AZTR 2013 Discussion Thread

[Gimmearaise]

Way to go Blake it was fun riding up the highway with you! Stellar job!

[RollingStone]

Forest Baker is in the ditch and looking strong.

Interesting way of carrying his SS rig - rear wheel up and not removed, bars removed, frame bag on his chest.

[Sean Allan]

Finished up the 750 around 10:30 this morning. I had a great time battling it out with Aaron. I'm so bummed that he had to submit to a mechanical. Look out for Aaron next year.
I'll follow up with a race report in a couple days. It's time for a cold beer and some much needed sleep.
Thanks Scott for putting all the wheels in motion.
Blake

Great job Blake! Sorry about the car.....Can't wait to hear the stories.

So bummed to hear about Aaron, that sucks on so many levels. I can't imagine the disappointment he must have faced.

[Kurtis]

Great job Max. You've got the hardest one of the three done; now just TD and CTR to go!

Gonna be sweet to watch the rest of the 750 riders bring it on home.

Nope. The CTR with the first two races on the legs is a beast like no other.

[jkormanik]

I just got into Boise after drifting north (in a car) for a week.  Was able to ride pieces of the route north of Pine and am sorry to have missed that part of the race.  My knee is still screwed up so I'm glad I stopped at Roosevelt Lake.  My barrel cactus thorn infected my hand and required antibiotics and surgery.  Damn expensive cactus.

I was going to pick Cjell up at the border but he called from Phoenix saying that from the Gila to Picketpost almost did him in -- no food or water.  He had no brake pads left so even downhill was a pisser.  He has pulled out so don't bother looking for his remains on the side of Highline.  I bet he comes back for more next year.

Amazing riding by all.

Chip

Chip - I'm from Boise. I'd love to buy you a beer and pick your brain about the AZTR. Considering giving it a go in 2014.

[Kurtis]

 Max!!!!!! Fantastic Run. Congratulations!

[aarond]

It was great meeting and riding with you all!  Even though I had to drop at the North Rim I can't believe what a beautiful odyssey it was, how stunning the trail is and how gorgeous the scenery.  The AZTR is truly an incredible experience and I feel very lucky to have been able to do that much of it.  See you all next year!!!

P.S.  Scott, thanks so much for making this possible, definitely one of the best experiences of my life...so far!

[mtbcast]

Mark Caminiti called in from Flagstaff. He had to replace his phone because he lost his iPhone near Blue Ridge Campground above the ranger station.
http://mtbcast.com/site2/category/azt13/

[fastmtnbiker33w]

Finally finished up my blog post.  I'm slow like that.

http://fastmtnbiker33w.wordpress.com/2013/04/28/azt-2013-the-good-hurt/

[boatmana]

I just got a call from Aaron Denberg.  Bad, bad luck for him.  His race ended when his cassette+freewheel fell off during the canyon hike.  He said he zip tied it on, but the zip tie wore off and broke somewhere.  He lost one of the two ratchets inside, so when he got to the north rim, he had a non-functional bike.

Luckily a couple from Provo had circumnavigated the road closed sign and gone to the north rim, so they picked him up and saved him a 40 mile road walk.

What a bummer to make it that far and then not have a working bike.  He was flying out there!

DAm 142+ I worried about that when I did some testing.  Crap should of shared my remedy.  What a ride and show of incredible strength everyone displayed.  So stoked for humanity right now.  Listening to Eric push on and Max killed it.  High 5 everyone.

[candrus]

Chip - I'm from Boise. I'd love to buy you a beer and pick your brain about the AZTR. Considering giving it a go in 2014.

Just visiting in Boise but feel free to contact me about the race.  Phone is 541 745 2079.

[B_Bock]

Way to go Blake it was fun riding up the highway with you! Stellar job!

It was a pleasure riding with you as well. Maybe I'll see you at the CTR tis summer

[candrus]

Sheila has it right -- minimize risk of injury, keep on moving forward, pay attention to water and food, and keep it fun.  I bet she finishes under 14 days.  What a good ride she is having.  

[Gimmearaise]

It was a pleasure riding with you as well. Maybe I'll see you at the CTR tis summer

I'll be in Durango Sunday July 21st at 4am! Again great work on the 750!

NEIL

[windowace]

She's a Beautiful Beast.  I had a fantastic 300 even if I went a touch over 4 days.  By fantastic I mean I completed and survived no worse for the wear, except for a few tingling toes and an unexplained soreness across my sternum that makes giving and taking a hug surprisingly painful.  Total mileage came in at 318, the extra mileage mostly due to the trip to Ben’s Bikes on Houghton road to replace a badly tweaked rear brake rotor.  Big shout out to Ben for taking care of me and my bike.  If you are in Tucson, AZ or (strangely enough) Sequim, Wa you can go to Ben’s Bikes for some quality care.
 
Highlights for me were Completion, Completion, Completion! 
 
