2016 Arizona Trail Race AZTR planning thread

[Woodland]

Some interesting developments for the AZT today. Make sure you read the ATA E-News.

[Adam Alphabet]

Some interesting developments for the AZT today. Make sure you read the ATA E-News.

I posted the info in the 'Routes' section of the forums this morning. Important everyone reads this as it could have severe impacts on the future of the Arizona Trail.

[dirtvato]

Any suggestions about leaving a car at the start?  PCL trailhead a bit more remote than PP.  Figure chance of problems a bit higher there.

[AZTtripper]

Any suggestions about leaving a car at the start?  PCL trailhead a bit more remote than PP.  Figure chance of problems a bit higher there.

It's been done with an older rig. Not sure if the boat ramp parking would be better or worse. If you spent the night before in the Parker Lake Campground you could talk to the host.

[THE LONG RANGER]

Hate to say this, but I am OUT for the AZTR - I've got a chronic ankle issue from a fall while bouldering a few months ago that's just going to get exasperated doing the little stroll through AZ. I've had long-term sprains, but this one takes the cake.

[AZ_BikePacker]

Hi,

Looking for a place to stay in Sierra Vista?  Well, I'm looking to drop my car off at the AZT 300 finish on Thursday the 14th and need a ride back to Sierra Vista?

I have an extra room with a privet bath. The bed is only a twin, but it will sleep two.  I think, this would work really well for someone that was going to get dropped of at the start, but didn't want have to camp out the night before. My house is about an hour from the start of the AZT 700 & AZT 300.  I can find my own ride to the start if your doing the AZT 700.

There is 400 sq of floor space and I have one queen size air mattress, if there were mutable people that wanted to stay.  I ignorantly posted this in the wrong forum; the first time.

Don S.

[geekonabike]

Sorry
i dont andestend for me it is difficult to understand this with water places. It is coordinated gps available?
Tank you iao Mauri

I've downloaded the (android) Arizona Trail app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.highsierraattitude.arizonatrail&hl=en
of the Arizona Trail for now it doesn't include the sections we use to bypass the Wilderness sections. I use the same app for the CTR & likely wouldn't have finished without the food & water resupply GPS/info. Free to DL w/ only one sample section (Flagstaff), but You do need to spend $10 for the complete maps.
 Available for Iphone also, All proceeds go the ATA & help to maintain the the trail. 

The app has a section to crowd source conditions. I'm thinking we can begin adding bike route waypoints by using these update & Hashtag them #bikeroute

[NATURAID]

thank you for information. Ciao from Italy

[NATURAID]

excuse, someone knows like go to Las Vegas from st George after AZT? thanks

[mikepro]

excuse, someone knows like go to Las Vegas from st George after AZT? thanks

Going from St George to Las Vegas is easy.  There are many airport shuttle businesses in St George, as well as bike shops and hotels.  In 2014, I pedaled and hitch-hiked from AZT finish to St George, by way of Kanab, and found a shuttle company in St George that took me direct to LV airport the next morning.  Or course, you can take your time in Las Vegas and be a tourist and eat buffet... at the Bellagio perhaps?

[pbasinger]

I'm using Basecamp on a Mac and E trex 20
loading AZT 300 track

Could someone give me advice on the best settings / method for loading the track.


So far I have done Preferences->Transfer ->check the Simplify Tracks by Removing Intermediate Points->check 500 pt ->transfer

Seems to work, but wondering if the track with only 500 pts is too few and will be a problem.  The overall track length is 240 miles according to the gps.

Thanks

[Adam Alphabet]

Hey Pete,

I'm pretty GPS unsavy. I downloaded the track as is off Scotts site, dragged it over to basecamp and then dragged it up to my Garmin Dakota and etrex 20.

I had difficulty with the 300 track not displaying fully and ended up loading the reduced 750 track with no issue. I used this track touring along the 300 route this past winter and will be using the same for the event, I'll be doing the 300.
Sorry if this is overly simple or not too helpful but that's all I got. Some of the more GPS savy may chime in with better advice.

[davew]

I'm using Basecamp on a Mac and E trex 20
loading AZT 300 track

Could someone give me advice on the best settings / method for loading the track.


So far I have done Preferences->Transfer ->check the Simplify Tracks by Removing Intermediate Points->check 500 pt ->transfer

Seems to work, but wondering if the track with only 500 pts is too few and will be a problem.  The overall track length is 240 miles according to the gps.

