AZTR start date - Fri, Thur, Weds?

[ScottM]

Hey AZTR Tifosi,

I think this change may be well overdue, but any thoughts, yay or nay, on starting the show a day or two earlier?

The prime reason is to minimize encounters on Redington Road, which becomes a zoo on the weekend.  Thursday start would put the bulk of riders up there on Friday, instead.  Weds would avoid the weekend for everyone.

Any downsides?  Thoughts?

[Ron Thomson]

I can think of one downside.

I already booked my flight.  

But yes, good idea. I had an incident on Reddington Road with a young boy on a quad who would have ridden into me if I had not taken evasive action.

[LandSharkBrian]

I like the idea of a Thursday morning start (and I haven't yet booked my flight) 
Minimizing the number of wankers encountered on Reddington seems well worth a change to start date.

[the tortoise]

How about doing a start window from Wednesday to whenever? This would help spread out the riders and give them other preferred start dates.
I like how your trackleader's system gives people the option as to start times and resets if things don't pan out initially. People could also have the option initially of waiting out a hot or stormy spell.

[ScottM]

How about doing a start window from Wednesday to whenever? This would help spread out the riders and give them other preferred start dates.
I like how your trackleader's system gives people the option as to start times and resets if things don't pan out initially. People could also have the option initially of waiting out a hot or stormy spell.

Yep, I'm always a little surprised more people don't take the ITT option.  That's always available.

Multiple group starts is not a bad idea, especially as we approach the 75 person limit....

[phatmike]

Hi Scott this will be my first attempt at the 300 and after reading tons of blogs and knowing of at least one (Ray H) who had his race ended due to an incident not to mention lots of other "interesting" encounters I would think a Thurs (or Wed ) start date would we really helpful. I'm in PHX so don't have to worry about already booked flights. Seems like a solution has been talked about/needed for years now... either re-routing or re-schedule. I like the idea of a re-schedule instead of finding a re-route.

Take care.

[AZTtripper]

If I were to attempt the 300 again I would want to start on Wednesday, assuming the gaol is to avoid the craziness that is Redneckington Pass on a weekend.

So if a rider wanted to start on a Wednesday with the intent of a 5 day finish, and so on as riders choose their own start dates. This could possibly put more riders meeting post ride as they finnish on the same day.

Multiple start dates would also help to spread out the crowd at the starts. This last 750 look to be pretty full up at the T on the Border.

Just some rambling thoughts.

Tim

[Snowbd2u]

Whenever works, still sometime around the 7th? Haven't booked the flight, but coming up soon.

[davew]

While its not a huge imposition, it would be mildly annoying to change the start day. Some of us have had to call in favours with bosses, battle with archaic leave applications and processes  for a huge chunk of time off at a time of the year when many many people are also vying for time off over long weekend around easter. Add in international travel, transport of the bike, accommodation, there is a load of prep being done a long while out to get there.

Where else but the start can you get to hear some muppet quip at riders racing off that 'it cant be won of the first day but it can be lost' and 'why are they going so fast, they've all day to ride yet'. I was 30km up the road when the best response came to me.  My flights are booked, leave is booked for a Friday start, please don't deny me my chance to voice my come back for what is almost guaranteed to be uttered. I'd almost put $100 on it.

[dirtvato]

I'm with Dave on the group start.  I'm not so concerned about the day, but breathing about a measured cup of dirt going up Reddington does indeed suck. I really enjoy a group start vs the several smaller starts idea.  Part of the fun for me is settling into a group of riders of nearly the same speed and having on/off interactions and similar stories to tell.  Too many start times and it will get a little too spread out for my taste

[dirtvato]

Just noticed the 75 rider limit comment Scott.  Can I go ahead and rent the Spot now then?!  I agree with a limit as long as I get included the mix (funny how that works).  How will the limit be established?

