McDowell Monstercross

[cstuttle]

Looks like a lot of rides to choose from this weekend, so I’ll throw one more into the mix. I wasn’t going to post this up, but as I started planning the route I thought it would be fun to try and find anyone else who might want to join me on this torturous epic. Hope Dave will forgive me for using his moniker, but this ride is certainly in the spirit of the Monstercross rides he has put together. This ride has been stewing in my mind for over a year, so with the great weather I'm going to do it this Sunday, 11/23, 7:00 AM FIP, starting at Basha's parking lot at Bell Rd and Thompson Peak Parkway in NE Scottsdale. The ride is a Double Bypass Plus, and I figure it will be just shy of 70 miles (mostly dirty), and 2 big climbs/bypasses, (Sunrise and Windgate), and everything in between will be rip-roarin fun.

Route is as follows:
Basha’s to Gateway Loop
Gateway Loop to Paradise
Paradise Trail to Quartz.
Quartz to Lost Dog.
Lost Dog to Ringtail.
Ringtail to Sunrise.
Up and over Sunrise.
Connect to Dixie Mine.
Dixie Mine to Windmill/Coachwhip
Windmill/Coachwhip to Pemberton
Pemberton (ccw) to Comp Track connecting via a gated utility road
Long Loop and Sport Loop
Back to Pemberton via utility road
Pemberton (ccw) to Bluff
Bluff to Granite
Granite to Pemberton
Pemberton (cw) to Tonto
Tonto to Pemberton
Pemberton (ccw) to Windmill/Coachwhip
Over Windgate Pass and down Windgate.
Gateway Loop – Left

Totally self-supported with lots of water available along the way at Hidden Hills TH, Golden Eagle TH, Comp Track TH, and Pemberton Loop TH.

I’m figuring this ride will be around 10 hours and am bringing a light just in case.

WOW, I got even more excited about doing this ride as I wrote this post!

Craig

[Maadjurguer]

dang....that's sure to blow my knee up.....which really intrigues me! So much to choose from....I'll have to make a decision here soon on which ride and on which day. I'll let you know soon.

[tjkm]

I am not ready to put all that down in one ride. This will be one for the ages if you can pull it off! Good luck and hopefully you get some takers!

[Noelg]

Dang, these "rides" are getting bigger & bigger!

WOW, I got even more excited about doing this ride as I wrote this post!

I got a little dizzy just reading it...

[DurtGurl]

Originally Posted by Noelg

Dang, these "rides" are getting bigger & bigger!



I got a little dizzy just reading it...

No kidding! Craig, if you come to your senses and decide you want company (I'm looking forward to see if you'll get many - or any - takers for this one) you are more than welcome to join the fun out at Goat Camp

[azepicriderandrunner]

The car is up and running....count me in! I don't think I have missed a MCross yet, I would hate to start this weekend.

I will be coming up from the OP if anyone wants a ride. This would be a great recovery ride for anyone doing the Tour the day before. It looks like there is about 10k of climbing in this one compared to the 4k of climbing in the tour. Is that about right Craig, 10kish?

[cstuttle]

Chad - it will be great to have you along. I really haven't calculated the vertical so am anxious to see what the stats are after the ride. If you need a place to stay this weekend we have a spare bedroom.

[cstuttle]

Originally Posted by DurtGurl

No kidding! Craig, if you come to your senses and decide you want company (I'm looking forward to see if you'll get many - or any - takers for this one) you are more than welcome to join the fun out at Goat Camp

Goat Camp was tempting, but the urge to go loooooooooong is getting too strong to ignore and I really am excited to do this ride. Have fun out there, we'll share notes after the rides.

Craig

[tamen00]

This is a great ride that I do (pretty much... some of the bluff/pemberton stuff is different) when I am not racing. There are some fantastic trails up there and I think you have most of them covered!

One of these years we need to do a grassroots type race out there... Chad, interested in a dirty century race that uses this route, with about 30 extra miles... plus some granite mountain stuff?

[Maadjurguer]

stuttle...count me out....that will blow my knee out...I don't know what came me earlier. have fun and be safe.

