-punched for being 'too sissy' (her words) to just ride there yourself.  Unsure if she's still in business or not.   

I really wish the forum supported upvotes - because that is funny as hell. 

[hanyo66]

Hey All,

Happy New Year's.

Hoping to do the 750 this year and am in process of planning. How do people get out from Stateline Campground if you are from "out of town" and don't have a support crew to pick you up? Do you get a shuttle service to get you back to Flagstaff for a flight out?

Thanks,

Hal

Circle Tours – Offers shuttle services to various northern Arizona/southern Utah trailheads. Contact Kyle Walker at 888-854-7862.

Paria Outpost – Run by Susan and Stephen Dodson, has a shuttle service. Contact them at 928-691-1047

^Those were listed on OneOfSevenProjects site and I actually called Kyle at Circle Tours in March to help me out with shuttling (we started our ride at Stateline). He was willing to pick us up in St George and take us to Stateline, although it was pricey. I'd give him a call and see if he could help you out in any way, or at least get you from Stateline to a town close by and figure out how to get to Flag from there. (note: we ended up not using him since we had friends that were in the area and helped us out)

Also, from the AZT site, there were these ones listed that look like they could be of help:

TRAILS END SHUTTLE
Trails End Shuttle & Tours provides shuttle services and guided tours to destinations along the Arizona Trail including the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and trailheads within the Grand Staircase and Vermilion Cliffs National Monuments. Call or email Tim Stephenson for details: 928-614-4109, trailsendshuttle@gmail.com.

FLAGSTAFF SHUTTLE & CHARTER
Flagstaff Shuttle & Charter (928-814-8341) provides custom shuttles to and from any point on the Arizona Trail, including both North and South trailheads, shuttling to any location in the southwest including the rims of the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

EDIT: may want to stay away from Flagstaff Shuttle and Charter, just read the yelp reviews.....yikes!
https://www.yelp.com/biz/flagstaff-shuttle-and-charter-flagstaff

[LandSharkBrian]

Hey guys! Im flying in to Tuscon on Tuesday April 16th. Anyone driving to Sierra Vista that day or the next that can shuttle a body? Im shipping my bike out to Sun and Spokes before I leave, so it will just be me. Or split a shuttle?

Josh, my noble steed was built at Sun & Spokes last year and I'll be doing something similar though I don't have my flight or other plans firmed up yet.  Message me in a month or so if you're still trying to work something out.

[Gator4Life]

I’m in for the 300. Looking forward to the pain!

[Paw Margl Machacek]

HI Dears,
Happy new year from Czech republic. It is committed now - I received AZTR750
approval directly from Ježíšek (Santa Claus in Czech)  : https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2FLXTe7FTyYdWZYdUxvWlo3VVc0ZXhUSkd4WTN3djFtMnd3

I even persuaded my friend Mirek Franěk to join me to Grand Depart. Despite Mirek has not been out of our state yet 

We will do our best for proper preparation so our main worry now is the Rider limit (amount of racers) for Grand depart. Can somebody describe how is the registration organised and where is possible to check list of participants?

Thank you
Thanks

Pavel Margl

[Halberto]

Hey Hal - check the 2017 AZTR race prep thread.  At the time Rhino's grandma had a rickshaw service from Page, and you only ran a moderate chance of being throat-punched for being 'too sissy' (her words) to just ride there yourself.  Unsure if she's still in business or not.   

A throat-punch might be worth after the walk through the big ditch

[Snowbd2u]

Landsharkbrian... Mark from Sun and Spokes is picking me up at the airport and has a few more spots available for that day. Im flying in mid day tuesday. Can't say enough about him and his shop!

[bigworm]

Everyone Home Grown is running shuttles for the AZT again this year. They don't have an account so I told them I could share it for them. If anyone has any questions you can give them a call or pm me and I can pass them along or try to clarify.

Hey Racers!

If anyone needs a shuttle to the start, from either Picket Post or Tucson, Home Grown MTB will be offering shuttles again this year! There’s a link to their website for info and registration:

http://homegrownmtb.com/event/azt-300-racers-pickup-from-tucson/

http://homegrownmtb.com/event/azt-300-750-race-shuttle-picket-post-pickup/

[Adam Alphabet]

!!!!! Awesome work John and everyone else involved !!!!! Thank You !!!!!
https://aztrail.home.blog/2018/12/23/racing-the-arizona-trail/

[schillingsworth]

Thank you Adam. I hope everyone enjoys the new site. Most of the content and navigation is the same, some tweaks here & there. Updated the image gallery throughout, adding a route description for the 750 north of Picketpost and the new optional section: Four Peaks. There's also a records section added at the bottom of the results page. (Record times are also in bold listed in the yearly results) For any 750 finishers, there's a link supplied to fill out a form to get your hard earned AZT belt buckle. It's rad.

Take a moment and peruse the whole site.

It's gonna be a fun year on the AZT!!

[Adam Alphabet]

Thank you Adam. I hope everyone enjoys the new site. Most of the content and navigation is the same, some tweaks here & there. Updated the image gallery throughout, adding a route description for the 750 north of Picketpost and the new optional section: Four Peaks. There's also a records section added at the bottom of the results page. (Record times are also in bold listed in the yearly results) For any 750 finishers, there's a link supplied to fill out a form to get your hard earned AZT belt buckle. It's rad.