Thanks

This may help, it may not...

500 is too few. From 10 000 to 500 is essentially working towards having a straight line between Parker and Picket. With too few points there is every chance you will miss important turns. The reduced track will rarely follow the trail of the map you are on. Compare the 500 point track to the 10k track in Basecamp and it is ugly. The 10k file has enough data to have the track sit on top of the roads and the trails to a fairly good degree and provide peace of mind you are on the right track.

The overall distance is an accumulation of distances calculated  between each point. The more points you take out (reduce the file by) the straighter the line (the track) is going to get between start and finish. You removed 9500 points and the result is a track of 240miles down from the 285 miles the 10k track starts with.  If you end up with two points you get a distance of 136miles (ie, Parker to Picket as the crow flies).

Try using the Transfer/send to device from the top of the screen. Its has a few more options like loading a map and way points at the same time.

The 10k file should work fine, it you are having trouble, try deleting (backing up) old data you don't need, disabling maps you are not using and hiding tracks not required.

If this does not work you can try spitting the trail in two and load each separately or filter the track (not quite so drastically) to 9990 points which sits just under the 10k limit of these devices. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

PM me if you are still having trouble.

As an aside, I've been playing with Galileo, an off-line map app, on the iphone and I got the 10k route for the 750 and all the waypoints I calculated for supply points on to the phone in a mater of seconds. While it may not be the best method for all day navigation on a mtn bike with its poor battery life, it offers much better functionality with being able to pan around and see what s about compared with the clunky Garmin etrex. Bigger screen faster panning.

[AZTtripper]

Long Ranger did a video on it just recently. http://longranger.justinsimoni.com/2015/12/28/import-a-gpx-file-into-your-garmin-etrex-20/

[NATURAID]

Going from St George to Las Vegas is easy.  There are many airport shuttle businesses in St George, as well as bike shops and hotels.  In 2014, I pedaled and hitch-hiked from AZT finish to St George, by way of Kanab, and found a shuttle company in St George that took me direct to LV airport the next morning.  Or course, you can take your time in Las Vegas and be a tourist and eat buffet... at the Bellagio perhaps?

[NATURAID]

Going from St George to Las Vegas is easy.  There are many airport shuttle businesses in St George, as well as bike shops and hotels.  In 2014, I pedaled and hitch-hiked from AZT finish to St George, by way of Kanab, and found a shuttle company in St George that took me direct to LV airport the next morning.  Or course, you can take your time in Las Vegas and be a tourist and eat buffet... at the Bellagio perhaps?

Thank you very much, this information are very important for my. Grazie See in the border. Ciao from Italy

[NATURAID]

Going from St George to Las Vegas is easy.  There are many airport shuttle businesses in St George, as well as bike shops and hotels.  In 2014, I pedaled and hitch-hiked from AZT finish to St George, by way of Kanab, and found a shuttle company in St George that took me direct to LV airport the next morning.  Or course, you can take your time in Las Vegas and be a tourist and eat buffet... at the Bellagio perhaps?

Going from St George to Las Vegas is easy.  There are many airport shuttle businesses in St George, as well as bike shops and hotels.  In 2014, I pedaled and hitch-hiked from AZT finish to St George, by way of Kanab, and found a shuttle company in St George that took me direct to LV airport the next morning.  Or course, you can take your time in Las Vegas and be a tourist and eat buffet... at the Bellagio perhaps?

  Thank you for Bellagio...... it is a good idea..... he he he he

[Woodland]

Long Ranger did a video on it just recently. http://longranger.justinsimoni.com/2015/12/28/import-a-gpx-file-into-your-garmin-etrex-20/

Thanks for that video Justin. Here I was wondering why I was only loading 90 miles of the track...I had a Delorme unit before and it didn't have this 10k point limit, why does Garmin make it so much harder...

[aaron w]

 I am touring the AZT right now and have just arrived at lost Dutchman State Park. I just rode the new optional sections for the 750 route and would like to report that they are fun! The first  section is especially beautiful with some super twisty singletrack and scenic 4 x 4 road. The second section is rough in spots but after what you've been through up to this point no big deal at all…  I can definitely tell Jacob's has been cleaned up since I rode it last fall. Thanks John! Way to go…

[ScottM]

Thanks for the report, Aaron, glad to hear it!

SPOT Trackers: tonight is the deadline for renting a tracking device from Trackleaders.