[Da Da]

Craig,

I'll be there.

Thanks!

[ionsmuse]

You're (of course) forgiven. Enjoy!

And Chad, you missed the first KMC! And not because of your car!

[azepicriderandrunner]

Originally Posted by ionsmuse

You're (of course) forgiven. Enjoy!

And Chad, you missed the first KMC! And not because of your car!

Ooopppps But I did ride some of the course a few days before.

[azepicriderandrunner]

Originally Posted by tamen00

One of these years we need to do a grassroots type race out there... Chad, interested in a dirty century race that uses this route, with about 30 extra miles... plus some granite mountain stuff?

Tom, I'd always be interested in having another race. I am trying to add races that have a intermediate option also (to increase participation), so I think a McDowell route will do this great. Want to come ride with us this weekend?

[cstuttle]

Originally Posted by tamen00

One of these years we need to do a grassroots type race out there... Chad, interested in a dirty century race that uses this route, with about 30 extra miles... plus some granite mountain stuff?

I like the way you think. Sounds like Chad's on board also. Should be able to gather some good beta for a future grassroots race. Can you say race down here in AZ? In UT we receive citations when we call it a race.

[cstuttle]

Originally Posted by Da Da

I'll be there.

Great. We have 3, do I hear 4?

[cstuttle]

Originally Posted by ionsmuse

You're (of course) forgiven. Enjoy!

And Chad, you missed the first KMC! And not because of your car!

Thanks Dave. And I was there for the first KMC so we got this MonsterCross thing covered.

[Noelg]

Originally Posted by tamen00

One of these years we need to do a grassroots type race out there... Chad, interested in a dirty century race that uses this route, with about 30 extra miles... plus some granite mountain stuff?

Sounds like a PEE - only less cross-dressing and dirtier... (more trail & less canal)

http://phxee.blogspot.com/

[tamen00]

I am going to be doing a very similar loop this weekend and will be starting with you guys I think... however I am probably only going to do the first part, a loop around pemberton, and then back up and over bell or wingate...

[az_cholla]

I'm not sure about this yet (awaiting hall pass), but I may join you guys from the start, and I'll turn up Coachwhip to Windgate when you head toward Pemberton. I want to do the Double Bypass, but don't have the time or fitness to do the whole Monstercross. Then again, I'm not that fast, so I might lose you before we get out of the Basha's parking lot - and I'd be OK with that too.

If anyone else wants to do the Double, I know the way....

[azepicriderandrunner]

Originally Posted by cstuttle

Great. We have 3, do I hear 4?

Working on convincing a 4th to ride up....

[NardoSS]

...

[az_cholla]

FYI I volunteered for IM the past two years (but not this year) and skipped the volunteer meeting the first year. It may depend on what job you are doing.

Oh, and this ride is Sunday - same day as IM. I can't do Saturday this week.

[dtownmtb]

My wife and I are looking for a good ride to do on Sunday and I like the looks of this one - mostly. The time investment (10 hours) is more than we can do this week.

However, I'm thinking this would still be a nice ride if we cut out the middle. Like this:

Basha’s to Gateway Loop
Gateway Loop to Paradise
Paradise Trail to Quartz.
Quartz to Lost Dog.
Lost Dog to Ringtail.
Ringtail to Sunrise.
Up and over Sunrise.
Connect to Dixie Mine.
Dixie Mine to Windmill/Coachwhip
Over Windgate Pass and down Windgate.
Gateway Loop – Left

This would give us a good ride and would cut out the Pemberton area stuff that I ride all the time (kind of in my back yard).

Would y'all have any objection to us tagging along and then going our way at Coachwhip?

[cstuttle]

Originally Posted by dtownmtb

Would y'all have any objection to us tagging along and then going our way at Coachwhip?

That would be ok with me. Sounds like az_cholla is thinking of the same route you are, and tamen00 another variation, so all in all it looks like there will be a version for anyone wanting to join at the start.

[az_cholla]

I'm OUT for tomorrow for the Monstercross (modified). If anyone is interested, I hope to do the Double Bypass loop maybe in 2-3 weeks......

[azepicriderandrunner]

Looking forward to a great day in the saddle with great weather!

[cstuttle]

Originally Posted by azepicriderandrunner

Looking forward to a great day in the saddle with great weather!

Likewise. Chains lubed, tires aired up, pack loaded for a big day, and I'm psyched. See ya at Basha's in the am, ready to ride around 7. My cell number is 435 210-0809 if something should come up and you need to give me a jingle.

[cstem]

You guys are sick and wrong! You also drive me to get back in shape wayyyy to fast!! I will watch from afar and read about it afterwards- jealous of your hard work. Have fun!

[azepicriderandrunner]

Willy, thanks for showing how clipless peddles work. Craig, great idea, amazing ride. That should be a yearly ride.

On the way home to Tucson, I began conjuring a plan for a massive, multi-day, epic ride from Phoenix (or quite possibly a combination of hallucinating and Craig's German beer). If you are still reading this, close your eyes and try to read this squinting. Imagine. Start in Phoenix, go over T100 to McDowell, do a Triple Bypass before dropping down to Pemberton (stay the night here if necessary or continue to Saguaro Lake). After Saguaro Lake, take the AZT north to Bartlet Lake (there is a double track that connects the two according to topofusion, this would involve a bit of scouting). Bike back to McDowell and then T100, returning back to your house. 3-4 day trip.

[cstuttle]

Thanks Chad and Will for joining me on this ride. I had a great time and am feeling pretty good this morning. And in Monstercross tradition, finished with lots of beers and BBQ ribs. M would have been proud.

We stuck to the route as described in the original post. Stats are: 64 miles, 7374' vert, 9 hours total time and just under 8 hours for ride time.

Great day, great outing.

Craig

[tamen00]

Thats a sweeet loop!! I have done all of it, not on the same day, but have ridden all the trails you mentioned... I have done all of trail 100 to the end, then rode canal/pavement to the bashes, up and over sunset, around pemberton, and then back...

On a different occasion, started by pemberton and then went up mostly Singletrack (think Pima and dynamite type riding) all the way to bartlett lake.

The third piece that you are missing is the cave creek trail system. From barlett there are trails/ fireroads that connect you back to the Cave creek trails... these are pretty fun and some are pretty technical. From the cave creek trails it is mostly two track and some flat singletrack and pavement back to the start.

This would be a brutal one day ride if you did not add any loops in there... there would be about 10 miles of pavement, about 30-40 miles of two track, and probably 60+ miles of singletrack...

What about an actual 100 mile race on these trails. I know a group that is working with the land manager to get a short race going... I will pm you with details when I have them.

[cstuttle]

Originally Posted by tamen00

What about an actual 100 mile race on these trails. I know a group that is working with the land manager to get a short race going... I will pm you with details when I have them.

Sounds like an epic adventure for sure. The dirtier the better. I'd definitely be interested. Let me know as details unfold.

[DurtGurl]

Originally Posted by cstuttle

Thanks Chad and Will for joining me on this ride. I had a great time and am feeling pretty good this morning. And in Monstercross tradition, finished with lots of beers and BBQ ribs. M would have been proud.

We stuck to the route as described in the original post. Stats are: 64 miles, 7374' vert, 9 hours total time and just under 8 hours for ride time.

Great day, great outing.

Craig

Nice accomplishment! FOTP will be a day in the park compared to that ride.

[Krein]

Originally Posted by cstuttle

Thanks Chad and Will for joining me on this ride. I had a great time and am feeling pretty good this morning. And in Monstercross tradition, finished with lots of beers and BBQ ribs. M would have been proud.

We stuck to the route as described in the original post. Stats are: 64 miles, 7374' vert, 9 hours total time and just under 8 hours for ride time.

Great day, great outing.

Craig

Good work, fellas. Sorry to have missed it. Hopefully some more epics are in store for this coming week...

[azepicriderandrunner]

Anyone up for doing this in November 09? Craig, you coming back down to AZ to lead us out again?