AZTR recap Part 3

The last part of my trip wasn't entirely uneventful, just not amusing. Greg and I kept riding after dark to get closer to Flagstaff, the next resupply which was still 100K away, and we wanted to get ahead enough to be able to reach it next evening. 

The Arizona trail was getting flatter, but unlike promised by many, not smoother. Lots of baby head sized rocks to ride over. Now I get it why everyone was so surprised I had a rigid bike. 

There was an email from John Schilling telling us of a forest fire closure on route . But with vague direction on how to handle it. Maybe it was open when we get there, maybe its ok do go through, might not be enforced, do what you feel like, basically. You can also use a detour, which route I had loaded.  

So Greg and I eventually come across a barrier which tells us there is a fire. No clear do not trespass wording. just certain rules on what not to do, cant recall what exactly,

So i consult with Greg and ask him how to proceed. He isn't sure, and I tell him I am kind of too tired to decide.  He says, "well, pretty sure no one is there to stop us to go through" So we go ahead and stay on course regardless of potential fire. 

At first everything seemed ok, just a slight smell of woodsmoke. However the closed off section was much larger than expected. Now I see burning tree stumps left and right, smoke is getting thicker. I am getting real tired and sleeping here isn't an option. 

I am getting to a rough downhill and Greg is gone ahead of me. Smoke is thick and the trail isn't visible to me anymore. So I need to rely on my GPS track to see where I need to go, which is not detailed. Just then my garmin crashes.  

Now I am starting to panic a little and begin to think this was a bad idea. Its past midnight,  I am lost deep in a burning pine tree forest, 100K of to a town in any direction, and I am tired. 

Luckily me garmin comes back to life, I start to see some trail markers, and I am getting out to a paved road.  Greg waits there and says : "that was kind of spooky. all those fires around us."

He decides to ride on, I am so done and ride half a mile off route to a ranger station, where I find an open "Montana Hilton" (fully enclosed, clean washroom) and sleep in there, protected from the subzero temps at night

The next day starts cold but sun eventually warms things up. Flagstaff is within reach but the trail is still rough and unrideable  half the time. I talk to a through hiker, and he says hikers who use trailrunners, light hiking shoes, last about 100 miles before they are wrecked.  

I realize its still a long way to the Utah border. I would have to cancel my flight, skip teaching another class on thursday. Also I would need to buy hiking poles and warmer clothing in Flagstaff.  So I decide its not worth finishing. The only person this finish matters to, is me. Unless I would want to brag about it, there is no need of going through with it.  Plus with all the dot watchers on the sidelines, I feel increasingly like a Pond play piece on a game I don't want to be in. Some impossible wipeout race where people expect you to be catapulted into a mud pit. 

So decision made,  am scratching. No need to prove anything or impress anyone. Deeply exhausted bruised, hurting. It was fun until now. A young thru hiker couple get my water, who are thankful since they almost run out, and I am taking the road to flagstaff, with a strong tailwind blowing me there.

Next day I drive to the south rim to see the grand canyon. Its spectacular. But very busy and I am happy not to look like a dork carrying my bike around on the back through the crowds. 

Phillipe sends me an email, saying his water bladder froze solid for four hours hiking through there, and he ruined a family's vacation by occupying their toilet for a long time due to bowel distress.

I did enjoy the road trip from Flagstaff through Sedona, above some pictures of the Oak tree canyon north of Sedona

Some final words on the self support rules and the cavalier approach a lot of racers seem to have.

While film crews and support crews are ruining this event style, not be able to accept a random meal offered seems against the human social instinct.

And I wont point fingers, but I know of enough instances during this race were participants completely exhausted and heatstroked where nursed back to life by bystanders reaching out.

As well as the no motorized transport rule. Hitch-hiking into town, getting taxis to get bikes fixed etc. all happens. 

I am not judging or saying people should disqualify themselves. but its interesting that its happening. Too much pressure to finish. 

 AZTR recap part 2

Picketpost Trailhead is pretty dead and desolate looking place as far as race finish lines go. Last time i finished here I limped to the Park wardens' trailer and asked if he could sell me a cold drink. He said he wont take my money but gave me a cheese string and a can of squirt. I was very thankful.

This time I expected nothing remotely better. However, Max Morris came to greet me, with another racer that arrived a little earlier. In lighting speed he cooked tacos, bacon and eggs, made coffee and offered cold drinks and a recliner. He was simply the best that could have happened to me. As we chatted I learned about him. That he did the tour divide eight times. Colorado trail race 9 times. And this AZTR thing also  many times.  Very generously he also called thru hikers over to feed them, and other tourers I met later had been fed here. The even more charitable thing he does is assembling backpacks full of essentials and food for homeless folks. A little later, Sabrina comes over: She is a fellow of  AZ Trail association. She raises awareness of the AZ trail in the adjacent small towns to make sure the Thru hikers are treated with some dignity, rather than undesirable vagrants.  She also has a business in designing hiking trails on private land. Like a lot of accomplished people down here, she also lives in a Van.

