If you’re a mountain biker, Arizona has a lot to offer. You can find a huge variety of trails, from brutal, rocky desert singletrack to wonderful ribbons of trail winding through aspen and pine forests.
It was only a matter of time before people started racing on all these great trails. And then
If you can't find a great trail in Arizona, you're not trying hard enough.
some people got the idea to start doing really, really ridiculously long races. Some of these races tap into the team approach, with 12 and 24-hour relays. Others send riders off on their own. Enjoy this not-at-all comprehensive list of Arizona epic races!
Getting a Taste of the Epic
My very first epic type of ride was the now-defunct 12 Hours in the Desert relay race. I was part of a three-person team in the Men’s Sport Class Category. The race was at the McDowell Mountains Race Loops, 0ne of my favorite trails. I raced it the next year in the co-ed Sport Class (and we won!). Then, it was no more. I really miss this race – all the competitors were great, and top pros turned out; one of my all-time great moments was getting passed by the legendary Tinker Juarez – a truly awesome cat who deserves a Wandering Justin post of his very own. For the those not in the know, I’ll put it this way: There were only four Horsemen of the Apocalypse because Tinker rode a bike instead of a horse. And he never even needs to rest on the Seventh Day, unlike some lazy deities.
Going on My Own
I decided that long races were for me. That led me to the Tour of the White Mountains, which I first did in 2002. And what a great time and great trail! The highest category snaked through 66 miles of Arizona’s closest thing to a rain forest. Unfortunately, I missed some trail markings and wound up several miles off-course before backtracking. Rain, lightning and lots of flat tires also took their toll. Still, the volunteers, the organizers (which were also volunteers at that time) and the other riders made it a great time.
Fact: You are not as cool as Tinker Juarez, but epic mountain bike racing will take you closer to his near-mythical status. (Photo by Ken Conley, http://kwc.org/cycling/)
I’ve done the Tour three time since then, and it’s been a mixed bag. The second try, I only strayed a mile off course. The third, it rained so much that all but a handful of riders pulled out after the first leg because the course was so muddy. The third year, a heavy rain forced Epic Rides (the new promoter) to re-route the race to an all-forest road route. Kind of dull, really.
I also encountered the wonderful Soul Ride. I was in the 66-mile category, which was a two 33-mile laps through the high desert northeast of Tucson. I really loved this race, except for a grueling, mind-numbing hike-a-bike section. Ugh! Epic Rides owns the rights to this one, and says on its Web site that it will come back. I hope so, even though Epic is hardly my favorite promoter. BONUS – Another Tinker sighting, but he was in the 100-mile category.
The Payson Stampede is also a race I wanted to try. Sadly, sponsorship problems with the Mazatzal Casino ended its life. I hope it comes back.
Arizona Mountain Bike Association Goes Epic
The Mountain Bike Association of Arizona has made the clever decision to add a “Marathon” category. This give those of us who like racing longer more tuning up to the really huge events, all closer to the state’s major population centers. I think this was an outstanding move. The people who currently run MBAA really understand mountain biking, and that not all racers dig the same thing. I’m looking forward to trying one of their races.
I’d be inclined toward the McDowell Meltdown … of course, I’ll have to wait until 2010. But I should be able to find some other races in the meantime.
Crazy Even by My Standards
All I know about the Arizona Trail 300 is that it starts in Page. It offers no support, and there’s
I might be stupid enough to ride in August, but I know the Arizona Trail 300 is a bit much for me.
no entry fee. And yes, it’s 300 miles. It’s actually been around since 2006. Seriously, all credit to those who dreamed up the idea, and even more to those gutsy enough to show up at the start line. Good on ya!
Room to Grow
Aside from MBAA, there’s not much diversity in the epic racing scene. Epic Rides dominates. More competition is always a good thing, and it encourages event organizers to focus on providing a great experience.
DCB Extreme Adventures is poised to liven things up a bit. It’s putting on the 2009 MBAA Dust Devil Series, plus the Dawn to Dusk race at McDowell Mountain Park in December. I’d like to see DCB create some new alternatives to the Epic Rides offerings.
You Should Do it, Too
I could blather about all the reasons to do an epic mountain bike race. But a post I found at MountainBikeAZ.com covers it all for me.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
Hey Justin, Thanks for the comment on my last post. I was really touched. India is such a vast country that it is very difficult to explain how it is. Also India has undergone tremendous change in last 20 years. I try my best by collecting my memories. You should someday plan a visit to India especially the Himalayan terrain and Rajhastan. I am sure you would enjoy it.