Coco 250

[Artec]

It's kinda last minute but I plan to join. Got my Niner MCR fitted with some new bags made by Rouge Panda Designs here in Flag. 

[Jeff Z]

Something to keep in mind when loading the track. The track that I downloaded has 15,000 points. It loaded to my etrex 30 without any errors. HOWEVER, it only loaded the first 10,000 points. Fortunately, I checked it before heading out on the ride. Ended up breaking the track into 2 and loaded both separately.

So, check your tracks. No fun to get to the Verde river find you have no track for the rest of the ride.

[BryanCB]

Wyatt..send me an e-mail, bryan.mazaika@gmail.com. Canyon Inn which is near the breakfast joint on Friday morning is $50/night. $25/person is cheap enough for me! Good nights sleep and last minute bike rigging inside sounds good to me!

[ScottM]

Tracker is online!

http://trackleaders.com/coconino14

Looks like maybe half of those riding are tracking, so it should be a good sized group.  It's not too late to add your SPOT to the map, if you want.  It is too late for rentals.

If you're on the tracker, go ahead and send a test point (OK or track point) to verify you show up.

For those renting, Jeff Z has kindly agreed to bring the SPOT units to 'The Place' on Friday morning, by 730.  I'll send out some details by email shortly.

Hopefully this tropical moisture clears out in time for stage 1 to begin.  The weather looks great from then on!

[Wyatt72]

Scott,  just yurbed on Delorme and went to link. It appears that I'm showing up on the map. I guess we're good unless there's anything else I need to do. Might also change and do this as a through ride but haven't decided yet. Not sure if that's something you need to know or if it's to late. Would still be straying with the group if I did change. Thanks. Jason....

[cforsand]

Unfortunately I have had a last minute change of circumstance which means I will not be able to race this year.  Sadly I will just be a blue-dot follower this time.  Wish everyone attending a good and safe ride.

-Carl

[BryanK]

Canyon Inn which is near the breakfast joint on Friday morning is $50/night

$50 a night, eh?  I'll be rolling in tomorrow evening looking for a room.  Maybe I'll try there first.  See you all friday morning!

[Jeff Z]

Tracker is online!

http://trackleaders.com/coconino14

For those renting, Jeff Z has kindly agreed to bring the SPOT units to 'The Place' on Friday morning, by 730.  I'll send out some details by email shortly.

I have the SPOT units in hand. Chris, Phil and Brad, you now have a dot on the map.

Since I'm coming up Friday morning from the valley area, it is possible that I may not be there exactly at 7:30 - I'll try. Anyway, I'm planning on having a nice big breakfast, so I'll be at "The Place" until at least 8. Would like to be out of there by 8:30.

Don't forget to bring 4 lithium AAA batteries.

[raybum]

Well, last night it was looking like Andersen Mesa didn't get too much rain..early this morning, it appears that story changed.  The rain gage out there is reading 0.72" as of 9AM.  IMHO, that either means...
1. Starting at the same spot, but diverting to Lake Mary Road at Marshall Lake and taking that down to where the course crosses Lake Mary Road.  Obviously, that is "off course".  Note that that doesn't get you completely out of the woods since there is some sticky stuff before you get to Marshall lake and after you cross Lake Mary Road.
2. Starting at I-17 and Schnebly Hill Rd:  They didn't get nearly as much rain down by Munds  (0.17") and so that would eliminate the death mud march.
3. Start in Sedona

Thoughts?

[geekonabike]

@ray would #2 just shift every thing around by one day? Is it even possible to contact everyone listed as racing? Are we talking pinon/juniper super mud?

[Jeff Z]

@ray would #2 just shift every thing around by one day? Is it even possible to contact everyone listed as racing? Are we talking pinon/juniper super mud?

That's one of the problems. How do you contact everyone the day before? And what about folks (like me) who have already made hotel reservations? I'm of the opinion that we petition Scott/Chad to officially OK a change in course, to divert to Lake Mary road, if the mud really is that bad. We are assuming it is because they got a little bit of rain. But, as far as I know, no one has actually been out there to assess.

And yes, he is talking about "stop you in your tracks" mud.

[ScottM]

This seems to always happen to Coco -- rain preceding start date!

With some time to dry still, I might be inclined to stick with #1 -- head out and see what it looks like.  If gnarly, take Lake Mary Road.  If everyone/most take it, we can just note it in the results and call it good.  That section is bumpy anyway.  

Anyone going for a record time (stage or thru) can always start Saturday.  Matt Schiff managed a new record last year by waiting a day and doing Stages 1 and 2 together.  This ride is more about a ~social bikepack race, and it's been a bit of a shame to see it divided and splintered by Sedona starts and such.  Better to stick with the plan and detour as needed.

I believe previous years have had rain all Thursday and into the night Friday.  Or at least this last year.  Hopefully things can dry some today.

[ScottM]

Unless anyone has any objections, let's go with that.  Same Flagstaff start.  Detouring on Lake Mary Road is allowed for an 'official' finish, but no records can be set.  We'll make a note about the course change on the results.

Anyone that ends up riding Anderson Mesa -- bonus points!

[geekonabike]

I may have missed this somewhere, but What time at The Place is breakfast/start? time at Lone Tree & Butler? I do understand the start when ever & track my own time, but as noob I'd like the opportunity to ask lot's of dumb questions.

[Jeff Z]

I may have missed this somewhere, but What time at The Place is breakfast/start? time at Lone Tree & Butler? I do understand the start when ever & track my own time, but as noob I'd like the opportunity to ask lot's of dumb questions.

The website says 7:00am. I won't be there until 7:30am - which is only interesting to the people I am delivering SPOTs to. 
http://rockyroad5050.wordpress.com/5-coconino-250-and-350/

[Floxy]

If I understand correctly we just stay on Lake Mary until the route crosses back over?  I have the gpx but want to make sure I don't get lost with the detour.

[Jeff Z]

If I understand correctly we just stay on Lake Mary until the route crosses back over?  I have the gpx but want to make sure I don't get lost with the detour.

Yeah, rejoin at Pine Grove Campground.

[AZTtripper]

Yeah, rejoin at Pine Grove Campground.

There can still be more mud after Pine Grove, stay on the pavement all the way to Munds Road. Last year we made that same mistake http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=6180.0 by 5 pics down we're walking and the 6th is cleaning mud. If you have any mud sticking before Marshall Lake I would say take the road. I guess you could still get back on for the last mile or so of single track at the FS road where we bailed last year. Last year some of them kept going on and said it was fine. I think that's the best riding in that section anyway. Looks likes it's called Wiemer Springs road if you look at the map on Trackleaders.

[raybum]

here's a couple gpx's of the bypass options...
bypass.gpx will get you from Marshall Lake to where the track crosses the road
bypass#2 continues on the pavement and takes a short dirt road (Wiemer Springs Rd) to where the trail crosses.  I've ridden that part a bunch and there's only one little stretch past there that might be muddy but the rain gage on the south end of the lake showed a lot less rain.  Otherwise, as Tim said, it's a fun section of AZT that wraps around the east side of Mormon Mtn.

[BryanK]

Sweet.  Thanks for those gps files. That helps the out of towners alot.