AES: West Siiide Series - A Stetson Spanking

 About a month or so ago I was thinking about adding another route to the Arizona Endurance Series, AES, calendar. Over the past couple of years I've been slowly learning how to properly connect the trail systems in the NW corner of the Valley. Some of the trail systems are worth the drive, others are small, but if passing through are pretty good. I'm stoked how these routes came out and next year we'll have more time to promote the event. This year was very last minute and only a few folks showed up for the early 6a departure from Deem Hills.

I was planning on doing the west side route, the Stetson Spanking. There was a section or two on this route I had yet to ride, hopefully it was decent.

The route begins with a few fast miles on a multi-use pathway.

Should be a good sunrise in a few minutes.

It was about time to turn off my lights and as I reached up to shut off my helmet light, it died. Right on cue. Talk about perfect. Not that I had to worry much, I also run a dynamo light mounted on my forks.

The sunrise show delivered as I topped out at Thunderbird Conservation Park.

A mile of quiet pavement leads here, the New River trail.

A couple of miles along Happy Valley Rd. brought me to the south end of Sunrise Mtn. Preserve.

The climbing really begins here and the trail is great.

This was the moment things got interesting...

I was feeling really good, legs felt strong, weather was nice, but the small can of Pepsi I had in my side pocket of my hip pack popped out and began to spring a leak. Drat. I guess I'll drink it now. I was enjoying the view and thinking about the rest of the day. When I went to start riding again, I happened to look down and saw one of my slider bolts was missing!! Gah!! Two others were on the verge of falling out as well. No surprise the fourth one was also backing out. For an instant I was shocked, then I realized what had happened.

The night before I had put new brake pads and rotor on the rear wheel. In my focus to ensure my chain tension was correct, I neglected to tighten all four slider bolts. The were of the Torx variety too and I didn't have the large Torx wrench I needed. In hindsight, I could've used my multitool to at least get them more than hand tight, but oh well. The tensioning screws were working overload, but had kept everything steady. I debated briefly about finishing the ride, but better sense took over and I knew I should cut the route short. First order of business was to get to the north side of Sunrise Mtn. to the trailhead. I could then ride Happy Valley Rd. most of the way back.

*Another side note here. I had also planned to replace my front brake pads and rotor the night before, but my bleed screw stripped out. My pads were already metal on metal, so that wasn't going to cut it. Then I figured I could simply swap my front brakes from the Voodoo. Worked like a charm. All this stuff done so I could ride today and I forget to tighten those four important bolts. Sheesh.

That's not optimal.

It's a good sized bolt too.

Looking back, I was supposed to ride down those distant trails, but opted to skip them.

New trail that was added since my last visit here. I heard it was good.

High above Peoria, West Wing Mtn. center stage.

Pyramid Peak is the dominant feature. My car is on the far right of this photo. Notice all those white homes.

I continued on route until the first bailout option. I had to tighten the bolts a couple of times.

The original route climbs up this trail. It's a great climb too.

Wrapping around the mountain.

Made it to the trailhead on the north end.

I decided to phone a friend for assistance. Mike S. lives nearby and he happened to be home. He drove over to the trailhead with the exact set of Torx wrenches I have...at home in my toolbox. I figured three tight bolts was way better than none and since it was an hour drive to get here, I might as well get some more trail miles in. I really wanted to check out Calderwood Butte, as I hadn't ridden there before. It was next up on route anyway.

But first, since my AES ride was over, I'd loop back around to the south side of Sunrise Mtn. to check out that new trail I had seen earlier.

There's actually two new trails, but this one dead ends at a scenic overlook. The other new trail is up on the hill.

It was a really nice grade, singlespeed friendly too. That's a new-ish Safeway shopping center below, which would be a key resupply option for the big 105 mile route.

At the top of the climb were two other riders. One fella said he saw me coming up and I was either struggling or on a singlespeed. Ha! They were both amazed I was on the one gear. I almost cleaned the climb, just one dab and go coming around the final switchback.

I figured since I was here, I'd walk down the trail I rode up earlier in hopes I could locate the lost bolt. I didn't know how easy they would be to replace and I sent George at Binary HQ a text asking for one. He later replied that he'd send a new set, not Torx!! Cool.

Anyway, I ended up walking down the entire trail and no luck locating it. Oh well, it was worth a try. Now on to Calderwood Butte.

The trail entrance is right off the sidewalk.

It's a good climb to the first ridgeline. You can see where the trail begins, slightly left of center.

A short push brought me here, where it splits two neighborhoods.

A bit more walking after the switchback ahead.

Cool section of trail as it cuts into the Butte.

It starts off smooth, then gets steep, loose and chundery. Definitely best riding this direction. S -> N.

Overall, it was a good addition to the route.

