2016 Arizona Trail Race AZTR planning thread

[THE LONG RANGER]

Yup, shouldna said NOTHIN' about losing no GPS from my handlebars - jinx'd myself! - My Garmin went on a little trip of its own while I went my separate ways on a little training ride. If you're in Boulder and you see an eTrex 20 laying about, tell it it's daddy misses it,

http://boulder.craigslist.org/laf/5481328324.html

[mikepro]

Hey folks, quick question for the veterans. Who actually takes their cleats out when hiking through the ditch? Seems like it would be a pain.

I plan on carrying 1lbs of running shoe for 650 miles instead, as I did 2yrs ago.  I switched shoes on Highline for a couple hours, back then, too.  Not sure it was worth it for that segment, though.  If for some reason, I do decide to wear the x-alps all the way through and leave the running shoes at home, I'll take the cleats out for the ditch.  Unless, at the South Rim when I look at them, they are too worn down to matter, or I'm too tired to care.

[Gimmearaise]

....or I'm too tired to care.

My thoughts... Not sure I'll have the energy. Cool beans, just wandering what others are doing.

[AZTtripper]

Oracle Ridge is rated 4 out of 5 on the mtbr.com trail review site
http://trails.mtbr.com/cat/united-states-trails/trails-arizona/trail/oracle-ridge/prd_164553_4513crx.aspx
whereas the bike pack rating seems to be 1 out of 5
I'm planning to tour southbound from Phoenix to the start of the 750
wondering about looping Oracle, Tucson, Summerhaven, Oracle to ride Mt Lemmon northbound
or are there way more fun ways to descend Mt Lemmon?

Google Earth shows roads and trails through BioDome to get from Oracle to Tucson
is there a nice, fun and/or easy low route from Oracle to Tucson to avoid the highway?

I don't think you want to go up Oracle Ridge before the 750. The road past he biosphere is the Charouleau Gap road don't think I would call it easy but it is scenic. If you went up the control road you could do the Lemmon Drop http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/303006/lemmon-drop trail that parallels the Catalina Hwy. Super Technical with tons of HAB. Or you could go down the NW side of the mountain on the CDO, used to be part of the AZT, http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/654291/cdo not as tech but still a lot of work. There's a dirt route around the east side of the Catalina's it should be listed in the older AZT300 tracks as the Jonesy snow detour. The Hwy does see biker traffic but it has also seen a few fatalities.

Tim

[jzskoorb]

Booked a flight for two people to Tucson. Arriving at 11am on Thursday. Now we just need to figure out the best way to get the bikes there and a shuttle from Tucson to the start of the 750. Open to jump on a shuttle with some people.

Tara at Homegrown MTB still had some spots open when I booked yesterday. They are picking up some at Picketpost and then picking up the rest in Tucson on the way to Parker Canyon on Thursday.

[taprider]

thanks Tim
the Charouleau Gap road appears to go through gravel pits at the north end
is there a way around the gravel pits?
CDO looks fun or what about ride northbound to the top of Summerhaven, camp over night and then ride the AZTR southbound?

[AZTtripper]

The problem with any N to S ride over the Lemmon is that your setting yourself up for major HAB and then it really makes the most sense to just go down the hwy. Any DH on Lemmon also has major HAB. Really the most sensible thing might be the Gap. There's got to be a way thru the gravel pits. Tho I have not been on that section.
 

[xcracer]

Find a way to get through the gap then ride the trails from there to catalina state park then into tucson.

[AZTtripper]

Find a way to get through the gap then ride the trails from there to catalina state park then into tucson.

Rode thru that yesterday the track from the CDO page shows the way thru. We stayed on the 50 year all the way to Catalina State Park. That would make for a good route from Oracle to Tucson.

[xcracer]

that stuff from the gap road down to 50 year is a blast, if the gap road goes through ( which I've heard it does) then thats the way i would go....Much netter then riding up the backside of lemmon then down pavement or down the lemmon drop. Share the file if you find it works, i wanna try it!

