Date:  Saturday, March 30, 2019

Distance: 375 miles

Start Time: 05:00
There will be a mass start at 05:00 AM and announcements at 04:50.

Start Location: La Quinta Inn in North Tucson (Get directions)

Time Limit: 40 hours

Sunrise:  6:15 AM
Sunset:  6:42 PM
Moonrise:  3:14 a.m. Waning Crescent with 26% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.
Moonset:  1:49 p.m.

Cost: $50

ACP sanctioned.

WAIVER NOTE: You will be automatically directed to the online waiver after you submit your PayPal payment. If you are not automatically directed to the online waiver after your pay, you may press the "Return to Merchant" button to sign the waiver. The online waiver may also be found at tinyurl.com/AZBrevetWaiver.

REGISTRATION NOTE: Once you are registered for a ride, you will see your name in the Registered Riders tab. It may take a day or so for it to appear. Registered riders WILL be sent a "Last Minute Notes" email the day after registration closes, normally the Thursday before the ride. If you do not receive it, please let me know. Also, check your spam folder for the email.

RIDE VERIFICATION: All of these events are sanctioned by Randonneurs USA (RUSA). As such, all of them will be verified using approved RUSA methods. Click HERE to see the details of available options for AZ Radonneurs' events.

Description

Saguaro National Park under beautiful Arizona blue skies!

Blow by Blow: First off, we'll climb Gates Pass (the easy way) in Saguaro National Park - a virtual saguaro and cactus forest. After that we're only on the streets of Tucson for a short time before heading south to the border town of Arivaca, home to the Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge.

After leaving Arivaca, we'll head further south through Tumacácori National HIstorical Park on our way toward Nogales. Before we get to the border, we'll head back north and ride through the self-proclaimed "quirky" town, and ride namesake, of Patagonia. This is a natural riparian area between the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains. Our control is up the road, but you'll have the opportunity to enjoy some of the local flavor if you're hungry.

At this point we'll be entering the high desert wine region of Southern AZ. Elevations will stay between 4000' to a maximum of 5200' just before we plunge out of the mountains. Springtime temperatures should be very pleasant during the day and can be quite cool/cold after dark. The desert cools down very quickly as the sun sets. Winds can also be a friend or foe depending on one's direction of travel.

Green Valley will be your next "metropolis" visited after a really nice descent. After the Green Valley control, you'll climb out of the valley then descend back to Tucson. Just before Tucson, you'll pass by Mission San Xavier del Bac. Day or night, it will be a beautiful sight as you ride by. Your next stop will be the 400k mark of the ride. Most will stop and rest for the night and begin the final 200k the next morning.

The final loop will take you to the little town of Oracle. This is the location of Biosphere and Biosphere 2. You probably won't have time to stop and tour the facility, but it's a nice destination before or after the ride.

From there, you're done with all the big climbs and will have a ton of descending to the finish. Your next control will be at a Dairy Queen, in case there might be a rider or 3 who enjoys ice cream on long events. You'll finish by taking another beautiful section of roadway through Saguaro National Park. That's it. 375 miles and a lot of AZ wilderness, desert and some high plains.

Directions to the start

Location: La Quinta Inn in North Tucson

Address:

La Quinta Inn at:

6020 W Hospitality Rd, Tucson, AZ 85743

Click here for a map to the start.

Directions:  Take I-10 to Cortaro Rd in Tucson. Go west for about 0.2 miles to Cracker Barrel Rd and make a RIGHT turn. La Quinta will be ahead on your left.

There are multiple lodging options within 1/4 mile of the start.

Lodging in the area: View List

 

 

Route Map

View  RWGPS online map here

Cue sheets may be downloaded and printed by riders if they wish. Cue sheets will NOT be passed out at the start. Make sure you have a cue sheet as a backup in case your GPS fails.

Download cue sheet (xls)

Download cue sheet (pdf)

Elevation Profile

Approx 13,000 feet of accumulated elevation gain

Minimum/maximum elevation: 2000 / 5200 feet above sea level.

Requirements

Lights: Required. There will be a light inspection at check-in to verify front and rear lights are working and are sufficient for night riding. Also required are reflective vest or sash and ankle reflectors.

Hydration System: Much of the route is very remote with no services. Check the cue sheet carefully to determine how much water you need to carry to get you to the next water hole.

Services

Services are available regularly along the route.

Some support will be available. The locations will be communicated once the event draws closer.

Riders are responsible for their own lodging. There are numerous hotels within 1/4 mile of the start. Riders will be returning to the start/finish location at ~400k into the ride so that they can stop and rest or restock and continue.

Rider limit: 75 riders

20 Registered Riders.

Rider Name	RUSA #	City	State/Prov
Gabrielle Anderson	7245	Woodside	CA
Carl Anderson	6151	Woodside	CA
Steve Atkins	3359	Tempe	AZ
Tom Baker	559	Tempe	AZ
Steve Barbazuk	9286	Vancouver	BC
Bill Brier	3331	Freemont	CA
Russell Cummings	5815	Prescott	AZ
Paul Danhaus	1940	Wausau	WI
Jennifer Danhaus	8700	Wausau	WI
Catherine Dickson	11693	Glendale	AZ
Brian Feinberg	9205	Cupertino	CA
David Hilton	11913	Orem	UT
Stephen Kenny	11376	Calgary	AB
Rashid Khan	11754	Boulder	CO
Jennifer Moore	11755	Boulder	CO
Roger Peskett	3726	Tucson	AZ
Sherilyn Rudney	12902	Simi Valley	CA
Mike Sturgill	1847	Phoenix	AZ
Dan Vigano	12349	Scottsdale	AZ
Trev Williams	16707	Calgary	AB