HikeArizona.COM

Listening to the Dirtbag Diaries this morning I got the idea for this. It is the idea of doing a challenge set up close to home or rather mini-adventures. I thought a fun one would be to cycle from Phoenix to the Lost Dutchman 35-40 miles, and then do an out and back of the ridgeline. Follow this up with a return ride via the same route. Is there any interest in doing something of this caliber or is this a solo endeavor? Any ideas for a similar adventure?

GOYAAH wrote:is this a solo endeavor?

Yes.

an 80 mile bike ride with a double ridgeline thrown in the middle? Yeah, you're on your own...

What is "The Dirtbag Diaries"?

I'll ride my motorcycle to the Goldfield Saloon, drink beer out on the deck, and watch you with binoculars as you ascend Flatiron...

Maybe split it into to sections and us mere mortals can each take one. That way you can resupply on water and bland asian pears at the transition point. ;)

Awesome, I listened to that podcast too and was wondering about some fun local "sufferathons". The bike/hike sounds full of suffering.

Anybody who commutes in Phoenix does a sufferathon ...

kingsnake wrote:Anybody who commutes in Phoenix does a sufferathon ...

Daily - an hour to travel 23 miles yesterday. But only for a week longer, I start a new job in Tempe next Monday

oceanwithin wrote:Awesome, I listened to that podcast too and was wondering about some fun local "sufferathons". The bike/hike sounds full of suffering.

So is that a yes? I am feeling the need to suffer. That podcast will probably be my excuse for quitting my job one day and roaming the world in search of adventure.

kingsnake wrote:What is "The Dirtbag Diaries"?

An amazing podcast and blog. dirtbagdiaries.com.

Another one that I have planned would be boring but challenging. Repetitive up and overs of Camelback or something similar till you climb the equivalent of Everest (a little over eight times I believe).

kingsnake wrote:What is "The Dirtbag Diaries"?

Freaking amazing podcast. We listened to a whole bunch of them for like 5 days straight back in august on a road trip, I could live by the "lessons learned" in that podcast...now if only *I* had an ipod

GOYAAH wrote:I am feeling the need to suffer

9L, Patrick and I are planning a 5 summit day, before I leave, shaw, north, squaw, 2429 and stoney i think they were (not inthat order i don't think), that's not quite as intense but it'd be "hella fun"

You might want to hook up with this ER doc in Portland (unfortunately I'm spacing his name right now). He's done Everest a couple times, but he has also summited Mt. Hood over 300 times from Timberline lodge his record was 1hr. 24 min. with track cleats. He borrowed a 10 speed from a friend and pedalled from the Willamette River (downtown Portland) to Timberline lodge 60 miles summited and pedalled back in under 10 hrs. That was probably 10-15 years ago, so he might have slowed down to Superhuman by now.
I did the ridgeline x2 and once is enough for me this year. That is enough of a sufferathon by itself.

A true Arizona sufferthon must happen between the months of June-September. The Heat will take you to levels of pain never thought possible, like in those Hell Raiser movies, where Pinhead and company do their thing.

Manzanita bushwhacking can be a nightmare at times, perhaps incorporate a couple of miles of nasty hedge in your course. Ha!

Outlander wrote:Manzanita bushwhacking can be a nightmare at times

Cholla could be worse....Vince, just do the skull cave trip in july, twice in one day....36 miles of cactus heaven

@Outlander I prefer those months anyway. All the weak stay indoors in the AC and the trails are bare.

GOYAAH wrote: Repetitive up and overs of Camelback

I started to try that last spring. After summitting twice I was more likely to die of boredom than exhaustion :whistle:

Try it at night. It takes a lot of the boredom out of it. Everything looks different and you have to pay attention instead of zoning out.