# arizona trail



## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

we took 5 days to ride part of the mtb version of the azt
(the official one goes thru wilderness so we must detour)
from flagstaff to our homes back in phoenix, just under 300 miles.
boy that was fun. i'm beat.


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

most of our route


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Oh man, I so want to do that.

How was the riding?

Details man details! (Sure a picture is worth a thousand words but how about a few more words anyway?)

BTW would a BOB do well there?


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

great post - second MB1's request - give us some details


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

Day 1<o></o>
Flag to south of Mormon Lake<o></o>
We awoke Saturday morning in flag at casa de gnome. It was COLD but we donned our gear and pedaled to Late for Train for fuel.<o></o>
Picked up the flag urban trail, which led us right to the AZT as we passed Fished Point and Lake Mary.<o></o>
We spent the day riding single track thru the pines watching elk. The going was a bit slower than I thought it would be but we made it to Mormon Lake and decided to push on until 4 or 5 and make camp. We found some water around 5 and camped a half mile away so we could easily get water in the morning.<o></o>
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Day 2<o></o>
South of Mormon Lake to Pinchot Cabin <o></o>
It was plenty cold that night as the temp dipped below freezing as evidenced by the frost on my bag and bivy. We intentionally camped where the sun would hit us 1<sup>st</sup> thing so we could dry/defrost quickly. We filtered water at a tank and were off. In the course of the morning the gpx track we were following disappeared from my gps unit and then we missed a turn that added lots of miles, which is just part of the AZT. I did have paper maps of Andrea Lankford’s route so we used those. It was super windy out but most of the time the wind worked in our favor, at least for the morning.<o></o>
We made it to Blue Ridge Ranger Station where we loaded up on water and looked at the map. It looked like Pinchot Cabin was our best bet for water and a windbreak. After the descent into and climb out of Clear Creek we found that cabin after a few missed turns.<o></o>
We initially set-up camp outside the cabin but the dropping temps and relentless wind forced us into the rodent fecal infested cabin. After some discussion on hanta virus pine boughs were used to sweep the cabin. Someone had unloaded a shotgun into the plywood that served as the door so it was quite easy to get in. Good move on our part, I think that was the coldest night/morning – temps in the low 20s/teens I’d guess.<o></o>
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Day 3<o></o>
Pinchot Cabin to Payson<o></o>
We made coffee and oatmeal from the confines of the cabin, knowing it was going to be shiver inducing outside. We rode with frozen toes to the edge of the Mogolion Rim where things started to warm. The descent on Col. Devin trail was awesome – highly recommended. The road from there to Payson was scenic. Payson itself is, well, not so scenic. We got a motel for the night and had showers, beer and dinner. We started to get worried about time so we planned on rolling all the way to Roosevelt Dam in the morning.<o></o>
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Day 4<o></o>
Payson to Upper Burnt Corral Campground<o></o>
Turns out there is a part of Payson that isn’t all bad. Main Street looked a bit more our speed as it led us out of town towards the Mazatals on forest disservice roads. After a grunt out of town we caught favorable conditions and made good time to Jake’s Corner enjoying the wildflowers and hearing the humming birds flying and chirping around us. <o></o>
Sandwiches and drinks were had as we contemplated our 30-mile road segment (the longest on the AZT mtb route) into a headwind. Two or three flats later we milled around the marina and the dam as we decided what to do. Seeing as the Apache Trail was next on tap we thought it good to go as far as we could and still have water which led us six hellish miles to Upper Burnt Corral Campground on the edge of Lake Apache. A great spot that allowed us to soother our aching legs in the cold water and watch Egrets, Cardinals, Gila Woodpeckers, Turkey Vultures and Gray Herons. With plans of getting up early to crank out a long day we had a few evertinis and called it a night. Not before off-loading every extra bit of useless weight in the trash.
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Day 5<o></o>
Upper Burnt Corral Campground to Home<o></o>
We got up early and got out of camp early, and the beatdown immediately commenced.<o></o>
The climbs were killer but we didn’t have the wind (until 10) and ups were rewarded with screaming descents and sweeping views. Very happy for disc brakes. We made it to Tortilla Flats pretty quickly and realized that we were indeed going to be able to make it home by dark. Not before some more climbing and some scary road riding in Apache Junction. Finally back on familiar territory on the Arizona Canal out at Granite Reef Dam<o></o>
And more headwind the 30 miles back into central feenix for a beer and a cold shower.<o></o>


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## empty_set (Nov 1, 2006)

Yeah, what Yuri said. It was one of those rides that nothing went "wrong". Sure there were flats and forgotten water bottles (the very first day and the first 5 minutes on the trail I flatted). But no major mechanicals occurred.