[the tortoise]

I am not against group starts, but as events grow I think that spreading out the crowd is a good idea.
Some of my best times were when I was alone. You have a lot more flexibility that way and you get to meet people along the way.
The "spirit" of the race is to "do it yourself dammit" so doing it alone might be the goal of some.
Also to me the spirit of bikepacking is to not being part of a huge crowd.

That said some of my favorite people are the ones I met on these events.

[LandSharkBrian]

Just noticed the 75 rider limit comment Scott.  Can I go ahead and rent the Spot now then?!  I agree with a limit as long as I get included the mix (funny how that works).

Yes!!!

[ScottM]

Thanks for the comments thus far.

On the 75 limit, it is a forest service requirement for non-commercial events.  Luckily the 300 and 750 are different races, starting in different locations.  And once morning 1 shenanigans are done, the group spreads out quite nicely.  So I think 75 for each is sustainable, and I don't quite see hitting that limit yet, but I suppose it could happen this year.  If that does become the case I would rather spread people out into multiple days rather than turn people away.  But I don't think that'll happen this year.

I was a little afraid that people would have already planned on the 7th as a hard deadline.  Seems like a day of adjustment should still be possible, or are we arriving the day before with no room for error?

This change is long overdue, and I do apologize for not making it earlier.  I think the only reason to keep it centered over the weekend was for locals who can show up, ride to Tucson, decide they are tired, scratch, and still make it back to work on Monday.    Or if you're riding at animal/mutant pace, you can finish Sunday and also still be 'around' (though certainly not present) Monday.  (Both of those situations have applied to myself in the past, especially the scratching one!).  I don't think these are good enough reasons to risk further "Angry Ray" incidents, though.

Wicks, I can never quite tell how facetious your remarks are.  Can you still make a Thursday start, if the one and only, true believer group start is moved to the 6th?

Wednesday might make more sense for 2018.  But I am leaning towards Thursday for 2017.

[taprider]

I too came within an inch of being run over by a jacked-up jeep on Redington, plus the endless semi-automatic medium caliber gun fire was annoying

[AZTtripper]

First off I'll say that I agree that it might be too late to change the up coming event. Clearly people have already made commitments to that day. There's nothing stopping anyone from starting on any day of any week, if someone really wants to start at an earlier time.

My take on the start date for 2018, a group start window of Wed-Friday. My feeling is that it will mostly be the slower 5 day riders who will opt for the Wednesday start, think you can get it done in 4 Thursday, the faster riders may be fine with starting on Friday. There will always be working stiffs who can't pull off anything more then a 3 day weekend, and then they will need to be fast or willing to bail.

Having a open window of start days makes the ITT more legit perhaps. Seems like with a full year to plan riders should still be able to have others to ride with against, no matter what day they choose to start on. Also if you are slower you might meet more riders as they pass you then you would have when they all go screaming away from the start.

again just some rambling thoughts.

Tim

[xcracer]

A Friday start Is much better for me! Hard to miss school a half a week of school. It just forces me to be done faster so I can get back to school Monday. How about a wed-Friday start in 2018?

[dream4est]

Any day is fine by me I think of it like Bruce Lee would. Be flexible like water and focus inward with intensity. I am ready right now actually. I missed all three triple crown events this year after finishing seven in a row so I am fired up already for the 750

[ScottM]

Any day is fine by me I think of it like Bruce Lee would. Be flexible like water and focus inward with intensity. I am ready right now actually. I missed all three triple crown events this year after finishing seven in a row so I am fired up already for the 750

I like it, Mark.  Will be happy to have you back for another go.

Since folks have planned on it, the default would be to stick with a Friday start this year.  I can try to encourage some early ITTs with dire warnings of Redneckington, especially for mid-packers, but I doubt many will go for it.

I hate to inconvenience folks that have planned on the Friday start, but I also hate to send so many people through Redington on a spring Saturday.  Not sure what the greater good would be, or if that is even the right way to look at it.

[cbmtnbkr]

I would be game for an ITT start of Thursday. Let me know if that is an option. Thanks.