Předstartovní mail s pravidly

Tak tohle jsme dostali ještě teď před odletem od ředitele závodu – celkem zásadní informace o které se rád podělím:

Greetings AZTR Riders!!
I hope everyone is down to finalizing the nitty gritty or are completed if traveling. Please take a moment to read through this email until the end. Thank you.

I wanted to take a minute to remind everyone how fortunate we are to be able to ride bikes along the Arizona National Scenic Trail. The ATA goes above and beyond to make this trail better each year. If you haven’t done so, please become a member of the ATA. Now, more than ever they need your support. At the very least, it’ll be trail karma for your ride!!

I also hope that you all read through the Rules of the AZTR. It’s really quite simple. Do. It. Yourself. This is a self-supported ride. No caches, outside of the public ATA water cache boxes, are allowed. This does NOT mean you are allowed to pre-stash water there. It only means you are allowed to top off, if needed. I’ll stress the IF NEEDED. Please do not rely on these as hikers are much more likely to need the water. Plan your ride as if they aren’t there. Also, take your trash with you. 

Please inform family/friends about the self-supported nature of this ride. Please, no pacing. If it seems like a gray area, don’t do it. I’d really prefer to not relegate any riders.

750 riders: Grand Canyon. It’s kind of a big deal, right? Don’t be that person that gets this thing shut down. If you don’t think you can make the full portage in one push, get a camping permit from the backcountry office in the South Rim Village upon arrival. There are often permits available on a walk-up basis for either Bright Angel or Cottonwood Campgrounds. If the day happens to be full, ask about the stock sites available for AZT through travelers. If you don’t get a permit, you must do the hike in one push. Napping is NOT allowed on the trail. NONE. This is grounds for instant disqualification and being banned for future AZTR non-events. Seriously.

North Rim: There’s going to be a lot of snow on the trail this year. Last year a couple of riders were hassled by a Park Ranger and were told they had to take the trail instead of the plowed road. I can’t understand this logic. I’ve heard reports this year of Park Rangers telling through hikers they HAD to take the road. Use you best judgement. The trail is the route, but of course the road is allowed as it has been each year. Feel free to go stealth on the SPOT tracker as you approach the North Rim, turn it back on once outside of the Park Boundary. Again, that’s up to you.

I will have the rental SPOT devices with me. I’ll be dropping a couple of riders off at the border on Wednesday late afternoon. Look for a red Nissan Juke hatchback. 750 riders, if I don’t get your SPOT to you on Wednesday, I’ll have Neil Beltchenko hand them out in the morning. I’ll have the 300 rental SPOTs with me at Parker Canyon Lake. I’ll also be handing out MTBCast stickers with the call-in number, 888-866-4491. Take a moment during your ride and call in, it’s a really cool feature offered by Joe Polk.

Have a fantastic journey, adventure awaits!! Most importantly, have FUN!! See you all on Thursday morning.