Coconino Stage Race 2013

[raybum]

I'm in for this shindig as well...ITT style this year starting early Saturday morning.

[AZTtripper]

The new routing looks good, on the map anyway. I guess we'll see when we get there!

Mark and I will be at the start and in camp 1.

[aaron w]

Checking out the new route....beer in Munds in now even further away   

Checking out the start list...Looks like a fast crowd.  I've barely been riding since the CTR so looks like I'll be sweep!

I *think* there's at least a couple people from Salida planning on attending that I don't see on the list.  I'll check with them and encourage them to register.

This is probably a longshot, but... it sure would be nice to know if coyote spring is running.  Any locals been there lately or have time to check?

I'm looking forward to riding/hanging out with everyone. 

[AZTtripper]

Munds is also a fair drop from the old route as well. I would be more inclined to just carry a beer from the start rather then go all the way out of the way.

[ScottM]

I believe the correct strategy for a beer run is to take I-17 to Munds -- closer and less climbing.

[Yogi the Barry]

Scott,
No 2013 cues at that URL, but other than the Casner reroute, 2011 cue sheet should be the same, right?

Okee dokee -- I have 2013 route files, waypoints and cues up:

http://topofusion.com/GPX/CLR/

The course change can be seen in the attached map (cyan - old course, red - new).  It's 3.3 miles shorter and a couple hundred feet less climbing.  Good year for new records!   
...snip...

[Yogi the Barry]

Re: Coyote Spring flowing?
I second that and would also like to know [per a previous post in this thread] if Lockett Tank/Spring is a potential source? Lat/Lon below. Viewing with Google Earth, Lockett looks large enough to be permanent [there are structures there too], but you never know...
Lockett Tank/Spring   35.14913° N 112.15053° W
-Barry
PS - And yes, if only beer was always close and/or lighter to carry.

Checking out the new route....beer in Munds in now even further away   
... it sure would be nice to know if coyote spring is running.  Any locals been there lately or have time to check?
...snip...

[ScottM]

Scott,
No 2013 cues at that URL, but other than the Casner reroute, 2011 cue sheet should be the same, right?

Sorry, they are there now.  I made some other clarifications/edits, so definitely get the new ones.

[ScottM]

If anyone has ever heard Tom Purvis's excellent and entertaining pre-Vapor Trail speech, I would like to paraphrase a part of it here, since it applies to Coconino.

Technically Coco is a "fun group ride."  For some people, having fun means going fast and, specifically, going faster than others.  We encourage this, but it is not a race.

We were contacted by the AZ dept of transportation, which requires permits (and insurance) for bicycle racing on state highways.  We use only a mile or two of state highway on the whole route, but, regardless, Coco is officially a ride, not a race.

Just in case anyone wonders why the word 'race' is gone from the website...

[markphx]

This is probably a longshot, but... it sure would be nice to know if coyote spring is running.  Any locals been there lately or have time to check?

I wouldn't bank on Coyote Springs being drinkable as it was absolutely putrid when I (and others) came upon it while riding the Coco 250 last year. As others may have mentioned, I think the safest thing to do would be to tank up with 5 liters (or more) in Cottonwood and schlep that goodness up the Mingus Mtn grind. Unless it's unseasonably hot or you burn through water at an ungodly rate, I think that will be plenty to get you to the Verde River for a water filtering opportunity. If you play your cards right, you can likely get away with only having to filter water one time on the Coco 250 loop (at the Verde River).

I don't plan on racing or recording my time, but I'm hoping to make it out this year to ride the loop once again.

[raybum]

^^Totally agree with Mark.  I filled up with about 180oz at cottonwood and had enough to get me to the Verde.  At the Verde, I tanked up again with 180oz, and that got me to Williams without a problem.  It was a warm weekend last year, so unless you have a leak, it should be plenty.
btw, when I drove back from Flag on Monday, I noticed the Verde (where i-17 crosses) is a bit chocolate milk looking.  Be sure to have some sort of filtration device to remove the suspended chocolate particles.

[Yogi the Barry]

And any beta on Lockett Tank/Spring, which is after Verde, but before the big grind up into Williams? Having never ridden this route, I have no idea if it has water and/or if it's fenced/on private property. Lockett does look inviting on Google Earth though...
-B

I wouldn't bank on Coyote Springs being drinkable as it was absolutely putrid when I (and others) came upon it while riding the Coco 250 last year. As others may have mentioned, I think the safest thing to do would be to tank up with 5 liters (or more) in Cottonwood and schlep that goodness up the Mingus Mtn grind. Unless it's unseasonably hot or you burn through water at an ungodly rate, I think that will be plenty to get you to the Verde River for a water filtering opportunity. If you play your cards right, you can likely get away with only having to filter water one time on the Coco 250 loop (at the Verde River).