[AZTtripper]

thanks Tim
the Charouleau Gap road appears to go through gravel pits at the north end
is there a way around the gravel pits?
CDO looks fun or what about ride northbound to the top of Summerhaven, camp over night and then ride the AZTR southbound?

Here's a off road site with some way points showing how they got from Oracle to the Gap http://azoffroading.com/arizona-trails/charouleau-gap/

[wolfmansbro]

Tara at Homegrown MTB still had some spots open when I booked yesterday. They are picking up some at Picketpost and then picking up the rest in Tucson on the way to Parker Canyon on Thursday.

Thanks, just booked a spot with them. Now I just need to figure out how to get the bike to Tucson, assemble it, pick up food/supplies and get to the pickup location.

[worntreads]

Hey all,


I put together a ride from the AZTR finish to Salt Lake City (where I can take AmTrak, that will drop me off two blocks from my house).

I started a thread in routes if you want to talk about it.
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/routes/aztr-gt-slc-400-miles-of-dirty-dirt-dirt/new/#new

Goal is to not stop at the finish (that's how I'll lose motivation to keep riding) but finish when I'm actually in a town with food, beers, etc.

[billster6]

How is Andy Sooter doing? he is still tracking on Mt. Lemmon.

[HomeGrownMTB]

Hey guys for those wondering this his how the shuttle will work if you want to book a ride on it. Option 1- We can pick you up at the Picket Post Trail head(Superior)Thursday. Option 2- Pick you up in Tucson Thursday. Both options get you dropped off Thursday night at one of the two starting locations. Price is $90 for option 1 and $45 for option 2. Spread the word and leave the driving to us!! Happy to answer any other questions offline if needed. 52zero 23svn zero one two niner Cheers!

Thursday 4/14/16
Noon: Pick riders up at Picket Post trailhead. Finish line of AZT300

From 2pm-3pm: Pick up riders the Safeway grocery store at Broadway and Campbell. 1940 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85719
This also gives the Picket Post guys time to get supplies. Its also close to Fairhwel Bikes, Ordinary Bikes, and AZ Cyclist if they want a shop to ship their bikes to and can easily ride over to Safeway from those shops.

3pm: Shuttle leaves Safeway.
First stop will be at the 300 starting line. ETA 5pm
Second stop will be at the 750/Border starting line. ETA 6pm

[ScottM]

How is Andy Sooter doing? he is still tracking on Mt. Lemmon.

He lost his SPOT up on Oracle Ridge! 

I am waiting for finish confirmation, but he was at the Gila as of late last night.

He encountered a snow storm on Lemmon and had to seek refuge up there.  He also suffered from a major torn sidewall early on and other flats.

Sounds like a typical 300 experience.    Hope he's done by now and enjoying some ice cream.

[AZTtripper]

thanks Tim
the Charouleau Gap road appears to go through gravel pits at the north end
is there a way around the gravel pits?
CDO looks fun or what about ride northbound to the top of Summerhaven, camp over night and then ride the AZTR southbound?

www.HikeAZ had the track for Oracle to Catalina on the Gap road. The track at the bottom is how I would plan a ride from Oracle to Tucson via the Gap road a bushwhack to Round the Mountain trail and the 50 Year trail. Note at the point where the tracks there is no evidence of a trail. I've been there before and I still had to look close to see some tracks leaving the road to find the spot where the bushwhack short cut starts.

You can just stay on the gap road. http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=16405 for a non bushwhack route.

[Woodland]

I can't believe I've never heard anyone mention this place! (Maybe because a lot of riders hit Mt Lemmon off-hours) But still!

http://www.mtlemmoncookiecabin.com/about

[MikeI]

I can't believe I've never heard anyone mention this place! (Maybe because a lot of riders hit Mt Lemmon off-hours) But still!

http://www.mtlemmoncookiecabin.com/about

Yeah, it's been up there forever.  Also, in addition to the general store there's the Sawmill Run 

http://sawmillrun.com  

[Flagster]

rode reddington to molino yesterday...trail is in great shape but more overgrown than I remember last year...seemed like less water in the washes also