The trail surfaces ranged from buff singletrack to the worst ever rocky roads to pavement etc. Riding through four different climate zones was definitely a treat as well. Wildlife was abundant. I saw parts of Arizona that I've never seen before, although I've lived here my whole life. The last day was most unpleasant as we came back into town via Apache Junction. It was crap. Oh, and we couldn't find a bike shop in Payson.

I learned how much I don't need to carry next time as well. 30-ish lbs of gear, food and water on the back and another 15-ish on the bike can be taxing. Some technical aspects that could normally be ridden just didn't seem like a good idea when loaded down. Lesson learned.

I want to do it again.


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## Sledgehammer03 (Mar 7, 2006)

*Great Ride*

Great way to spend a week, sure beats sitting at a desk. It appears that is was mostly downhill, where is the fun in not CLIMBING?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*Did you notice all the stuff they were hauling.*



Sledgehammer03 said:


> Great way to spend a week, sure beats sitting at a desk. It appears that is was mostly downhill, where is the fun in not CLIMBING?


With all that any upgrade was sure to be a monster.


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## yetisurly (Sep 30, 2005)

MB1 said:


> With all that any upgrade was sure to be a monster.



Nah. It was actually like pulling a trailer without having a trailer.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

A solid post. You really put us there. Surprisingly, my favorite photos are the ones of the bikes lying by the side of the road, dead tired.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

That actually lived up to the old "epic ride" label. One of those "I wanna do that, I wanna do that!" sort of trips. My problem would be that I'd probably never get south of the Sedona/Oak Creek Canyon area--if you were to pin me down and force me to describe how I think heaven most likely looks, it'd be something like northern AZ (that is, if it wasn't somewhere like northern NM/southern CO, in the San Juans). If I could find work in Flag, I think I'd be loading my bikes into a truck right now. 

Ever considered riding the remaining sections of Route 66? Starting, say, around Holbrook or Winslow, going through Flag and Williams and down to Kingman and Oatman. That's one of those gotta-do-it-before-I'm-too-old rides. Do it in the fall, so you can head north out of Flag to ride through the aspens up around the San Francisco Peaks.


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## empty_set (Nov 1, 2006)

Oh, and big props to Yuri for getting the route together and being "the boss" as well as inviting me on the ride. Good times.

Everclear works for everything.


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

Damn Yuri, I don't know which makes me greener with envy, the fact that you get to do these rides or the fact that you have friends that will do them with you. Regardless, if I ever take a vacation I'm coming to visit you and I'm bringing a bike.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

Bikes, camping, photography, friends... sounds like a good trip to me. Thanks for sharing.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

After some review I have decided that my favorite photo is the guys camping down by the river.

BTW this has my early vote for photo report of the year!


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## singlecross (Nov 1, 2006)

WOW! Great ride, great report. I really enjoyed seeing terrain so different than I'm acustomed to back in New England (although I lived in Neveda for two winters). Thanks for sharing it.

singlecross


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

yetisurly said:


> Nah. It was actually like pulling a trailer without having a trailer.


make a picture post already


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

wooglin said:


> Damn Yuri, I don't know which makes me greener with envy, the fact that you get to do these rides or the fact that you have friends that will do them with you. Regardless, if I ever take a vacation I'm coming to visit you and I'm bringing a bike.


i'd gladly do an exchange program with you, mb1 and others - i've got people to visit around the beltway and ashville isn't too far from you is it? i bet we could ride there.


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## llama31 (Jan 13, 2006)

*Oh wow.*

That sounds and looks fantastic! We were in Flagstaff/Sedona/Grand Canyon about 2 years ago and I loved the riding. Beautiful scenery. 

I was wondering what it was like to ride single track loaded down, but one of you already chimed in on that issue. Would you say the backpack or the gear mounted on the bike rack was more of hindrance over the technical sections?

Thanks for posting. It inspires me to do more planning for our upcoming trips.:thumbsup:


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## Sledgehammer03 (Mar 7, 2006)

MB1 said:


> With all that any upgrade was sure to be a monster.


I just have always preferred going up, especially on a MTN bike. Probably becasue I was too chicken to keep up with my litle brother, and he screammed down the trail. 

That GPS output is really cool.


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

llama31 said:


> I was wondering what it was like to ride single track loaded down, but one of you already chimed in on that issue. Would you say the backpack or the gear mounted on the bike rack was more of hindrance over the technical sections?


it's all about a happy medium - too much weight on the bike or on you will be a hinderance. the key is to continue to refine and find ways to drop weight.


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## azcycle (Jan 24, 2006)

Great post, and sounds like a great ride. Thats why I love this state.


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