On my way over to the next system at West Wing Mtn. I was linking to a trail through a community I've accessed in the past. This time more fencing was installed around the gated community. It was apparent they didn't want anyone coming through...however, a construction vehicle was going in right as I rode up, so I piggybacked on his entry. At the end of the street the signed trail is there and looks very official. After about 50' of trail there's another sign facing the opposite direction stating you are entering private property, etc. I was able to reach the guy doing the 105 miler, telling him to go around if he got the message. I've since updated the gpx to avoid this area.

The Paloma Regional Preserve butts up against the private property.

I began cutting a bit more of the AES route now, making more of a beeline back to Deem Hills. I skipped the Ridgeline trail, which is incredible BTW, but I figured why press my luck?

The shortcut option was fast!!

Keefer Hill trail, fun stuff.

A lone standout by the encroaching subdivision. The trail cuts between the two and contours along the hillside.

Remember the earlier photo with all the white houses? Here they are in all their boring whiteness. Not sure what they were envisioning here.

At least there's a fantastic trail the skirts by the homes.

Cool view of Pyramid Peak.

One final climb, then a super fun, berm filled descent on Lupine trail.

From the exit of Lupine, it was only a few miles of pavement back to Deem Hills. In the end, it may have been another DNF, but I'm glad I hung around to check out some new-to-me trails. It was a good day on the bike regardless. There were only 3 other riders, funny part about that is this: Each one did a different route. One east sider, one west sider and one who did the full 105. Nice work fellas.

Route:

Queen's Ransom 2026: v13 Heat Miser Edition

 The 2026 version of the Queen's Ransom Bikepack would be the 13th!! Would it be an unlucky 13?? Or rad as usual. I'll go with the latter, but as the days wound down to launch the extended forecast was not looking favorable. Rain? Nah. It was the desert heat rearing its ugly head way too early. The incoming heatwave was to last about five days - all of which during the ride. Great. We were staring at high temps in the upper 80's to low 90's for late February, about 20º above normal. Not even us desert dwellers are ready for that yet, toss in a bunch of riders from cold weather areas and I knew this was going to be a tough edition.

Like last year, I was planning to ride the route singlespeed - 30x22. It worked well and the recent rides I had done gave me that nudge to proceed.

The long weekend kicked off with a meet-n-greet of sorts at Creekside Taco Shack on Wednesday evening. About half of the riders attended and it was fun to hear the anticipation and put names to faces.

This has been a fun, newer tradition for the ride.

Bikes are gathering. Photo by Kristiina.

QR Swag pile. Photo by Kristiina.

Thursday arrived and I was mostly in order as the time to depart grew near. Bike was ready, car was already mostly loaded for Sunday's SAG stop, parking went smoothly for those driving in and everyone was in a cheerful mood. Typically, I hand out the QR swag at the brewery, but this year was different.

A couple months ago, Eric Parsons - owner of Revelate Designs, came down from Alaska to ride the route. He had such a great time, he wanted to do something swag related for the group ride. He offered to make everyone a tool pouch with the blue QR patch on it. Hell yeah!! I mailed him a bunch of patches and the pouches arrived a few days before the depart. I figured most riders could use them on the ride, so I handed everything out at the beginning: stickers, patches, Ti stem caps (from Jeff Sapp at Okluma) and laminated route cards (Rick Haupton)

As 8:00a arrived I made some final reminders, mostly about the heat, then we staged for some group shots.

Herding the cats. Photo by Paul K.

Sharon & Kara were very surprised to see Rich here!! Surprise!! Photo by Rich.

Good looking crew!!

Great to see the ladies representing once again.

Leading it out through the neighborhood greenbelt.

One of the few times we have to be with rush hour traffic, thankfully it's only a block.

Power Ranch greenbelt from Germann Rd. overpass.

Local dynamic duo, Karey & Patrick. So glad we finally were able to bikepack together. Photo by Karey.

We mostly stick together on the canal section. Photo by Paul K.

Getting our tires on dirt. Lots of flat canal miles through the city.

Roll Call!! The first stop on route is at Mesa's Desert Trails Park. There are a few DH runs with jumps, a short perimeter trail, pump track and small skills area.

Sharon back for another lap.

Lindsay N. also back for a second go at it.

Beth after doing her research. Ready.

Patrick. Finally, we get to bikepack together!! He's a local.

Paul H, another local rider.

Karey. Check out her podcast!!

Lindsay S. So glad our schedules lined up for this!! 

Kristiina on her new bike, maiden voyage!!

Anna, another local, planned to ride the first day with us.

Kara W. another local who just can't seem to stay away - third time!!

Blake. We've known each other for years online, first time meeting and riding together.

ReiRey back down from Flagstaff for another circuit.

Doug D. He's now made the trip from Tulsa three times for this ride!!

Future QR rider!!

Zachary, local getting back into bikepacking after some time away.

Mike. Good friend from the west side, I think this was his third QR.