Take a moment and peruse the whole site.

It's gonna be a fun year on the AZT!!

It's really well done, again nice work! I just finished going through everything... including downloading and doing a quick once over of the new 4 Peaks addition... wow burly!

Any (rough) idea how long the section is? Likely to add a day? to most people's efforts.
Will this likely be the route going forward 2020 onwards? Kind of like how Jacobs cross cut and the Superstitions had a optional intro in 2016 and added in 2017 after feedback and consultation.
Sorry so many questions. Sad I won't be able to ride it this year but still super excited!

[schillingsworth]

The Four Peaks option adds 22 miles to the overall route and about 2,000' of gain. It's not all about what it adds, but what it cuts out too. It bypasses the Apache Trail & Roosevelt Bridge - which is a bit sad, cuts out all the easy pavement miles in Tonto Basin including most of the resupply options. The option rejoins the current route at Jake's Corner, where riders will be sure to restock.

The reason for adding it is it adds roughly 22 miles of actual AZT. There is resupply available at Saguaro Lake Marina (Restaurant & Snack bar + water) during business hours. Water is also available to filter on the north side of Saguaro Lake. It then gets dry until the approach to Sunflower. Sycamore Creek flows year round, but dips above & below ground - a true desert experience!!

Four Peaks will add about a day for the front end and probably around two days for the mid to back of the pack riders.

Yes, I'm looking for any & all feedback. I'm not 100% convinced it will become the standard route, it may stay as optional. It will definitely get noted for the finishers. It's a worthwhile route.

I'll be going up there in the spring to make sure the corridor is clear-ish of catclaw & Manzanita scrub. The Goldridge trail (the final downhill to AZ87) can get choked shut with the woody bush. It's an amazing trail that skirts the Mazatzal Wilderness.

[Brian McEntire]

As I am a AZTR rookie, I am unfamiliar with many things, but I am aware that Scott Morris has done a phenomenal job directing this adventure. Kudos to you Scott and thank you for 12 years of history and passion. I am grateful for your creation and the legacy that I will have the chance to join this spring!

John, you have big shoes to fill, but from everything I have seen thus far, you are the perfect person to fulfill the role. Kudos to you for all you have done researching, laboring and stoking the AZTR! Congratulations!

I had hoped to meet the two of you when I come out for the race this year. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, but I thank you both for what you have done/will do for the AZTR750/300!

[Adam Alphabet]

The Four Peaks option adds 22 miles to the overall route and about 2,000' of gain. It's not all about what it adds, but what it cuts out too. It bypasses the Apache Trail & Roosevelt Bridge - which is a bit sad, cuts out all the easy pavement miles in Tonto Basin including most of the resupply options. The option rejoins the current route at Jake's Corner, where riders will be sure to restock.

The reason for adding it is it adds roughly 22 miles of actual AZT. There is resupply available at Saguaro Lake Marina (Restaurant & Snack bar + water) during business hours. Water is also available to filter on the north side of Saguaro Lake. It then gets dry until the approach to Sunflower. Sycamore Creek flows year round, but dips above & below ground - a true desert experience!!

Four Peaks will add about a day for the front end and probably around two days for the mid to back of the pack riders.

Yes, I'm looking for any & all feedback. I'm not 100% convinced it will become the standard route, it may stay as optional. It will definitely get noted for the finishers. It's a worthwhile route.

I'll be going up there in the spring to make sure the corridor is clear-ish of catclaw & Manzanita scrub. The Goldridge trail (the final downhill to AZ87) can get choked shut with the woody bush. It's an amazing trail that skirts the Mazatzal Wilderness.

Thanks for the detailed description John. From your description and the pics on your blog (wow!)..
http://schillingsworth.blogspot.com/2018/11/four-peaks-bikepack.html
..the ruggedness and remoteness of the 4 Peaks section seems more akin to the rest of the route, especially considering it adds 22 miles of bike allowed AZT. It'll be interesting to see if any racers take this route this year and what their thoughts are. Props ahead of time to anyone who does!

[schillingsworth]

For the rest of the Four Peaks option, here's an old blog post from my first ride up there. Disregard the section after Jake's Corner, the route resumes at the pic after the communication towers. The first 10 miles or so of AZT at the top of Four Peaks Rd. are jeep road miles loosely following the Mazatzal Divide. It's good riding. This ride started & ended in Sunflower, see the map at the bottom of the post and it will make sense.

Sunflower: Pines & Spines

[Joe P]

I'll be going to AZ to ride a lot of this trail during the last two weeks of February. Also riding the 300 on the 18th. Full rigid. Looking forward to it. My history is more of the Leadman style, but moving on to endurance.

QUESTION: What is the best way to ride this trail for the first time? I've never been on it and want to get a good feel for what I'm up against. To be fair, I'm not really planning on "racing" anyone but myself on the 18th.

[schillingsworth]

QUESTION: What is the best way to ride this trail for the first time?

In daylight.

Seriously, though most of the route rides best going northbound. The section from Picketpost to Kelvin is typically ridden southbound by us locals. No need to pre-ride Oracle Ridge, just know you'll be pushing for a while. The Canelo Hills will give you a real taste of what you're up against.