Arizona Trail 300 Update Thread

[Chad B]

Use this thread for updates on the AZT 300 race that begins this Friday. I will be posting some commentary/speculation and some pictures of what the riders will be seeing along the route.

Here is the tracker to watch all the racers: http://topofusion.com/tracker-azt.php

[Marshal]

Say Chad, any advice on how to turn on a Spot/Track?

Just kidding, thanks for starting the thread, does this mean Scott's racing?

[ScottM]

Say Chad, any advice on how to turn on a Spot/Track?

Just kidding, thanks for starting the thread, does this mean Scott's racing?

Ha! 

Yep, I'm heading north on the AZT 300 for the 4th year in a row.  I don't really want to go to sleep... just want to get out there!

[PirateGirl]

And they're off! All SPOTS seem to be tracking, so this will be fun to watch.

Good luck out there guys!

[Tmax]

Looks like a pretty tight 4 man pack coming to the Harshaw Rd.

[Chad B]

It looks like Plesko, Scott, Stefan and Kurt are all up in the front riding out on Salero Ranch Road. It will be interesting to see if they can get to finish the Elephant Head section before dark. This is a very slow, rocky section that is pretty difficult to do, especially at night (and on a SS rigid also). The water spigot is on at Madera Canyon, so there is no need for the racers to go to the observatory (off route) to fill up their water, assuming they brought enough from Patagonia.

Salero Ranch is a smooth dirt road, but eventually turns into a rough 4x4 road as shown in this picture. The leaders are currently in this area:



If they continue to ride, the leaders will be riding along on Box Canyon Rd and onto more AZT sweet singletrack. This is pretty fast terrain.



The one problem is that Box Canyon has nice gradual climb for approximately 8-9 miles. I had to slow down during this section, although it is a gradual climb, it is pretty consistent until the turnoff for the AZ trail.

[Chad B]

Stefan and Kurt seem to be riding together right now. Just got word from Max and Fred, both are headed out of Patagonia right now. Seems like we know the people that are "fast touring" from those that are "racing" now that half the light is gone from the first day.

Of those racers, it will be interesting to see who decides to sleep during this first night. There will be a full moon to aid the racers along the AZT section. There are no water stops after Madera Canyon until Colossal Cave, which the riders could arrive at as early as 5am tomorrow (based on Kurt and Stefan's speeds).

[sherpaxc]

Any start pics?

[Chad B]

Nope, no pictures from me. I am in San Diego on the beach doing updates I will try to call the driver, Jobie, to see if he has any pictures from the start. Seems like at least 9 starts that I know of, possibly more.

The crux of tomorrow: there is a 90% chance of showers/possibly snow on Mt Lemmon with a high of 40 degrees, low is 27 degrees!

[sherpaxc]

And the plot thickens!

So not everybody has a SPOT then huh?  Nothing like the first Ultra of the year to stoke the riding fire.

[Chad B]

Fred from Moab is riding with Max right now, I know he is w/o a SPOT. I just left a message on Jobie's voicemail; hope to hear back before the night is over.

BTW, it is now showing that all 4 leaders are together. How reliable are these SPOT things? I know I don't know how to use one as everyone witnessed last week. The are nearing the turn to hard-to-find turn (if you do not have a GPS) of Devil's Cashbox and are still on of the rockiest roads I have ever been on Bull Springs.

Madera Canyon and Elephant Head pictures, they should be here in another 1-2 hours.




Oak Canyon is after Box Canyon Rd, some sweet, smooth, newly added singletrack

[Pivvay]

Chad,

Thanks for the pictures and updates.  It's awesome to see some pictures of what they are going through!

From what I've seen (obsessively following Chris's progress on all of these adventures), the SPOTs are fairly reliable if you keep an eye on when the signal was last sent.  If you simply look at who is in the lead, it can be deceiving.  Some signals won't pick up for a few hours, while others get picked up every half hour or so.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for *okay* weather tomorrow.  YIKES!

Marni (Plesko's wife) 

[Chad B]

I just got off the phone with Scott, he mentioned that the Madera Canyon spigot is not working now. I used it last week to refill water before continuing on to Box Canyon. Luckily, the creek is flowing and they can use that to filter water. This is going to cause the 4 leaders some time to filter water. Scott mentioned that they were bouncing around a bit in front, taking different positions during the first day. It was a quick conversation, but Scott seemed optimistic. He had been banking on my beta from last week, not sure why the spigot is not working now.

Also, I just called Max to let him and Fred know that they need to go to the observatory to fill up water.

Thanks Marni for the update, Scott asked about his tracking program during our quick phone conversation. I assume that the delay maybe in the tracking program that he wrote (which is amazing, I should add).

Marshal made it to Patagonia, and it seems like the rest of the group is heading toward Elephant Head.

Let's keep watching and speculating! Feel free to sign up for an account in order to make some posts, especially friends and family members of the racers. We want to read updates and thoughts about the ride.

Go Riders Go! Pedal pedal pedal.... and have fun!

[PirateGirl]

Wonder who will be stopping for the night this first night and who will be continuing on. With the weather report for tomorrow looking crappy, I wonder if some will try to make it as far as possible with the window of good weather.

[Pivvay]

Thanks Marni for the update, Scott asked about his tracking program during our quick phone conversation. I assume that the delay maybe in the tracking program that he wrote (which is amazing, I should add).

Scott's site is amazing!  The delay isn't in the tracking program as far as I can tell, the SPOTs are just a bit spastic (the program picks up the tracks as soon as they post to the traditional SPOT site). 

-Marni

[timroz]

Is there a map that shows all of the latest spots on one map?  Like the CTR spot page last year?   All I'm getting is the individual spots if I click on the pic's and the leaderboard.

Tim

[Tmax]

Where did everybody go?! There were 8 on the leader board before, now there are 3. 4 dots on the map. I think this SPOT system is aptly named, it's very spotty. Scott is on the map but not on the leader board.

[Tmax]

Now they are all back. Hmm. Now you see 'um, now you don't. Hopefully that was just a momentary glitch.

[Tmax]

Looks like the 4 leaders are all back on the AZTrail again, still tightly bunched.

[Chad B]

The leaders are nearing the AZT section at Oak Canyon, still going strong. They will be dropping on the section of the highway in less than an hour. At times, it looks like one or two of them will pull ahead, but it just might be the delay in the SPOT. There is not one go-to page for everyone's SPOT (like the TD last year) on Scott's page.

It looks like everyone else has opted to camp before Madera Canyon proper. Marshal and Tim seem to be pretty close, and now Max and Rob are in different locations, so it looks like Rob pushed ahead since Max has not moved in almost 3.5 hours. Max has not passed the bathroom at the observatory rather is looks like just 1-2 miles away. Interesting place to camp being so close to Elephant Head and the first water stop. Rob is in a similar location to where the MC/Scott/Pete gang camped last year, he has barely moved in the past 1.5 hours.

The current weather forecast in Tucson right now: then showers likely and slight chance of thunderstorms after midnight. Snow level falling to 6000 feet with 1 to 4 inches. Lows 46 to 51. Southwest wind 15 to 25 mph and gusty becoming south 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.