So Max and I are chatting about the new tougher routing of this race. He tells me there is a fraction of what he calls "single speed kids" which are lobbying for these hard hike a bikes to become the official route.  This harder Lemmon push route first became an optional alternative to the  highway climb. Alexandera H. and other singlespeeders choose to take it last year. Then this year it became the only option for the 800 race. John Shillings argument was: If you cant do this, don't even attempt the Grand  Canyon portage thing.

I generally think the argument is valid but I don't see the reason to add this test. There is plenty of hard stuff before the grand canyon. Also, the later you arrive at the south Rim, the colder it can get up there, making the whole thing more dangerous.  And why don't you let them bail at the grand canyon ?

So I have two theories why there is such interest to make this extra hike a bikey: 

1. The single speeders benefit from the hikes: their bikes are quite a bit lighter. An early long hike lets them get ahead. 

2. There is pressure from old course record holders who claim the course gets easier every year.

Now I am back on the trail, happy and fed.  Apache Junction, a suburb of Phoenix before evening is in reach.  Getting a Motel and dinner. Things are looking up. The trail seems to get more ridable for a little.

On  my way to the Motel, I ran into Phillipe again. He comes from a bike shop and is on its way back to the route. Apparently he had a wild ride since we last met, ran out of water in the desert. He was panicking. Then he heard running water close by, but believed he was hallucinating given his distressed state of mind. Turns out he was actually next to the Gila river. 

Then shortly afterwards he ripped his tire and his only tube wasn't working. He managed to get a tube from Johnny, but the had to walk for 6 miles, arriving in the town of Superior at 2am. 

But now he was good spirits, sat on a bag of ice while riding, and had fixed his broken shoes with epoxy glue, since he couldn't find new ones his size.

Leaving Phoenix before sunrise. Got laundry done, had great Mexican dinner, resupplied on snacks, and devices charged. The next stretch was going to be challenging resupply wise. There was a restaurant 30km ahead which I will make it to before it closes 3pm. After that, not much on the map until 100K later. 

So I get to the restaurant 11:30. Great timing. I meet Brad, another American racer who Is just leaving.  "So tell me how is the food here? I ask. he says: " I don't know, I just had a root beer, I got my own food with me".

I go in and have two entrees and 3 Cokes.  I am getting the sense all these racers are severely obsessive compulsive. Just going by their ability to pass on a good meal to gain a few minutes on their competitors.

Speaking of OCD. A day later that day I meet Trevor. He looks like the usual  Dork with all his MTB gear and talks a bit like a robot. Smart and meticulous man I will found out later, since we stay together for a bit.

It was a long day with a night out without dinner and breakfast before I meet Trevor. he passes me on a rocky trail, then I pass him on the gravel. we meet again at Jakes corner the Biker restaurant that I was unsure if it was open or not.  I sat down at his table at this biker Bar and lament how gnarly and steep the last downhill section was. 

He goes: "I love a good downhill. I don't mean to brag but I am an expert downhiller." 

Startled by his bragging, I respond: "What do you mean you by don't mean to brag, you are clearly bragging"

He goes: "I could probably place on the podium In a world cup downhill competition no problem".

Me: "Ok, what's stopping you from doing so then?"

Trevor: "Well, maybe I would place top ten, not podium".

Talented guy I conclude, maybe lacking a little self awareness.

Outside, Miron Golfman rolls up. He is from Alaska. Young and fast, won the Colorado trail race this year.  He tells me he had a rough start. he got heatstroke first day, got nursed back to health by people at Kentucky camp where he spend two days. He hasn't properly eaten since. All three of us decide to ride together to Payson and share a motel room. Miron isn't feeling well at all but I am barely able to keep up with his riding. later in the Hotel I realize how much of a mess he is. He lost his wallet earlier, he forgets his phone at the Safeway where he buys a shit ton of food he ends up not eating since he has indigestion.  I manage to do my laundry and also wash Mirons and Trevors stuff. which they are very thankful for. 

Miron has sponsors, so I ask him what they give him. Travel expenses? (no) Bike? (no)  Salary? (no)

Trevor, meticulous as  he is, leaves at 4 am. I am getting Hotel breakfast at 5 and leave at 6. Miron still lies in his bed groaning.

Which is something I realize. Lots of these dudes are super strong but  aren`t organized, or in tune with what their body needs. The women I meet seem to do overall much better in that regard. But this is a small sample size.

