Haha!  Very cool, thanks for the pointer.

Webcams...? 

Hey Clint - going 750 again this year?

Dave,

No idea what I saw the first time around (it was like those google street images of a smallish brown house), but the trail maps are there this time. 

Hey Dave I see the picture of the Oracle Kannally Wash potential re-route but it appears that maybe you put a picture of your house up instead of the potential Highline re-route?  Or am I just smoking something again...

All that said, like Dave, I also was pretty damn glad to see that cache outside Picketpost stocked last year.

Just noticed the 75 rider limit comment Scott.  Can I go ahead and rent the Spot now then?!  I agree with a limit as long as I get included the mix (funny how that works).

Yes!!!

one1speed, like you, I had not ever really used GPS prior to building up for AZTR300 last year.  I got an eTrex30 in December and used it for everything over the next months - being in the frozen north that included XC skiing, road riding, mounting biking, and whatever the weather allowed for.  This gave me the opportunity to understand waypoints, following pre-set tracks from earlier trips across the same trails/roads (following the pink line as was mentioned), and generally understanding the quirks of the Garmin devices.
 
With that practice base, the GPS definitely helped to not take too long of "detours".  I think the worst for me was between Tiger Mine and Ripsey where an old jeep track went screaming down a hill and I followed it, fat, dumb and happy, only to discover at the bottom that the trail had turned off up near the top and in the dark, I'd missed it.
 
Remember the mantra: absolutely no support.  Get a GPS soon and learn how to use it.  Then, if you love maps like I do, carry a set of topos that you got access to from joining the Arizona Trail site and with luck your Garmin will work flawlessly and you'll never even look at them.

I like the idea of a Thursday morning start (and I haven't yet booked my flight) 
Minimizing the number of wankers encountered on Reddington seems well worth a change to start date.

I wish I had a picture of you cooling out the dogs on Santa Rita Ranch road.

Me too, George!  I promised Todd I'd try to get a photo of riding the easy stuff in flip flops, but alas!

Congrats, John S, on an epic epic!!

Hi all – as with Hoka Hey this was my first foray into the world of ultras, and the 300 left me wanting more!  Impressions from another newbie:

Shakedown/Brake Check Hill is aptly named.  Especially for newbies who only think they’ve worked out all the bugs. 

I had been warned to not underestimate the Canelos – true dat!  Nevertheless, not knowing how my body would react to riding days later left me riding more conservatively than necessary.  A learning experience for next time!!

The people make the ride.  Trailside, people were genuinely excited about it, including the folks who leapfrogged Paul S and I as we rode up to Redington, video cams running.  I met the indomitable Sarah J in Patagonia, and thoroughly enjoyed watching her incredible battle all the way to Utah (who walks 30 miles to a new crank??!!)  Meeting George H, John S, Riley, Brett, Eijay, the other guys whose names I don’t remember, and riding with them off and on, made the whole thing special.

I totally get Brett’s comment about climbing out of Mordor on the way to/from Molino campground.  Those and the soul sucking Traverse ‘O’ Death (I called it a Dementor to my followers on FB) were just about the end of me in an otherwise completely enjoyable (4+ day) ride through the desert. 

Did anyone else see the strange motionless lights in the sky over Ripsey Ridge?  Being up there in a near-full moon on a clear, warmish night, with city lights visible all around but far away, was a special memory I’ll cherish forever.  The hovering lights appeared three or four different times, always toward Kearney and always lasting upwards of thirty seconds to a minute.  Looking into the behavior of ocean flares, only the “multi-star rocket flare” description comes close - this hovering light couldn’t have been many things and that’s about the only thing I can come up with.

Personal challenge taken on in an intensely personal way. Capturing the whole experience is a very difficult thing when discussing with people who followed the race online.  I find that every conversation focuses on a different aspect of the experience, and I actually pity the people who will never do such a cool thing in their lives. 

Thanks to Scott and the army of ATA volunteers who make this thing possible.  Thanks to Todd D who dragged me and Adam H into this, all of us finishing!  Is the 750 on deck for 2017?  My guess is: Absolutely.  Flying home I wished I was still out there.  Then again I see the pictures of snow and mud on Schilling’s bike up at Kaibab and have to step back a moment!  There is still plenty of time to decide.

Is it safe to leave a vehicle parked at the Picketpost TH or would it be better to find a spot in Superior and ride to PP to catch the shuttle? I am not fast and will take 4-5 days to complete the 300 route so I'm concerned about leaving my vehicle there that long. What do most people do?

Jeff

Excellent question Jeff, we were planning to do the same thing, so I'll be interested in seeing the response from folks in the know.  Guessing we'll leave it in the desert.  Not sure why Superior would be any safer...

Ohboyohboyohboy!  Getting pretty excited!

Hi all,

I'm new to this madness, looking forward to AZTR 300 this year.  If I post this incorrectly, my apologies.

Guessing several have seen it, but the Lael attempt is posted.  I'm in complete awe of that Grand Canyon crossing.
http://www.rei.com/h/trails?cm_mmc=email_com_gm-_-trials_2_mtb_hero-_-022316-_-img_hero&ev36=25089108&RMID=20160223_GM_Trails_2_MTB_Hero_SL1&RRID=59746184&ev11=0

BTW if any northerners have proven methods for getting in high quality training during the cold dark months, I'm all ears.  For me here in Michigan it's been a combination of taking the rig out on the road, weights, XC skiing, a bit of swimming, and a kickass weekend down in Lajitas, TX for 22.5 hours of riding, gear test, and rediscovering beer.  Hoping the mild weather here holds up a bit longer and I can get out and ride the trails soon...