Diego. Strong rider from Moab.

Kyle. All the colors going on, he's local and has been wanting to do this for years!!

Daniel. First-timer to the QR.

Scott. Fresh off the Triple Crown Challenge - no race clock here!!

Donald. In from Colorado for his first QR.

Paul K. He gets the long distance award, coming in from New York. Did all his desert training in the snow!!

Jack. I met him a couple months ago and convinced him to sign up.

Doug W. First QR, local, and one of four singlespeeders!! (Myself, ReiRey & Scott)

Chris. Down from Prescott for another QR.

Ryan. Another first-timer for the QR.

Rich. He swore he'd never come back and yet....

Hannah. Last minute addition and stoked to be here.

Me...from last year because I forgot to get a photo this year!! I think this was my 14th time attempting the route??

Roll call photos complete, riders began heading out as they were ready. I was one of the last one's to leave the bike park. There was still another mile or so of pavement before getting on the trails at Hawes. It was now around 10:30a and I could feel the heat kicking in...right on time for the climbing. Hawes always kicks my butt on the Queen's Ransom, I haven't settled into the extra weight on the bike yet and the trails demand effort. Or some walking as would be the case.

Classic view of Red Mountain.

I didn't take many photos through Hawes as I was carefully trying to manage my effort, while continuing forward progress.

Lindsay S. coming through while I took a much needed shade break. These 5 minute stops were key.

I was following Lindsay N. down Stinger West when she abruptly stopped in a bit of a panic...snake!! First Diamondback Rattler of the season and he was pissed.

Jack pedaling along the Wild Horse trail.

The heat was really taking a toll on me. I live here and none of us were ready for 90º temps. That's a good 20+ degrees above normal for this time of year. That's why I hold the event when I do. My mind started wandering and contemplating taking a shortcut to get to the SAG stop quicker. I could bypass Maricopa Madness, Maricopa Trail and Bull Run by scooting around on the road. I also kept telling myself that I had made a promise to take no shortcuts this year since I took a few last year. As the pavement approached, I was almost certainly going to take the road. I was feeling it. I had also been riding with Paul for a bit. For some reason, I didn't want him to see me hop on the road, I didn't want him to skip anything being his first time on the route either. So, I let him ride ahead a bit to the turnoff for Maricopa Madness. I figured I'd just shoot out to the road and be gone. As I approached the parking area, I see Paul riding towards me. Huh? He says: I wanted to wait for you so I wouldn't get lost. Ok then. I guess I'm sticking to the route. Up Maricopa Madness we went. Thanks Paul, I needed that.

Bull Run shade break with Paul K. as Jack comes by.

By this time I kept telling myself I just needed to get to the top of Talon trail, then it's mostly easy downhill and flat stuff to the SAG stop and a bit of relief.

Major Day 1 milestone for me.

Buckhorn Cholla forest in Usery Mtn. Park.

I had caught up to Lindsay N. at the Pass Mtn. trailhead where we grabbed much needed cold water. Here, the miles were fast along the Levee trail with the Superstition Mtns. framing the backdrop.

Some fun singletrack before exiting the park.

John & Jennifer's glorious SAG stop!! So good to sit in a chair, in the shade and recharge on food.

Power to the people!! Thanks, Jen!!

Someone wants to go for a ride!! Photo by Paul K.

I felt rejuvenated after the stop. A few more easy miles awaited, then the final gauntlet of the day: Goldlink trail. I knew I'd be walking the two major climbs, just keep moving. I had no thoughts of skipping this section this year. Only 10 miles to camp.

Near the top of the first climb on Goldlink as golden hour begins to settle in.

I don't think I could've timed my arrival to the top of the second climb any better. Boom!!

Same location as the previous photo, now looking east. You can see Mt. Lemmon down by Tucson from here. PeakFinder app

Beth striking the hike-a-bike pose. Photo by Rich.

Still all smiles as day 1 nears the end. Photo by Rich.

The miles through here are mostly rideable, but kinda slow. A few short punchy ups, some sand, etc. My goal was to reach the jeep road section before needing lights. I made it and was able to get less than 3 miles to camp before turning them on. Considering how much of a struggle the day was, I was happy with that.

I do love some night riding. Short bit of singletrack leading to camp.

Golden hour view of the Superstition Mtns. from camp. Photo by Beth.

Did she actually ride all day or get dropped off at camp?? Photo by Sharon.

When I arrived at camp, everyone was still milling about, some settling in for the night. We were trying to figure out who was still yet to arrive. One rider had only planned to ride the first day, another couple of riders were calling it off due to the heat. Totally understandable since a few riders came in from real winter environments.

Cholla ball claims a victim. Photo by Kyle.

The morning goal was to get up in the dark and be riding before sunrise to beat the heat. Everyone in the group had a similar plan and folks were stirring by 4:30a. I slept pretty good, at least for the first half of the night, then it was more restful lying until I got going.

Light was breaking over the horizon, but lights were needed for the first few miles.

Into the clown's mouth we go.

I was very happy to see the area before this sign cleared out from any squatters. Last year a fella was giving people a hard time when passing through. At the sign, the forest service had erected a fence where we were supposed to go. It wasn't an issue to get around.

Early morning shade was a treat. Photo by Paul H.

First rays of light as Paul H. and I get going on the Jacob Crosscut trail.

The trail starts out wide and fast. The Superstition Mtns. would provide early morning shade along most of the Jacob Crosscut trail. Score.

Here comes the sun. Photo by Patrick.

Get your camera out!! Photo by Blake.

All is calm here. Photo by Blake.

Once beyond the Lost Dutchman State Park area, the trail narrows, rocks encroach and the technical riding begins. Bring your A-Game.

One of my personal favorite locations on the entire route. Spectacular view of Flat Iron.

This was why Rich came back, he loves this section!! Photo by Sharon.

Jacob Crosscut's final haymaker: A half mile chunderfest of babyheads.

There's sort of a trail here. Photo by Sharon.

As I was wrapping up the rock party, I saw Hannah up ahead chatting with a hiker. She was about to get her photo taken and was excited to have company for the pic. The lady taking the photo was enthusiastic about getting all the angles and snapped a bunch of good ones. She was getting into it!!

Hannah and I glad we're done bouncing off rocks for a while.

Obligatory photo at this Silly sign.

It seemed like half the group was already at the Gold Canyon shopping center. A sit down breakfast at the Li'l Miner Diner sounded great. It was the correct choice. Word was trickling in about some riders calling it off. Some due to the heat, others had nagging injuries and this rugged route shows no mercy.

Popular place this morning. Photo by Mike.

I made a quick stop at the Basha's for drinks then got on my way through the neighborhood. It was just starting to get warm. I figured a relaxed pace through the Gold Canyon singletrack would be wise. Then I just had to get to the top of a mostly crappy jeep road, as the riding after that was relatively fast and wouldn't be an issue in the heat.

Yeah, this is one house. Heck of a view too.

New friend found on the way to the trails. Photo by Kristiina.

Back on singletrack for a bit.

Yep, it was hot!! Shade break on the connector to Gila Monster trail.

Doug W. came by as I was getting ready to continue. We then rode most of the route to Queen Valley together. It was great to have some trail company.

Fast guys incoming!! Scott on his drop bar singlespeed, killing it.

Diego was right on his heels.

Teamwork makes the dream work. Photo by Kyle.

Gold Canyon trails are FUN!! Photo by ReiRey.

The rock slab of Micro Moab. Funny name, but it's fitting.

Doug W. going over one of the fun features on Phantom trail. Pro-tip: The diamond shaped rock at the entry is your guide. I blurted that out to Doug as he rode up, he said he would've walked it had I not been there!! Ha!

We made our way off the singletrack and there was a van parked by the gate leading to the jeep road section. At first I thought it was a friend who came out to give riders water or snacks, but it was just a random guy. I went over to him and he asked if we wanted cold water, umm...hell yeah. Wasn't about to turn that offer down. Both Doug and I thanked him, it was a nice blast of refreshment.

We then made relatively short work getting to the top of the chunky section. The following miles went by quickly as expected.

Kristiina catching up near the final piece of dirt before Queen Valley. It was her maiden voyage on her new bike and loving it.

Believe it or not, the early years of this route stuck to this powerline corridor all the way from Gold Canyon to Queen Valley. So glad a better route was found.

Entering the vortex of Queen Valley, aka Mar-a-Lago West. Haha.

Cold drinks and some calories were the name of the game here. It was quite the gathering spot as most of us were now here waiting out the heat. We only had 10 miles or so to Camp 2. It was fun sharing our stories from the day and just hanging out for a bit.

It's nice that the table is mostly in the shade too. Photo by Kara.

Doug W., Blake and I heading back towards the mountains along FS172.

Strike a pose. Photo by Patrick.

A rare sight: working windmill!! Roblas Butte provides the scenery.

We meandered through a couple of washes, up and down some hills, then I spotted an easy-up tent on the hill. Camp 2!! As we climbed the final pitch I saw someone in the road with a large camera on a tripod. It was Ben!! He patiently stood guard, snapping high quality photos of everyone as they arrived to camp. Such a pro-move, thanks, Ben!!

Somehow Ben and Kimberly got their minivan back here. He was a bit concerned about the drive out the following day, which they successfully accomplished!!

Ben IS the MAN!!

Ben's Roll-call photos:

Lindsay S.

Kara W.

Karey.

Patrick.

Mike.

Doug D.

Scott.

Kristiina.

Diego.

Daniel.

Blake.

Me.

Doug W.

ReiRey.

Kyle.

Paul H.

