Below are some notes about the ride, start time and how to verify your ride. Please read on so that everything can go smoothly this Thursday. The weather forecast is pleasant for the ride. Let's hope that the rain is all done by the time we start. You can check out this link (https://bit.ly/3FU1rtI) to get an idea of what the wind and temperatures will be doing on your particular ride. You're able to specify your speed, start time and control time estimates to see when you might finish.

Start time: The official start time is 07:30.

Start location: Cortado Coffee Roastery at: 3230 E Union Hills Dr Ste B 135, Phoenix, AZ 85050. Click HERE for a Google map to the start. Please park behind or beside the building and leave the close parking spots for customers of the businesses there. In addition to Cortado Coffee, there are a CVS, Circle K and Starbucks on this corner.

Ride info: I have not ridden this entire route for about a year, so I don't much fresh info about the route. Steve Atkins wrote a report on our experiences last year (Report HERE). We found no major issues along the route, but there are a few things to note.

1. From the start, it's 56 miles to the control in Wickenburg. There are services at mile 17, but nothing until Wickenburg. Plan accordingly.
2. From Wickenburg, it's 50 miles to the control in Wintersburg. Plan accordingly.
3. From Wintersburg, it's 40 miles to the store in Sun City Festival. This might be the toughest stretch. Plan accordingly!
4. After that, stores are found at regular intervals. Noted on the GPS link and cue sheet.
   
5. The Sun Valley Pkwy has been repaved most of the way! Yippee!!!
6. Use caution while riding on Carefree Hwy (US-74). Some parts of the shoulder are pretty ratty and traffic can be fast.
   
1. Have you ever wondered about Gordon Lightfoot's connection with Carefree Hwy? Here ya go: https://arizonareport.com/gordon-lightfoot-carefree-highway-arizona
   

You must bring your own documents: You must print your own cue sheet (www.azbrevet.com) and Brevet card (linked HERE) if you want/need either of them.

Proof of passage for RUSA credit for a completed ride can be achieved three ways. It is your choice which method you choose.

1. Electronic proof of passage (EPP), by submitting a public track of your ride that shows the time it began and ended. NOTE: GPS devices can, and do, fail. If YOU choose this as your only method of verification, YOU also accept the responsibility that if something goes wrong, you will not get credit for the ride. Plan accordingly.
2. Digital photographs taken on your phone or digital camera at each control, submitted via email after the ride. The Controls where you see a volunteer, don't require any additional verification from you. We will have a roster and record your time of arrival. That's all that you need to do.
   
3. A traditional control card with receipts from commercial controls and/or answers at information controls, submitted by email of the scanned information after the ride (no photos of the receipts and card - too hard to read).  When the Control says "OPEN" that means that any establishment in the vicinity may be used as the control. All Info Control questions will be found on the Brevet cards. The control card can only be obtained by printing it in advance of the ride from these links:
1. Brevet card HERE

1. If you use a GPS for verification, a ride track from RideWithGPS or Strava is strongly preferred for EPP.  Make sure that the settings for these tracks are PUBLIC. Don't make me contact you because I can't access it. If you need to, you may submit tracks from other apps, BUT, no track will be accepted that requires me to download an app or open an account.  No gpx, tcx, fit, etc. files will be accepted. If you submit EPP that does not readily show the time your ride started and ended, your result for the ride will be DNQ.
2. Photographic proof of passage includes photos from the beginning and end of your ride.  You should write down those times to submit with your photographic proof of passage.  At each control along the route you need to photograph the place you stopped, meaning the source of information for any informational control.  At open commercial controls, you need to photograph something that indicates your location, which could be street signs at an intersection, or other distinguishing landmarks. No photos are required at staffed controls.
3. A control card requires receipts from commercial locations or answering the Informational Questions (if noted).  Your elapsed time is from the receipt at the opening control to the receipt at the ending control, unless a brevet official notes your start time at the opening control.
4. Every rider has the stated amount of elapsed time to complete a qualifying ride, from the official start time.  You may start a brevet any time within the designated start window, i.e. the published start time + 1 hour. Note that if you choose to start after your published start time, you may be starting alone and no one will be at the start greet you. You MUST text me if you start late so that we know to expect you at the following controls.
5. Proof of passage must be submitted to the organizer @ mikesturgill@cox.net  All proof of passage must be emailed within 72 hours of ride completion, because results for all riders will only be sent to RUSA after all results are received. I know that many all of you will be traveling here and back. If you can't submit by then, you must let me know in advance.
   

Let me know if you have any questions.
-Mike
602.702.2132