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: