Arizona… woohoo!

Got a work trip to Scottsdale which is near Phoenix Arizona shortly… I think I might have to pack my bike.

Anyone been?

Any advice?

Scottsdale is basically a suburb of phoenix. This time of year its hot. Too hot – 40C in the day and 30C at night. There’s a bunch of nice hotels around, make sure you get one with lots of pools. There’s some riding to be done (there’s a trail centre in the desert which has a few miles of singletrack) as well as some shops which organise rides. I found it tricky to rent a bike (there was one place I found that had low end ht\fs bikes, which was fine for the 1 day I rode).

You might find it way too hot to ride. I’ve been out there 5 times (our HQ is there) and only rode when i was there in Jan – its simply too hot the rest of the time. Was out there a couple of weeks ago and I’d not dream of dragging a bike out

HTH

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Picture 099[/url] by 5lab[/url], on Flickr

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Picture 101[/url] by 5lab[/url], on Flickr

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Picture 103[/url] by 5lab[/url], on Flickr

I have some friends n family in Tucson, they make sure they are back by 9am as its too hot to ride.

just looked it up – the place i was riding was called ‘McDowell Mountain Park’ – there’s 3 trails there, you can easily hit all 3 in a couple of hours (with time for rehydrating back at the car)

Hotel is certainly nice and ‘McDowell Mountain Park’ looks pretty damn close. Not so sure about the temperature thing as living in the NE of Scotland the highest I ever see is about 17C 😆

I think 30C or 40C will cook my goose… more research required… take the lights and ride at night?

take the lights and ride at night?

Maybe a gun or two as well, to fend off those mountain animals!

coolest time of day is about 6am – i was exagerating about the temperature – looking at the 10 day forcast there is 1 day when the low is only 29C.

if you’re out there a while you can get up to sedona, flagstaff etc which are in the mountains and way (10-15C) cooler than Phoenix. Much more pleasant riding conditions, I’ve not checked but I’d imagine there’s plenty of riding around.

I’m going to give myself a day either side and head up towards the Grand Canyon and take in something around Sonoma or Flagstaff… it would be rude not to.

Dude you need more than a day either side if you want to give the Grand Canyon justice.

Travelling back go through Sedona. You won’t regret it. Lot’s of riding around Sedona also.

Enjoy. I am jealous.

I know I won’t do it justice but I will see it and know if I must go back

been there, went riding, cant wait to go back..! Theres a bike shop in scottsdale we hired bikes from (cant remember the name) but they had a book of mtb trails in and aronud scottsdale – In a month we wouldnt have finished the book. The old Cactus cup trails are around scottsdale too, well worth riding.

This time of year the heat is incredible (so dry) and also youll have to look out for rattlesnakes and scorpions esp early in the morning as thy come out to cool down… Oh and you must have gel in your tyres cactus thorns are everywhere and will go through anything…

Enjoy and start counting the days till you go back!

On a tourist note the grand canyon is a must, with a stop off at sedona on the way, Tucson studios (in the opposite direction) is great, and dodge and tombstone arent that far away. I seem to recall the mountain in Close Encounters is in arizona too but could be wrong…

Oh and if youve got a full bike licence hire a harley and go ride through a desert!

I’m getting excited now. Looks to be heaps of information online about trails in Flagstaff and Sonoma – both of which promise to be cooler than Scottsdale.

punture alley around that neck of the woods due to the cactus…arrr sedona is fantastic as the sunsets, if that is your kind of thing best seen from around the airport. a little outside flagstaff you have metor crator big hole in the ground but well worth seeing

I was planning to take my Mmmbop with revs on it… but I might HAVE to take the Helius AM after being shown this on mtbr…

http://www.gnargnartours.com/

Up early for a few shuttles on the Wedenesday morning before the conference?

I’m still in shock at how awesome Arizona is. I did scary Doonhall shuttles with gnargnar on the Sunday and Wednesday mornings, rode Mcdowell desert at night in the rain, and at sunrise on another day. I took an extra day and rode Flagstaff forest trails in the morning and Sedona desert in the afternoon… until my legs hurt.
Arizona is amazing and the people were great, I really hope to be back sometime… pictures to come when I get the time. Thanks Arizona, I’m going to miss you.

Nightriding with a difference… spot the giant saguaro cactus 😉

Sunrise in the Sonoran Desert – McDowell Country Park (The old Cactus Cup trails )

Short-Bus Shuttling early on a Sunday morning

Shuttling crew on South Mountain Phoenix – fab people and some brilliant “chunk” on these trails

Mt Elden Trails at Flagstaff – awesome biking

Sunset in Sonoma – lovely trails around here and well worth the effort

So… if you get the chance to go to Phoenix or that area of Arizona do it… and take your bike 😆