Date:  Saturday, March 25, 2023

Distance: 250 miles

Start Time: 6:00 am
There will be a mass start at 6:00 AM and announcements and time for questions at 5:45.

Start Location: El Con Plaza Starbucks in Tucson (Get directions)

Time Limit: 27 hours

Sunrise:  6:26 am
Sunset:  6:43 pm

Cost: $40 Pre-registration only. No day-of-event registration.

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

NOTE: This route enters Saguaro National Park. There will be a rider FEE set by the NPS. If you have a National Park Pass, it will be accepted for free entrance. Up to 4 riders may enter with each NP Pass presented.

This is a new route this year. It starts in Tucson near the University, which is a nice area to hang out before or after the ride. You’ll start by visiting Saguaro National Park (East). There’s an 8 mile loop in the park which does a wonderful job showing off the beauty of the Sonoran Desert.

After SNP, you’ll head south to the high desert in southern AZ where elevations will range from 4000-6000 feet (1200-1800 meters). This is the heart of AZ wine country (Sonoita & Elgin) and home to the often visited towns of Tombstone and Bisbee. On the ride, you’ll visit all these places.

You’ll ride down Allen St. in Tombstone right past the location where the Gunfight at O.K. Corral took place. You might even ride through when a reenactment of the gunfight is taking place. After Tombstone is Bisbee. You will have to do some work to get to Bisbee. Mule Pass will be your high point of the ride at just over 6000’. From there, you’ll descend into the heart of the town with its bustling activity. Both Tombstone and Bisbee would be great places to stop for lunch, if time allows. As you exit Bisbee, you’ll visit the Historic Ghost Town of Lowell, then you'll have some views of the enormous Queen Mine. There’s an overlook looking into the “Lavender Pit” which is worth a quick stop for a photo.

After Bisbee, you’ll head south and ride “Just North of the Border” for ~20 miles, until you reach the Coronado National Forest. There you’ll head back north skirting the Huachuca mountain range to your left on your way to your next Control in Sierra Vista. You will be riding the Buffalo Soldier Trail through Sierra Vista with Fort Huachuca on your left. The history of the Buffalo Soldiers may be found HERE. Gentle terrain will greet you for the next 30 miles as you descend and climb back up to Sonoita. It will likely be getting cold when you arrive there. Smart riders won’t underestimate the cold temperatures which occur in Arizona’s high country.

After your quick stop in Sonoita you’ll roll your way north for 10 miles before you plunge back down toward Tucson. The last 40 miles are nearly all descending!

Lavender Pit in Queen Mine. Bisbee AZ.

Directions to the start

Location: El Con Plaza Starbucks in Tucson

Address:

Starbucks at:

3421 E Broadway Blvd #191, Tucson, AZ 85716

Click here for a map to the start.

Directions:  East on Broadway Rd ~4 miles from I-10

There is plenty of parking near Starbucks/Walmart/etc.

 

 

Route Map

View  RWGPS online map here

The Ride With GPS map may be used to download a file for your GPS, if you wish. Remember, though, that the route sheet you receive at the start of the ride is official, this map IS NOT.

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

Requirements

Lights, safety vest/belt, and ankle bands are required when riding before sunrise and after sunset. Note that there is only about 12 hours of daylight for this ride so a good set of lights will be required.

Services

Start: Starbucks/Walmart – The start/finish control is in the El Con Plaza on E Broadway Rd in Tucson. There are multiple services in the area. Starbucks opens at 05:00 but closes at 10 pm. If riders finish after 10 pm, there is an alternate control location at a 24 hour Circle K noted on the route sheet.

There will be some support on the ride (detailed to registered riders) and there are stores located at convenient distances along the route. These will be noted on the route sheet.

OK Corral in Tumbstone AZ

 

6 Registered Riders.

Rider Name	RUSA #	City	State/Prov
Thomas Altemus	4464	Tucson	AZ
Paul Danhaus	1940	Wausau	WI
Andrew Gavenda	7146	Burbank	CA
Doug McLerran	844	Aurora	IL
Andy Stockman	6738	Wheat Ridge	CO
Kevin Stuart	15999	Leeds	UK