[Paul B]

The sixth annual Arizona Spring Fling will be March 17-20. Hope y'all can make it.

Website will be up sometime soonish with basics. I'll post when I make updates.

I'm organizing, along with the usual suspects. Durtgurl is the pretty party princess again.

Cactus Bike has stepped up as a major Fling sponsor, and will be giving away a frame, pedals, tires, armor, shirts, and all kinds of other terrific stuff.

CJ at Way Out West is very generously hooking Flingers up with stuff from Cannondale, Flat Attack, Emer-gen-C, and some other stuff I may be forgetting.

More sponsors forthcoming.

Rides in Tucson, Phoenix, and Sedona...plus a tasty selection of small group rides for the cool kids on Wednesday and Sunday. Plus a night ride or two.

Get ready to ride your brains out!

p.

 

[Mellow Yellow]

Sign me up!!!

I was just talking to someone in in AZ about how much fun it is to ride down there at that time of the year. I was just about to post the questions of when, where, who... but you've read my mind. Great to see the tradition continuies

 

[Pete]

I was just talking to someone in in AZ about how much fun it is to ride down there at that time of the year. I was just about to post the questions of when, where, who... but you've read my mind.

Book your water tanker now!

 

[JJK]

Paul , you are the man

Count me in Paul, i can't wait to see some MTBR friends and ride all over AZ...

JohnnyK

 

[Paul B]

Rough itinerary for 05 Fling

(Also posted in Passion)

Yes! We're having another Spring Fling in March. Sorry details have been slow; my bad.

This is all extremely rough information. I'm putting together a website with lots of answers soon.

Dates: March 16-20

The Rides​

March 16: Mesa

Unranked group ride at Hawes Pass area at 9 a.m. Get your riding legs going, get used to the heat and the dry.​

March 17: Tucson

A: Milagrosa
B: 50 Year and surrounding trails
C: Lower 50, easier stuff
Evening: Party at Way Out West​

March 18: Phoenix

A: Goat Camp (This is a change from previous Flings! Super challenging route for only the hardest of the hardcore).
A/B: National-Geronimo-Mormon-Loop/National-Javelina
A/B: Possibly SoMo shuttle runs if I can get shuttlers lined up
B: National-BV-Loop/National
C: DC and surrounding trails
Evening: Kathleen's Party at SoMo​

March 19: Sedona

A: Some crazy death march all over the place. Those who have done this ride know what I'm talking about.
B: Bell Rock-Cathedral-Back o' Beyond-Mystic-Chick'n Point-Little Horse-home
C: Courthouse Butte and 25 Hours of Caffeine trails
Evening: Pasta party @ the Bean​

March 20: Everywhere!

A: Mingus Mountain shuttles with Jim Howery
A/B: El Tour de Dynamite (EpicRider's gig)
A/B: Gila River freeriding with SunDog
B: Lynx Lake Loop (led by me, probably)
B: Sedona: Schebley Hill-Munds-Jim Thompson-hookup over to Secret
C: Mini-tour of P&D
Evening: Oxygen tent and IV drip at the local hospital​

And there you have it. Moderators, if you could somehow sticky this I'd appreciate it!

p.

 

[wg]

Sounds like another good time.
I had it all planned for the time off and just was told I am required to be at a management "retreat" that same weekend to do some presentations. It'd be a career limiting move to not go.
$%#@&!!!
I'd rather be riding in AZ again.

Werner

 

[Accidental Endo]

Perfect

These rides fall on spring break for me. I've already started making plans to get to AZ from Va. Hopefully I can get a few days of skiing in beforehand, as well.

This event looks awesome. Looking forward to meeting y'all, soon.

 

[IBIKEAZ]

Same weekend as the NORBA AZ race

That's the same weekend as the NORBA NOVA desert classic in Fountain Hills. I guess I'll have to do some of both events. Sore legs that week for sure.

 

[Paul B]

That's the same weekend as the NORBA NOVA desert classic in Fountain Hills. I guess I'll have to do some of both events. Sore legs that week for sure.

You won't be the only one! This particular conflict has come up before but for a variety of reasons it's still the best weekend for the Fling.

See you there,

p.

 

[Jm.]

Update: no Mingus Mtn shuttles. It could happen next year, but the trailbuilding process is just beginning.

On the other hand, we can definitely do some riding in prescott, either the lynx lake loop, or a big granite basin loop, depending on the weather.

 

[HUGH]

WaaaaHoooooo!!!!

HUGH

 

[zul]

There's lotsa trails . . .

Update: no Mingus Mtn shuttles. It could happen next year, but the trailbuilding process is just beginning.

On the other hand, we can definitely do some riding in prescott, either the lynx lake loop, or a big granite basin loop, depending on the weather.

Or do you mean they are not up to group ride standards? With the right guide, there are plenty of super sweet decents on the "Clarkdale side".

Are you heading up any trail building?

 

[Jm.]

Or do you mean they are not up to group ride standards? With the right guide, there are plenty of super sweet decents on the "Clarkdale side".

Are you heading up any trail building?

No, I mean that the forest service is very sensitive right now. There aren't any legal singletracks on the cottonwood side, and while there are some dirt roads, they simply aren't worth the shuttle. I've done descents from the top a few times into Cottonwood (ending up at the airport). As future trailbuilding is still in the intial phases (but looking very positive) this is a critical time, so Mingus is off-limits as far as big group-shuttles are concerned, and as it stands I don't think anything there is currently worth riding, at least with a group of riders looking for a good ride. The rides I've done there were out of curiousity of the area, and right now is not the best time to even be doing that anymore. If everything goes according to plan, this area could turn out to be simply amazing in terms of trails and downhill runs, but this would be many months to a year from now at least. It will be worth it though if it lives up to what I've heard in terms of plans.