Sharon.

Beth.

Rich.

Lindsay N.

Hannah.

I really like this location. Flat, open, driveable for friends and about halfway between Queen Valley & Superior.

Maxwell put out a ton a tacos, plenty of cold beverages too. Well done and thanks!!

Cold beer and friends. Photo by Kristiina.

Very relaxed, fun, camp 2. Photo by Paul H.

Hannah getting to camp as the sun goes down. Perfect timing!!

It's easy to see how Arizona designed the state flag.

Fire in the sky. Photo by Patrick.

Cowboy camping was quite popular this year. Good call. Photo by Patrick.

The sky painters were busy this evening. Photo by Paul H.

Thanks to Kara W's husband, Todd, who brought the propane fire pit. I think we had a chair for everyone too, or close to it.

For some reason, I had trouble falling asleep on this night. The moon was exceptionally bright, so I snapped this bike photo at 1a. I don't think I ever did fall asleep, but rested well. By 5:30a, I was ready to start the day.

Trippin' setup, so rad!! Photo by Kyle.

First rays of sunshine ready to pop over the Apache Leap by Superior.

As I rode past the AZT crossing there was a pickup truck stopped in the road. A couple of people were putting up signs, facing the opposite direction. I turned to see what the sign said: Event Crossing. I asked when the event was and was given a description of the event...no, WHEN is it?? Oh, today, beginning at 7a was the answer. Hmmm. It was an Aravaipa Running event, which tends to be well attended. I guess we'll be seeing trail runners today. 

Passing by the IMERYS Perlite Mine.

The morning was still cool as I rode into town.

A bunch of riders were stocking up at the Circle K. Kara had just come from the café next door and said it was really good. It didn't take long to decide I wanted another sit down breakfast. I joined Blake at a table and soon Scott & Diego arrived. Kara was right, delicious!! I then made another wise choice, by riding a bit into town to grab a burrito for dinner from Jalapeño's. Worth the slight detour.

Buckboard Café

I did make my way over to Circle K to stock up on drinks. It was beginning to get warm and I figured I could make it through Arnett Canyon before the heat ramped up. That would leave the 19 miles along the Arizona Trail, AZT, to deal with the high temps.

Calories and coffee. Photo by Kristiina.

Lush singletrack on the L.O.S.T. (Legends of Superior Trail)

Queen Creek - the actual creek, was flowing!! I wasn't expecting that.

I began to see runners as I made my way over into Arnett Canyon.

Finding water in Arnett Creek wasn't as surprising, it's spring fed nearby.

The trail opens up before a final up & over to the AZT.

Kyle is really diggin' this bikepacking thing. Photo by Patrick.

Gerrit sighting!! Photo by Kara.

One of the handful of water crossings was a little deep and my waxed chain wasn't liking it. It barely took a mile of riding to know I had to clean it and reapply some wax lube. I waited until I reached the AZT, took care of the chain, had a snack and slowly began making my way along the trail.

Blake catching me while I nabbed some shade.

Large patches of shade attract bikepackers. Photo by Patrick.

Starting to head south, away from Picketpost Mtn. Photo by Beth.

All sorts of flowers were blooming this year. Photo by Beth.

Scott & Diego begin to put distance between them and Picketpost Mtn.

Slowly the desert is returning to its vibrant self in Alamo Canyon after the Telegraph Fire of 2020.

Gila Monster!! There were a few sightings, but sadly, I didn't see one. Photo by Sharon.

Daniel pushing to the 10 mile overlook. Photo by Paul H.

I finally reached the gate at the forest boundary, which leads to the rain collector, when ReiRey, Doug D. and Hannah were getting set to tackle Martinez Canyon.

Most of the group had gathered at the rain collector. Photo by Kara.

Stocked up on water, ready to head out to Martinez Canyon.

Brittlebush showing their colors.

Hedgehogs beginning to bloom, my favorite cactus flower. Photo by Blake.

Patrick navigating some tight switchbacks and steep grade here. Photo by Karey.

Behold!! The wonders of Martinez Canyon. Photo by Gerrit.

I take this same photo every time I pass by.

I love the trail routing here. Photo by Paul H.

Otherworldly riding. Photo by Patrick.

Riding through here is a special experience. So glad I have been able to do this countless times.

Feels otherworldly at times out here.

Kara making the final push before the long downhill to camp. Photo by ReiRey.

Beth taking it all in. Let the fun begin. Photo by Rich.

Aside from being an incredible view, it marks the beginning of the 7 mile, 2000' descent to the Gila River. Dale's Butte, across from Camp 3, can be seen here. It's poking up just right of center, looks like a thumb.

Same view, with the peaks labeled. PeakFinder app.

The first mile of the descent has some rugged bits, a few short pushes.

The trail winds around the canyon below this outcropping.

After a short hike-a-bike, the trail opens up as Dale's Butte comes into view.