I don't plan on racing or recording my time, but I'm hoping to make it out this year to ride the loop once again.

[markphx]

And any beta on Lockett Tank/Spring, which is after Verde, but before the big grind up into Williams? Having never ridden this route, I have no idea if it has water and/or if it's fenced/on private property. Lockett does look inviting on Google Earth though...
-B

Just my two cents, but I'd just follow Ray's advice above ^^ and forego the pain of filtering twice that day... Save your strength for trying to clean every switchback going up the backside of Bill Williams Mountain.

[Matt Schiff]

So no water at the top of Mingus? It looked like a rec area so I thought there will be water for sure.

[ScottM]

So no water at the top of Mingus? It looked like a rec area so I thought there will be water for sure.

For the last several years they have been in the process of adding a water system to the campground at the top, but I have not heard a report of it being operational yet.

If someone would like to call the Prescott Nat'l Forest they could find out the status.  Oh, shoot, good luck getting someone to answer with the shutdown...

[Yogi the Barry]

Although I've had a hand pump filter and still own a Steripen [for certain rides/BC skiing], my favorite filtering system is a Gravityworks sytem/hybrid* I use. Hang a filled bladder with dirty water and do something else for a few minutes, like resting up for all those switchbacks up Williams  , while gravity does all the work. Much less involvement than stirring the Steripen or pumping a mechanical pump... and the time to filter the water is about the same or faster.
-Barry
*My system is dirty water into a spare 70 or 100oz bladder, Gravityworks filter cartridge, flowing filtered water directly to my pack or frame bladder. I have [Sawyer?] quick-release fittings that connect the filter to the drawtube of my pack's bladder. The weight of the system is lighter than MSR's lightest [Hyperflow?] mechanical filter.

Just my two cents, but I'd just follow Ray's advice above ^^ and forego the pain of filtering twice that day... Save your strength for trying to clean every switchback going up the backside of Bill Williams Mountain.

[AZTtripper]

Just a guess, if Lockett tank is anything like Russell tank, will taste like fish. It looks good from the sky, but it's all run off and stagnant.  

The Verde headwaters in Big Chino Basin isn't that far above Perkinsville. It would have to rain on one of the few drainage's above there to muddy the river. Either way you'll be able to tell what your going to get just before Cottonwood. The course crosses the river right after Dead Horse just check it as you go over.  

Also I remember seeing a large metal tank with water in it after Coyote but before the Woodchute RR grade. On a straight fast section of dirt road, maybe near CCC tank 34.75322° N 112.22477° W.

[ScottM]

Sounds like we have a crew of three ITTers, led by Kurt Refsnider, heading out this Saturday.  They are riding independently and starting from Williams (!).  No SPOTs.

The upshot is we should have good confirmation (and an opinion) on the reroute/shortcut.

I've never investigated Lockett before, but unless there's a spring in the area, I would guess Tim is right -- not the best water but it could work.

[rhino]

I'm a little late to the party, so forgive if this info has already been posted.

There's a spigot on the side of the trail on the Mingus Bypass.  I don't know if it is running right now, but when I rode it a few months ago it had crystal clear water flowing from it.  There are several other structures along the trail that seem to be leaking water if you keep  your ears and eyes open. 

pictures are located here somewhere.  I have a Waypoint if someone really needs it.
http://www.backofthepackracing.com/2013/05/cotton-junction.html

-Mad Rhino

[krefs]

Some water beta:

-- Don't count on Lockett Tank above the Verde being wet. The only semi-reliable tanks in that area are a ways off route above the Rim.

-- Mingus still has no water on the summit aside from the manky fishing pond. And my stomach tells me to not ever drink that water again.

-- The Verde River should be running clear right now at Perkinsville, so with treatment, it should be very drinkable.

As Scott posted, three of us are headed out for in the morning from Williams for a Prescott College bikepacker blitz of the loop (both instructors and one uber strong student from our recent bikepacking/geology course!). None of us have SPOTs, so the only spectators we'll have will be any hungover fans left over from tomorrow's Prescott Rally race (a good reason to not ride anywhere near Perkinsville tomorrow).