Hopefully I'll be able to help with some trailbuilding, but no offers will be extended to those that are not from the local area, as there is plenty of help in the local area and the less people that are up there the better. One important thing though is to know what I have just said, and pass it along. The main characters were trying to keep this fairly secretive, but that has backfired, at least a far as I am concerned. Keeping it "too secret" makes people start to try and pry information, and KNOWING what is going on (negotiating with the forest service right now, stewardship of the trails, trail maint and work on existing trails, etc) is better than thinking that a bunch of guys are up there illegally building trails, which is not what is going on. We don't want this ruined or prematurely killed, so that is why it's off-limits as far as shuttling. The whole goal of the coordinaters is to do this the right way, and it sounds like the results will be worth it.

 

[zul]

Lofty goals . . . Good Luck.

I have riden some excellent DH shuttle runs there. Without a supreme guide that knows what is what, Mingus should not be tempted. You are so right, there is sooo much potential on that mt. Established trails just do not exist.

I have had it with the USFS. If there is a group making headway, that is great news. In my experiences, the USFS is always set at super slow snail pace. Anything that should take a month takes three years type BS.

Also good to hear that there is plenty of interest in trail building, once the go ahead has been given. That is if our weather ever dries out. Is this the Pacific NW these days or WHAT????

 

[C.J.]

Fling's Tucson Day adds Cannondale Demo Fleet & Team Mechanic!!!

The sixth annual Arizona Spring Fling will be March 17-20. Hope y'all can make it.

Website will be up sometime soonish with basics. I'll post when I make updates.

I'm organizing, along with the usual suspects. Durtgurl is the pretty party princess again.

Cactus Bike has stepped up as a major Fling sponsor, and will be giving away a frame, pedals, tires, armor, shirts, and all kinds of other terrific stuff.

CJ at Way Out West is very generously hooking Flingers up with stuff from Cannondale, Flat Attack, Emer-gen-C, and some other stuff I may be forgetting.

More sponsors forthcoming.

Rides in Tucson, Phoenix, and Sedona...plus a tasty selection of small group rides for the cool kids on Wednesday and Sunday. Plus a night ride or two.

Get ready to ride your brains out!

p.

The Cannondale Fleet will be at Way Out West for 'Flingers' to test out their line of new rides. Take a new Prophet out for true trail testing!

The fleet, with mechanic Andrew lording over his domain, will be here the 16th and 17th. Ready to ride Wednesday night…space is limited.

 

[Accidental Endo]

CJ, will I be able to rent a bike from Cannondale for the duration of the trip?
I'm coming from VA and am not too excited about shipping my bike.

 

[C.J.]

free Thursday, on Cannondale

CJ, will I be able to rent a bike from Cannondale for the duration of the trip?
I'm coming from VA and am not too excited about shipping my bike.

you can rent one of our fleet for the rest of the Fling, if you'd like.

If you're leaving out of Phoenix, maybe hit up Cactus Bikes.

 

[Dirdir]

And ...

Book your water tanker now!

Your Sunblock

 

[Paul B]

Trail name clarification

The C ride in Sedona is not on the Courthouse Butte Loop. That trail is in wilderness, and riding it Would Be Wrong. I meant to say Bell Rock Loop, aka Big Park Loop, which does in fact run really close to Courthouse Butte but is well away from the wilderness area. Just wanted to clarify, for those in the know who may have thought I was promoting a massive group ride into a wilderness area.

p.

 

[Lucky]

Dates: March 16-20

The Rides​

March 16: Mesa

Unranked group ride at Hawes Pass area at 9 a.m. Get your riding legs going, get used to the heat and the dry.​

March 17: Tucson

A: Milagrosa
B: 50 Year and surrounding trails
C: Lower 50, easier stuff
Evening: Party at Way Out West​

March 18: Phoenix

A: Goat Camp (This is a change from previous Flings! Super challenging route for only the hardest of the hardcore).
A/B: National-Geronimo-Mormon-Loop/National-Javelina
A/B: Possibly SoMo shuttle runs if I can get shuttlers lined up
B: National-BV-Loop/National
C: DC and surrounding trails
Evening: Kathleen's Party at SoMo​

March 19: Sedona

A: Some crazy death march all over the place. Those who have done this ride know what I'm talking about.
B: Bell Rock-Cathedral-Back o' Beyond-Mystic-Chick'n Point-Little Horse-home
C: Courthouse Butte and 25 Hours of Caffeine trails
Evening: Pasta party @ the Bean​

March 20: Everywhere!

A: Mingus Mountain shuttles with Jim Howery
A/B: El Tour de Dynamite (EpicRider's gig)
A/B: Gila River freeriding with SunDog
B: Lynx Lake Loop (led by me, probably)
B: Sedona: Schebley Hill-Munds-Jim Thompson-hookup over to Secret
C: Mini-tour of P&D
Evening: Oxygen tent and IV drip at the local hospital​

Hmmmmm, since I'm actually in one piece this year (so far), I'm thinking about headin' to the Fling. Anybody else flying in that might be interested in sharing a rental vehicle? I'd love suggestions from the locals on where to stay the various nights. Looks like a base in Phoenix with a Saturday night (3/19) in Sedona?

I wouldn't be the only old, slow B rider, would I?

Kathy ;^P