The next couple of miles are pure bliss. Enjoy the ride.

It was somewhere along this stretch when my front brakes began to make some noise. Didn't think much about it, but as I continued to use them, the noise grew. Maybe my pads are low??

This trail gets two thumbs up!!

The day is beginning to wane as I tick down the final couple of miles to camp.

Sweeping the trail into Camp 3!! Photo by Kara.

Camp 3 in daylight!! I think I was last to arrive, proving you can be slow, walk a bunch, enjoy a sit down meal and go into town for food while still arriving to camp at a reasonable hour.

The gang's all here!! So glad I packed my chair.

Taking in the views. Photo by Paul H.

Lunar Halo, aka 22º Halo. Photo by Kyle.

I slept pretty good on this night, at least I got some. It was another dark rise for most and again I was rolling shortly after 6a. I was hoping to make it as far as I could along the Gila River before the heat ratcheted up, knowing the back half of this section was the tougher segment.

Early morning depart for a few riders. Photo by Mike.

Cool to see other riders way off in the distance. Photo by Beth.

Cliffs aglow in the early morning light.

Panoramic to start the day. Photo by Sharon.

It's nice to begin the day with a mostly downhill two miles.

Low point, 1646', of the entire 800 miles of the AZT. The high point, if you're wondering, is on the North Rim near the Grand Canyon entrance station at slightly over 9100'.

Mike & Rich near the low point sign. Mike was dealing with a rear sidewall slice, and said he had it under control. More on that later...

First view of the Gila River.

Nice view of the White Canyon Wilderness as Daniel comes by.

Beautiful trail down by the river.

The first few miles along the river ride relatively fast.

It was perfect start to the day.

Wall St. of Saguaros.

Trail obstruction!! Photo by Karey.

Uh-oh!! Sad to see this big fella down.

Mornings along the Gila are magnificent. Photo by ReiRey.

Taking a shade snack break as Paul H. rides down.

I may have startled Hannah after she completed a hard right turn. Haha!!

Blake on a nice section of trail.

As the climbs ticked by, I was taking note that it was still cool outside. Great!! One climb closer to the ADOT yard in Kelvin. There were only a couple remaining and I was feeling good about my chances of reaching Kelvin before the heat. Major win for the day.

By now my front brakes had become quite obnoxious. I was certain my pads were low as the grinding continued, but they did work...for the most part.

Kristiina and I getting set to tackle Dale's Demoralizer - the final climb before Kelvin.

Another classic photo I always take. The train trestle signals the start of the final climb along the Gila.

Side excursion to the train trestle. Photo by Karey.

Daniel nearing the top of the Demoralizer. Well done!! I walked a ton of it.

This year will mark 15 years since the AZT was officially finished. That is crazy to me. A group of us did a Picketpost to Kelvin shuttle ride two weeks after this cap was placed. Quite possibly the first riders to do that. Check out the link to see the brand new tread from 2011.

On the descent towards Kelvin with the Ray Mine tailings visible.

Nerdy fun fact: This is the only AZT sign where the Reuleaux Triangle is upside-down.

It's a party at the ADOT spigot!!

The heat was just beginning to ramp up and the water from the spigot was cold!! Perfecto. Many of us soaked our shirts, what a shock to the system, but it felt soooo good. A trail angel had left a couple small bottles of water, which were also cold. Thanks!!

The next two miles of trail, the final AZT miles, were a section I skipped last year. #noshortcuts I was mentally ready this year and looking forward to the flowers on this bit of trail, it's usually quite good. A few others opted to take the road up, which is totally fine.

Riders coming and going to the ADOT yard.

Mike's MacGyver fix!! Rad. Boot it, tape it, wrap it, strap it & ride. Yep, it held up the entire way. Nice work.

Poppies filling in the hillside.

Nope, wasn't jealous at all while pushing my bike up another steep grade.

The AZT finished and it really wasn't too bad. Next up was the grind up the Florence-Kelvin Hwy, Flo-Kel to the locals. I knew this was going to be a slog. Ride what I can, walk the rest. Keep moving.

It was nice to leap-frog with Beth for a while, giving each other encouragement. It was so hot out there, nowhere to hide.

Scott high-kicking it at the top of the climb. Photo by ReiRey.

Beth eventually pulled away near the top. I couldn't wait to get to the SAG stop. I crested a small rise and could see the shade, then the cowbell went off!! I was so glad to see Kara, my wife, but I needed to sit in the shade for a few minutes and let humanity return. She remembered to bring a couple of chocolate milks!! Yessss!! After a few minutes, I began ravaging the snacks, mostly the pickles and chips & salsa.

Made it to the SAG stop!! Photo by Kara S.

