Average Temps

8000 feet:  56 degrees high  29 degrees low  This is for Mingus and Bill Williams Mountain

7000 feet:  66 degrees high  33 degrees low  While on the rim

3300 feet:  86 degrees high  50 degrees low  Verde Valley area

This is the range of temps you can probably expect, this should give you an idea of clothes to bring.  I was looking at some very long range weather models today, looking like it could be warmer than normal with ridging taking place.  Warmer temps will be a good thing, less to carry.

Not sure how long you are going to be around in flagstaff but if you need a place to crash let me know, I have a place in town.

You could go without all of this

sleeping bag too...replace with emergency sleeping bag if you wanna be really light.
crux lite stove                   
2 fuel canisters                 
cook set                             
plate                                 
pocket knife                       
hammock tent                   
tie rope and stakes
water filter                         
nalgene                             
camp cup                           

Out of the list that you showed that you were bringing this is what I would get rid of, but my needs are not the same as yours so this is a suggestion if you want to lighten things up a bit.  Looks like everyone kinda made some suggestions on what to use instead, so looks like you'll get it all sessed out.

Have fun on your ride!

Hey Dave-Lately it has been very windy every day and the highs have been in the 60's and lows in the upper 20's to upper 30's, typical spring weather for flagstaff.  Afternoon riding is nice and it warms up fairly quickly in the morning, the wind could be the big factor.  I can give you a better idea of what to bring for the ride once it gets closer to the 13th.  By then I will have a better idea what the weather will be like.  Cause for all I know right now we could get a random snowstorm that weekend, the weather here is highly variable in the spring.  Crossing my fingers for no wind and good temps though. .  I see you are coming from florida, how are you with cold weather?

That's great you'll be riding it the same time.  I'm not sure if I will be able to join you.  If I can't get off work then I will be riding it at a fast pace, only have 3 days off work for that weekend.   But if I get my vacation time that I requested I might join ya and do it in stages.

Looks like lithium batteries are going to be my best bet for longest lasting ehh? Scott-What do you personally use, how long of a life do you get when the GPS is on?

Scott-Also have another question thats unrelated to batteries, you might be able to help me.  I busted my rear wheel and I am looking for a new one that is fairly light and has very minimal drag on the hub without sacrificing durability, any recommendations? 

Recently got the Dakota 20 GPS which is great except for one thing...I am running through lithium batteries very quickly cause I have been doing lots of riding and they are not cheap.  I was looking into NiMh batteries so that I can recharge them.  Is it ok to use these in a GPS?  What is the most powerful battery in (mAh units) that you can get.  And will having a higher mAh rating even make a huge difference?  Just trying to save money and carry less batteries on long rides.

Did stage one and then down to Sedona today, lots of wind but good riding temps once I got moving.  There were a few snow piles near mormon mountain other than that 90 percent of the trail is bone dry now.  Was able to move really fast cause the very small amount of hike a bike.  Overall had a good ride and enjoyed the trails.

One question, is it feasible to make it up Mingus Mountain on day one?  About 16 hours of riding a day is what I am shooting for.  Looks to be about 100 miles to the top of Mingus. 

Good to know about the temps, anything should feel cool though compared the the 97 degrees for 2 days on the AZ-300 this year though, that about killed me.  I'm looking forward to riding through some trees!

Thanks for the link to the pictures, can't wait to ride it.  Looks like there's still a little snow out there, I am guessing that it will be completely gone by the time I go to do the ride.  Weather should be in low 70's in the high elevations and mid 80's in the valleys, great weather. 

Starting in Denver on August 1st, looking forward to riding in the big mountains.

I got my first endurance mountain biking experience this last weekend, actually first mountain bike race ever on the AZ-300 and now I want more of it.  I am going to do a ITT on the coconino 250 right after finals are out.  Somewhere around the 13th of May.  If anyone is thinking about doing the ride let me know maybe we can start at the same time.  It would be cool to get a small group of riders to go.  I won't be doing it in stages and will go until its all done.  Should only be about 3 days of riding if everything goes smooth. 

Eric

Dang, Brad M is off course again.  Damn that sucks big time.  Thats got to be really frustrating.

YA I was looking at the satellite view and he definitely took the wrong trail around and dropped around 700 feet.  Looks like it took him about 2 hr to get back to the proper route and then instead went back to Summerhaven.  That's a bummer to make the wrong turn having done the route before.  Getting off route is definitely mentally draining, even if it is a very small deviation, which his wasn't.  Hopefully he sticks with it and gets on going tomorrow.

Keep with it Brad, I'm routing for you.  Brad said he has a GPS, he should have been using it.

Anyone heard from Brad Mattingly?  It looks like he got off route north of summer-haven and then headed back to summer-haven and is chilling in some building and hasn't moved for quite some time now.

I am back at home and even though I would rather be out there finishing the race and suffering I must say that it is nice to sit down on the couch and chill out in the 60 degree weather.  

All in all I made it pretty far despite what I was up against.  Things started out rough right off the bat with a torn sidewall on tire in the first 30 miles, which I fixed using duck tape and bark I cut off a tree.  Running through towns was nice, especially because of the cold beverages inside the stores.  While riding in the dark north of kentucky camp I took a digger a dislocated my right thumb, that ended my night and I set up camp there.   Throughout the rest of the distance I made I had numerous flats.  Looking at my tubes today, all in all I had 18 patches total.  Once I got out of tucson I felt really strong and I was almost certain I would finish the race, until... 1/4 the way up lemmon when my chain broke, derailer hanger snapped and the mechanism for my derailer had issues which I had problems figuring out.  After over one hour trying to fix it, my mechanical experience didn't do it. I headed back down the hill, hitch hiked close to Scotts place and was picked up by him and hung at his house till my ride came.

This was my first ever mountain bike race and I thouroughly enjoyed the suffering.  I'm sure I will see you all at other events and at next years AZ-300.

Great job to all those who came out, finishing or not that was some tough riding.

Eric

I think with the amount of time that will have passed by the time the full AZT riders reach the rim that at least 80 percent of the forest will be dry.  I live in flagstaff and the foot of snow we recieved in 75 percent gone already.  Things are warming up here fast.  The sun is also around longer this time of the year so things should really dry up quickly.  Hopefully there are no more storms that come through.  Good luck to those that are going for the whole state, wish I could join ya.

cheers,



Eric