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If you’re in Tucson this weekend, come on out to Paula’s race, the Sub 4 Pedestrian Mile. Proceeds benefit the local athlete development fund, which is a new project she has been working hard on (through the Southern Arizona Roadrunners club) to help foster competition and support Arizona runners. This is the …. [Continue reading] 
I have a GPX file for this ride, but it pre-dates TopoFusion. That means it’s been over seven years since I’ve continued past Charouleau Gap towards Oracle. Theorizing and daydreaming for bikepacking routes led to the thought that it might be a good idea to take a bicycle back there again. Max was …. [Continue reading] 
We met our guide and friend, the illustrious Matt Nelson, at his casita near the edge of the Sierrita Mountains. Matt has quite the nature house, with solar panels (off the grid), water collection, solar ovens, et cetera. He was anxious to show us his “back yard” and we have been talking about …. [Continue reading] 
It’s been quite a week. Enduring fatigue from trail surveying (not to mention all the riding before it!) started things out on the low energy side. And things only went down from there. No complaints here though. Excess energy is wasted energy, right? 11/25, 8am – Left from home, en route to meet Chad, who …. [Continue reading] 
The Arizona Trail is 95% complete, and the White Canyon Passage is one of the few gaps that remain. I was lucky enough to land a spot on the crew tasked with laying out one of the very last sections of the entire trail. It was a bit of an ordeal just to …. [Continue reading] 
Slightly cooler in Tucson today. Enough to scare everyone off the trails (?!) but not even enough to bring a knee warmer out of hiding. Paula and I headed to the 50 for a ride/run combo. Paula started out on foot while I went in search of rock. Can you see the …. [Continue reading] 
Fall can continue like this (warm!) for as long as it wants. I can’t stay inside. The sun feels too good. Trails call out at me from all sides of town. Where do you want to go today? Here’s a few pics from the last 2 weeks of Tucson riding. Lots of good folks to …. [Continue reading] 
Video version: And now the words…… I can’t help it. I get excited for big rides that start from home and before most people are even awake. There’s nothing like feeling the cold dark wind on your face just minutes after being asleep. Creeping quietly through streets you know too well, yet it’s …. [Continue reading] 
I’m dreaming of a new bikepacking loop. A low bikepacking loop. A warm loop. One that could be raced, stage style, in the middle of winter, when the bikepacking calendar is empty and the days are short. I came up with a rough idea, but it held many unknowns, traversing a few mountain ranges that …. [Continue reading] 
Day 3 on the Coconino Loop dawned cold. There were five of us left, plus David Jones out ahead in thru-rider mode. Tim was off at first light, with the rest of us following at irregular intervals. I left last, just like stages 1 and 2. This time it wasn’t so much planned as how …. [Continue reading] 
Today was another fine event in the Arizona Endurance Series, the Rock y Road 50/50. I was too much of a coward to line up for the full meal deal, knowing my fried state, post Coconino, and also knowing the projected high temperature — record temps of nearly 100 degrees! But the ‘rock’ portion of …. [Continue reading] 
The time finally came to race the Coconino Loop, first explored by Chad, Lee and I, last June. There was some work to insure everything went smoothly, including a last minute rescinding of a fire re-route, and of course the usual SPOT/tracker setup. But for the first time this year, I was ready well before …. [Continue reading] 
Fall is a happy time in southern AZ. The word ‘cool’ rejoins the vernacular, as summer finally begins to weaken. It also means it’s about to get cold in the high country. With lingering sinus infection and killer allergies, the theme has been to escape regularly to a place where the plants have shut down… …. [Continue reading] 
The Coconino Loop Race fast approacheth. I’ve done a multi-day race and route or two, and this one might just come out on top as my favorite. It’s a loop, it’s beautiful, it’s got loads of technical singletrack, it’s big, and yet it seems somehow reasonable, all the same. Like something I’d want to come …. [Continue reading] 
I’ve been in XC enduro weenie mode for far too long. Some would argue that’s the only mode I have (and I’d agree), but it’s a different game when the focus is on cleaning things, challenging yourself. You’re still pushing limits, but perhaps more mental than physical. Heart rate stays low, except for the inevitable …. [Continue reading] 
Chad and I hit the road, bound for Colorado. I had a building sinus infection, but decided to go anyway. A few days in Colorado was sure to clear the head (in more ways than one) and I didn’t care much if my Vapor was a success or not. Rainbows on the road …. [Continue reading] 
I consider myself a first class watcher of the sky. There are no skills required, only interest. And lately interest has been high, with monsoonal moisture on tap. My local short rides are lacking in real mountain bike content and perhaps in truly natural scenic content (maybe half the time is spent on neighborhood …. [Continue reading] 
We searched high and low on the forested pile of rock known as Mingus Mountain. The search was, as always, for sweet singletrack, natural wonders, cool temperatures–the sort of thing you can never get enough of. The driving force was improving the race route for the upcoming Coconino Loop Race. After two nights …. [Continue reading] 
Flagstaff and Colorado were great and all, but it’s nice to be back in the desert. ‘Recovery’ rides were the style for a while, and even when it’s 100* out, there’s still some good riding to be had. Just wait until the sun nears the horizon. Even better if there are some …. [Continue reading] 
Seven sunrises on the bike. The first was on pavement, pedaling a prologue to meet some forty fellow bikepackers at the eastern terminus of the Colorado Trail. A singular goal was on everyone’s mind: ride self supported to Durango, over 470 miles away. I’ve never seen so many bikepackers. Pretty damn cool. SPOT …. [Continue reading] |
 Scott Digital Nomad, nowhere, USA Lifelong mountain biker, trail mapper and programmer. Sometimes bikepacker, sometimes runner, sometimes packrafter. I love to ride my bike, get out, and explore this beautiful planet we find ourselves on. I live in a 20 foot GeoPro Trailer, traveling about the west. Main author of TopoFusion GPS Software, co-founder of Trackleaders.com. More... Projects / Sites  
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