This stop is really what everyone was looking forward to. It comes after the final major hurdle of the route. There's no rush to get to camp 4 as it's only 9 miles away and 8 of those are fast downhill riding. I told everyone to plan on at least two hours at the SAG stop - we were there for FOUR!! Haha. As always, it delivered.

A relaxed mood as cold drinks and snacks go down.

The SAG stop has come a long way over the years. The top image is from 2017, the first time we offered it and all of the riders!! Bottom photo from this ride. Hard to believe the first three years there was NO SAG at all. Lame.

So many choices. Photo by Kara S.

These are amazing!! Refrigerated section at the grocery store. I think we'll need 4 next year. Photo by Kyle.

Shade and chairs, perfect. Photo by Kara S.

Shade comes in many shapes and forms. Photo by Kara W.

Finally coming back to life after that hot climb. Photo by Rich.

The Kara's!! Photo by Kara W.

Bunch of happy campers!! Only Kristiina is missing, she opted to ride ahead for a hotel room in Florence.

Massive thanks to the SAG crew: Jason, Kara, Jennifer & Bev. Having shade was a game changer this year and very much needed.

Singlespeed crew!! Me, ReiRey, Doug W. & Scott.

It's amazing how good a chair feels after a few days of riding.

It had now been over 3 hours, time to get things packed up and head to camp. It was highly encouraged to take items from the SAG to camp. We got Kara situated, car loaded and took off a bit afer 4p.

It was a bit of a Tetris challenge packing the car. Success!! Photo by Kara W.

Mike and I on one of the few uphills to camp 4. Photo by Kara.

The Fantastic Four sweeping the group into Camp 4.

Camp 3 can be seen straight ahead in those rugged mountains.

I love that we've been co-hosting some rides, more to come. Photo by Kara.

After the long stop, it was nice to simply coast most of the way.

My front brakes were really making a racket now, fairly positive I was grinding metal on metal. The more I thought about it, I couldn't recall the last time I changed pads. It had been quite some time.

*After the ride, I did some digging and found I hadn't changed pads in 4 years!! Over 8000 miles ago!! Holy moly, that's incredible. New pads and rotors ordered.

Yep, it's sandy by camp 4, but that's ok, soft camping. Photo by Patrick.

Scott, ever the multi-tasker and creative mind, soaking his Ramen in the pickle juice and eating dinner with a stick found nearby.

MacGyver No.2: Rich. A spring popped in his derailleur, no chain tension. So, hair tie to the rescue. Chain was still loose, but he could pedal. He too finished the route, but did make the wise choice to bypass the San Tan trails.

Soft camp 4 next to Area 52.

Daniel going sans shoes in the sand. Photo by Rich.

We should try to have more fun. Photo by Sharon.

Our final lightshow of the ride.

Diego was camped up on the rocks as the sun set. We urged him to do some silhouette poses. He was having fun with it, doing some yoga. Then he did a heel click, but my timing was a bit off...or was it. You decide.

It's a floating Diego!! Hahaha.

One thing Cholla are good for is sunset and golden hour photos. Photo by Patrick.

Plenty of wood lying around for a campfire.

Relaxing evening by the campfire under another bright moon. Photo by Blake.

That's a winning campsite. Photo by Rich.

Psychedelic rig. Photo by Kyle.

At this point, I knew everyone was going to finish the ride. I was dang proud of this group for sticking with it through the heat. The early morning starts were key. The last day is over 55 miles, but the riding is flat and fast for most of the way. An active recovery kind of day.

The only thing I was hoping for was the lack of headwind. Last year was brutal riding into Florence. I had a good night of sleep and was leaving camp by 6a.

Daybreak behind Grayback Mtn. as Doug D. gets through the rough jeep road around Area 52. It's the hardest mile of the entire day, but gets the blood pumping early.

Hannah following my lead.

Lots of sand on this part of the route, but it tends to ride well and is slightly downhill.

Hannah and Diego leaving South Butte behind. Area 52 is the angled rock on the right.

Mesquite corridor down by the Gila River.

Daybreak over South Butte.

Through the sand and onto the canal bank for a couple of miles.

What is this?? That's right, a slight tailwind!! Scott, Doug W. and I enjoying the easy pedal...even some coasting.

Mooooooo.

On the ride into Florence the debate began: McD's or the Florence Café?? McD's is great for a quick calorie binge, but I was in the mood for an omelet. I arrived to find a group of QR riders at a large table, they had just ordered, so I was only a few minutes behind. Barely 5 minutes later it seemed a tour bus of retired fellas got dropped off!! They took up 4 or 5 large tables, good thing I got my order in.

I crashed this party a few minutes later. Photo by Kara.

The Florence Café is a solid choice. Photo by Kara.

Kara couldn't decide, so ordered both and a huge side of bacon!! Photo by Rich.

The other half of the group went for quicker calories. Photo by Scott.

McD's is also a great choice on this day. Photo by Patrick.

Heading west on the North Side Canal.

