Arizona Trail Race 2013

[Flagster]

Anyone heard of this...?

http://www.topofusion.com/azt/race.php

While searching for some info on riding the AZ Trail I came on this "race".
Thinking about using it for some preseason triathlon training...anyone in?
Matt

 

[Christophe Noel]

Kurt Refsnider is one our local Prescott riders. I think he holds the record on the AZTR. He is the 2011 Tour Divide champion as well as this year's winner in the tandem Tour Divide with his girlfriend. I seem to recall him saying the AZTR is pretty rugged and burly, but much has to do with weather conditions which have been extreme in years past with snow on Mt. Lemon and obviously high temps around the course.

Honestly, it sounds awful to me. The AZT has some less than fantastico sections.

 

[RHINO]

i thought there were large sections of the trail not allowed to bikes?

 

[Flagster]

not sure where that would be?...I ride most of the sections of the AZ trail around Flagstaff as it passes right behind my house...In the Grand Canyon you carry your bike...

 

[a.mus.ed]

There are sections down here in Tucson where it passes through the Saguaro National Monument. I've been told you're not supposed to ride that section.

 

[agavelvr]

i thought there were large sections of the trail not allowed to bikes?

There are alternates to the official AZT hiking trail to get you through National Monuments, wildernesses, etc on a bike. In fact, there is a book about riding the AZT that explains many of them and probably the basis of the race. The finish is a hike with your bike on your back through the Grand Canyon because the park service will not let you have a tire touch the ground.

 

[RHINO]

that makes sense,,, i have the azt book for hiking, i'll have to get the one for biking.

 

[Clutch]

There are alternates to the official AZT hiking trail to get you through National Monuments, wildernesses, etc on a bike. In fact, there is a book about riding the AZT that explains many of them and probably the basis of the race. The finish is a hike with your bike on your back through the Grand Canyon because the park service will not let you have a tire touch the ground.

Interesting...are you allowed to wear rubber soled shoes or to you have to make them out of cactus pads...

 

[agavelvr]

Interesting...are you allowed to wear rubber soled shoes or to you have to make them out of cactus pads...

I think next year they are changing the rules in GCNP to requiring everyone go barefoot after several people were injured by not properly fastening their cactus pads and a noted decline of opuntia species (cactus pads) in the areas around the most popular trail heads. You will still be able to carry a firearm in Grand Canyon though, just don't push your bicycle on the trail.