Also: 
Spending some riding(or was it hiking) time with John Schilling – Great job John.  At the PP trailhead we were chatting with a couple other riders and the question asked was “would you do it again?”  I quickly responded “No”.  John replied much more wisely that he needed to, “process some things”.  I am now retracting my response and starting some processing of my own. (what if I hadn’t bent my rotor?  What if ...)

An evening up in the chunk of Reddington with Ron Thomson.  “Hey Ron, how are you going to shift with socks on your hands?”  Oh yeah single speed.  Heck of a piece of work Ron.

Hamburger at LPQ

A cold apple provided by my sister upon completion. Best apple I have ever had.

Gummy Bear trail magic climbing up the Molino HAB.

Chatting with Holt and Josiah at Picketpost.  Great job Holt, Sorry for the stomach issues Josiah, Great attitude even when you were suffering. Something magical about the fatigue when you are done.

Really cool to see John S. then later Nancy and her Partner Roll through the Finish. Singlespeeders.  You’re nuts.  Nancy, hope the cholla spines are working their way out!

Hands down was my ride up from the Gila to PP trailhead.  I rode straight through from Kannely ranch.  A 27hr stretch with barely a stop and no sleep. From the bottom of Ripsey to the Bottom of the Gila climb my right knee really started to complain. Then it miraculously got very quiet. From the bottom of the Gila Climb to the end I was out of my head.  I started climbing away from the Gila at about 4am and seemed to find legs I have never had.  I climbed, and rode like I never have.  It was incredible. Even at times when I was pushing my bike I couldn’t feel the weight of it.  It was wonderfully surreal.  I climbed into the canyon as the morning light hit the red walls and lit the place up. Really amazing.  Of the two last significant climbs, I cleaned the last (300ft gain) from bottom to top.  I probably couldn’t do it again.  Watching the clock on my gps from the bottom, at first I thought I would go under 4days no problem, then I thought it was totally out of reach, then it seemed like I might make it.  I hammered and gave it everything I had.  At one point something happened and I lost all my shifting abilities, and was riding as a single speed.  With about 2 miles to go it fixed itself.  In the end I missed the sub 4 day mark by 5 minutes. Kind of arbitrary considering a 3hr bike repair, taking pictures, etc.  Interesting that several other riders had a similar experience.

A quick apology to the riders at the bottom of the Gila climb that I rolled by at 4am.  I blurted out something about “getting myself the F**K out of there”, in a somewhat less than sunny tone of voice.  Not what you needed your sleep interrupted with.

On a last note. Although I did forget to reset my spot, I think it was actually my spot batteries dying that caused my disappearance on track leaders.  I noticed the red light flashing on the unit earlier, but on the back of the unit it says to move to a position with a better view of the sky.  At the time, I was down in the wash before Ripsey and just figured I needed to gain some elevation.  After that I kind of forgot about it. Kind of bummed me out when I called to be picked up.  I had been hoping my family and friends would have seen my nutty last night.  But that was not to be.  Next time?

Cheers all!

[Marshal]

just checked on to trackleader--looks like Eric (& I assume Forest) had a late lunch at Jacob Lake & will hit the UT border in a couple more hrs--way to go guys!!

[sheilar]

Sheila has it right -- minimize risk of injury, keep on moving forward, pay attention to water and food, and keep it fun.  I bet she finishes under 14 days.  What a good ride she is having. 

So very proud of her!!  One strong woman!

[meximama]

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY E.F.  YOU DID IT !!!!!!!!!
WE ARE SO EXCITED AND PROUD OF YOU!   WHOOOO HOOOOO!

[sosborne99]

Eric;  Huge congrats man, I know you were tired, but you stuck it out.  GREAT JOB!!!!!!

[layla]

I find the blue dots hard to stop watching?!  I am here logged onto "bikepacking.net" again?...what's wrong with me?!    I only do this 2x per year during the AZT and the CTR..when Mark C. is on the trail.  I love seeing the pix and hearing the stories and blogs you all post, I'm a swimmer not an endurance mtbr.....I can't quite wrap my head around what you do?!..it is nothing short of amazing.  The incredible limits of speed and endurance that you push yourselves through are mind boggling to people like me...but honestly it wasn't how fast or the end that fascinated me it is the "whole" event/the ups the downs of each of the blue dots...the journey...I think you are ALL great to just do it!  To get out there and live without fear, to find your way, to trust your intuition, your gut, your mind,  your equipment.  It is inspiring and it must provide inspiration to you, the racer, it must cuz its Mark's THIRD FREAKING TIME!!!  Is he insane? inspired? I leave the question as it is, cuz I think y'all already know the answer.....I am inspired just watching Mark's determination and wanted to give him a shout out of support even if he can't hear it......

Quote from Into the Wild:  To measure yourself at least once. To find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions. Facing the blind death stone alone, with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head. Chris McCandless