I had hoped to move the route entirely on the North Side Canal to avoid the noise of the Hunt Hwy. A friend had been riding the route a few weeks before the group departure and was chased off a section of the canal. Bummer. So I moved the route back to how I've had it for years. On this day, one of the local homeowners came out to inform us our connection from the North Side Canal to the Hunt Hwy was on private property. Sure looked like an open dirt road to me. Thankfully, he was super cool and didn't mind us cutting through. I really wish we could just stay on the canal, it's quiet and safer. I guess I'll try reaching out to the company who's property backs up to it.

Poston Butte and the 'F' for Florence. One of these days I'm going to hike up there to see the monument on the summit.

We pass by some interesting places. Photo by Kristiina.

And find interesting critters!! Photo by Kristiina.

One of the subtle changes for this year, riding on the north side of the tracks. This change cuts out a mile of noisy pavement on the Hunt Hwy.

It also doesn't hurt that the new addition puts us on Bull Piss Rd. How could that not be included??

Back on the Hunt Hwy, at least there's often a nice 2-track or wide shoulder.

I had mentioned to the group about a hot dog food truck that has been on route the past couple of years. It's in a nice location, right at the turn off the Hunt Hwy onto Magma Rd. and about halfway between Florence and Old Ellsworth Brewery. Add in the heat and it would make a nice quick stop for a cold drink at the least. I was looking forward to it. So naturally, as we approached that intersection, I wasn't seeing the truck up ahead. Sure enough, the pad and space for the truck was there, but no food truck. Rats. I later looked it up on Google Maps and it's there, but the hours are listed as 10a, so perhaps we were a bit early. Noted.

Rich still going with his saggy chain and hair tie fix!!

I wonder what it's going to take to get the San Tan Regional Park to adopt this social trail and make it official. It's a really nice trail that bypasses a mile of deep sand on Rock Peak Wash, really only suitable for horses and fatbikes. As of now, it's the only official trail from the south entry of the park. Do Better.

The famous Shaka Saguaro.

Such a cool, unique Crested Saguaro. Photo by Sharon.

The final singletrack miles with this crew. Photo by Kara.

First view of the big city.

Lindsay S. nearing the top of the final climb.

Mike, still rocking the rear tire fix, coming in strong.

Blasting off down Dynamite. Photo by Lindsay S.

The nearly two mile downhill on Dynamite trail is, well, Dyn-O-Mite!!

A few chunky bits to keep you on your toes.

Scott wins the best sweat-salt design. Photo by Blake.

Another new addition to remove paved miles, an equestrian route through a neighborhood.

Then there's a nice greenbelt that ties directly into the Queen Creek Wash path.

We had the entire outside patio reserved at Old Ellsworth Brewing Co.

It's a great way to wind down the ride.

Cheers to a great weekend+. Photo by Rich.

New friends were made. Photo by Rich.

Rich looks excited to come back next year!! Photo by Rich.

Lots of happy bikepackers. Photo by Rich.

Well earned beer or two!! Photo by Kara.

I have a feeling Doug D. will be back for another go at it.

Scott killed it on the drop bar, 32x20 rig, it's gotta be the jorts. Not sure if he'd repeat that setup though.

Cruising back to my place as a group on the QC Wash.

One final greenbelt section a block from home.

Done & Dusted.

Yep, that about sums it up. Photo by Rich.

Meanwhile, back in New York. Paul is already scheming a return for redemption. Photo by Paul K.

By now this is probably coming off as a broken record, but it's true, such a fantastic group of people came out this year. Really proud of everyone for taking care of themselves in the heat, it wasn't easy at times, but 21 of the 28 finished the ride. That' pretty darn good.

Of course, I no longer can pull this off alone. So many people to thank, as every single person goes so far above and beyond to help create a special experience for the riders.

In order of appearance, SWAG items first:

• Katie Anderson of HelloFernCreations for the beautiful hand crafted mugs.
• Jeff Sapp of Okluma for the Ti stem caps
• Eric Parsons of Revelate Designs for the awesome QR tool pouches (Riders, if anyone wants a stand alone blue patch, please let me know, I'll mail you one.)
• Rick Haupton for the laminated route cards
• John & Jennifer Camoriano for the Day 1 SAG
• Camp 2: Maxwell Higgins, Todd & Scott Woolgar, Ben & Kimberly Dugdale and Igor Barash
• Day 4 SAG: My beautiful, wonderful wife, Kara!! Jason & Jennifer Hanson and Steve & Beverly Rogers
• Scott Morris for setting up a Trackleaders page

This ride is what it is because of these people.

If you want another perspective from this ride, check out Kara W's recap on Bikepacking.com.

Mark your calendars for the 2027 edition, slight change to when I typically host it because my niece is getting married on Feb. 27, so the Queen's Ransom will be Thursday March 4 to Monday March 8, 2027.

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