I ride up past Pine, to the Mongolan rim. Eventually Miron flies by me on his Santa cruz blur. At four times my speed. Looks like he is feeling better. He will end up finishing in forth place.

Finally some rideable trail. I see people working on improving it, and thank them profusely.

Unfortunately my legs are dead. Have no energy whatsoever.  I am bummed because it would be fun to ride this fast, so I take two 200 mg caffeine pills to see if I get some strength back. 

Eventually another racer,  named Greg passes me. He says he feels just as tired. we push up a bigger hike a bike up together and chat.  

Being right behind him, I notice that his green pants are completely brown in the chamois region. Not just a small skid mark, but soaked in brown all the way. 

At first I ignore it, but after warming up with him chit chatting,  I say:

"Sorry, but I can`t help noticing a brown tint at the bottom of your pants. Not sure if you aware"

He laughs and says: "What's your name again"?

I change the topic. But later we sit down to have a bite,

and I tell him that I  took 400mg of caffeine earlier and felt nothing from it.

Greg: "Four-zero-zero? you should be the one shitting his pants, not me!

Part three click here

AZTR 2023 recap part 1

Bring a bike to a trail running race.

I am in the public library in a small community called Oracle, Arizona north of Tucson. It’s pretty nice, and I overhear the friendly library staff talk about the time this library used to be just a trailer. Now I got some time before my flight home so I figured its a good time write about this past ten days for you all since I haven’t IG`d or strava`d almost anything about this.

Fresh and happy before the start

First off, I scratched eventually around the 530 mile mark just south of Flagstaff. Most racers I met around that portion of the trail were hellbent to finish, because they didn't wanted to be tempted to go back and have to endure the torturous thing again. A guy named Brad I rode with said he rather loose a pinky than not finish. That`s a higher level of conviction than I can muster.

Had a great time and no regrets, including the scratching. and since I started two days earlier than the official start, I was able to meet almost all the characters who are caught up in this weird bike packing race niche.

First part: Border to Mount Lemmon

Mexican Border

Not too eventful yet, except the record heat when I arrived. the Couple from Alaska which booked the bike shuttle service to the Mexican border where the course starts, bailed because to it. Luckily the shuttle was still going and I had a great day riding, At first heat wasn't too much of an issue since there was some cloud cover.

The second morning after breakfast, I had to climb up the bare Redington road, and my timing was a little late to avoid the heat now. It was around 40C. Long stretches with no shade in the desert and a long climb. Scary thoughts of running out of water. Made it across the first serious hike a bike and laid down to sleep close to the Molino Campground.

For some reason I woke up around midnight and decided I might as well start the infamous new addition to the course, the so called lemmon push, to avoid the heat. What a good luck that was.

Because this Hike a bike took 12 hours to the top. Average speed: 2km/h.

Lots of the following: lift your bike 4 feet above the next boulders, hold the brakes, then climb yourself to that point. My shoes looked like this afterwards:

Shoes post lemmon push

Basically unusable Shoes. here are some pictures of this hike;

Ridge at night with Tucson in the BG

Lemon Push, close to the end

So finally around noon, I am exiting the trail close to Summerhaven, and I see a MTB clothed dude in a parking lot a bit below. He waves at me and yells: "careful! don't hit the cars". After all this un-ridable shoe wrecking treacherous 12 hour hike, not scratching a stupid car isn't high on my agenda, so I yell back: "Tell me which car you worried about most, so I make sure I will hit it"

Turns out the car protector is John Schilling, the race organizer. He watched my dot to greet me. Shakes my hand and with a big smile asks me: "So, what do you think of this new course?"

Its now to me clear he hasn't done this Lemmon Push thing all at once, just in sections. Afterwards I heard from other people that I looked as if I just wanted to punch him in the face.

But instead of doing so I just said: "need to get some Lunch now, nice meeting you."

My motivation to finish suffered a little after that encounter I must admit. More about the politics and reason this part of the course is so ridiculous later.

I will have to say that John Shilling shows little regard for the wellbeing of the race participants, and what potential danger he puts people in.

Red Ridge to Oracle

I leave Summerhaven, the top of Mt Lemmon in the afternoon.

The course takes a new detour down Red Ridge, a steep downhill course that sends you into a desolate wilderness with no trails

Abandoned cabin at the Bottom of red ridge

There is no visible trail or markings. The GPS track has few points and little detail. Takes me a while to figure out we are supposed to walk up an abandoned overgrown doubletrack that's full of rock fall and eroded gaps. Eventually I reach Oracle ridge, which is off camber, narrow and high up on a cliff. Cant find a level sleeping spot, but I am too tired to continue so I just lay down in the middle of the trail and hope no one is riding over me.

I get up somewhat refreshed pack up and Phillipe V. the race leader at that point, come up behind me and says: "What are you doing here? are you lost?" Then I tell him I done this part already once and he says: "Why are you back? what is wrong with you? this is ridiculous". His sense of humor is already appealing to me.

We kind of hit it off chat a bit and we decide to have Breakfast in Oracle together. There he tells me that he was completely heatstroked going up the Lemmon push, he collapsed in Summerhaven and got nursed by the hotel staff there. He is still a little weary looking, and his shoes are wrecked as well. He wears a ice pack around his neck to cool himself down. Turns out he has a Phd in Biology, and has done the Atlas mountain race. He will end up finishing in third place.

Phillipe's Shoes in Oracle

There is a friend of him there with us trying hard not to help him too much since this is supposed to be a self supported race.
But Since I am not in the race his friend offered me to give me a ride to a bike shop, where I actually find a pair of new shoes in my size 40% off! I am sold! Can`t believe my luck. I was about to scratch, and now I am riding with these nice new shoes.

Oracle to 300 Mile Finish.

This is a scary long section with not much water supply to come. Its still 40C during the day, So I decide the best thing is to get as far a possible at night. Its a rare smooth rideable section. And mostly fun and fast if you can avoid being scratched and poked by the nasty cholla trees along.

After sunset, I pass Alexandera Houchin. We chat a bit but she seems a little tight lipped, nothing wrong with that. Then I pass her Partner Johnny, also a very nice man. Having a good time, temperature is great I am making progress and end up riding another 18 hours until the sun starts biting hard. Katia, which ends up finishing in second place, says she is very surprised she couldn't catch me on the long downhill. Having a good time.

Its now noon, and its getting hot. I am am in the deep gorge of the Gila river and I am tired since I haven't slept for a long time

I decide I need to rest and keep cool by the Gila river, and filtering some of the brown, but cool water.

Another racer comes up to me and asks me "are you also doing the Tour divide?" . He is totally overheated and out of it, can`t manage to use his water filter so I do filter some for him. I try to convince him to wait a bit to cool off before doing the 800m climb in the heat. But he is determined.

Sun is setting and I make my way up to Picket Post. Half way up Alexandera passes me and says: "Hey Alex, you are doing amazing! sorry I was grumpy yesterday, I fell much better now". Very nice of her. I tell her I am a big fan and supporter of hers.


Picketpost, the trailhead where the 300 mile race finishes, is still a long way, its past midnight, I am exhausted from the allnighter and decide to lay down by the water collector at the top of the climb.


After getting up and riding down to the trailhead, the best thing happens: Max Morris, someone who has raced this and other events numerous times, realized how much in need people are of food and refreshments are at the Finish.
He set up an aid station with full warm Breakfast, drinks, lounge chairs and cold drinks. What a nice person. Unfortunately the 800 mile racers aren't allowed to get anything since they need to be self supported. (Must have been a torture to pass on it). But yay! I am not racing.

Continue to Part 2 here:

More Rules.

1. If you spent less time matching socks to jerseys to helmets, you may extend you time riding your bike . Its not a dress up party.

2. If you weigh more that 170 lbs you probably shouldn't be on carbon anyway.

3. Any time you spent obsessing about data collected by your garmin or powermeter should be spent riding. This might be "unstructured" and not according to the training load calculated by your software coach, but it probably burns more calories on the long run. Same goes for time spent obsessing about buying stuff that makes your bike lighter. And for writing lists like this on blogs.

 4. If cyclists (pro-aspirants/posers) realized that the primary reasons to be into racing/club riding is to meet new people, have adventures, and burn enough calories to eat whatever one wants, the cycling scene would be much more tolerable.

5. We are really, at the end of the day, just riding Bicycles.

6.  A red traffic light means "Proceed, but adopt a look of smug self-satisfaction".

7.  If  you find yourself in a situation that you get disrespected in a group because you are riding your 
daily commuter, or that your helmet doesn`t match your jersey, just ignore it and  put out 110 percent and have a go at it.

8. There is no room for "hope, fate, and destiny" in the bike "racing". those are simply the names of strippers

8. Riding more might result in  you sucking less next time you ride. Driving more will result in sucking more.

9. If you feel strongly the urge to attack a group on a hill, make sure you have enough juice left to continue at a high speed. If you go for 50 meters and then slow down in front of everyone else, its really annoying. 

10. On bad days, leg hurt more but don't go faster. Temptation is to get back on the bike, ride, train, race harder to put that performance behind. That would be a mistake. Rest is all that's required, easing back into it through a couple of nice steady rides is what mind and body need.

11. If someone else gets dropped, dont be a jerk about it. No trashtalking please. It happens to everyone.

12. If you get dropped and you are ashamed about it, don't make up excuses.  It happens to everyone.