Coconino 250
The Coconino 250 is a self contained bikepacking race which starts and finishes in Flagstaff AZ. The route heads South to Sedona then on to Cottonwood where it climbs over Mingus Mt. and turns North towards the town of Williams and then back into Flagstaff. It is a stage style race with predetermined stage stops where riders can all camp together and trade stories before heading out for the next stage.
Following is the story of my first attempt at it this past Oct.
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We’re off, and not the last time Matt & Jason would pass me.
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The trail was beautiful even though I was already feeling the burn from my lack of training. (All you have to do is sign up, right?)
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Although the trails were great my legs rejoiced in the sight of a fat dirt road like this out in the middle of the woods.
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Especially when that road leads to a stopping point like this. Even with hazy lighting and a fried rear shifter it looked good.
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The next morning nothing was lacking with the view from camp, can it get better than this?
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Wow, it did get better! Bombing down into Sedona on a trail like this.
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Mingus looming. I headed to the bike shop in Sedona to attempt repair on my shifter, but after it was disassembled it was completely dead with no replacement available there. The shop called ahead to Absolute Bikes in Oak Creek and they had what I needed in stock and would be ready to install it when I got there. After 2 speeding it (I had a 2×10) to Oak Creek and with a new shifter installed it was almost noon when I left.
Decision time… eventually I have to get back to my truck in Flagstaff. Do I call it a good try and tour back to Flag, or go all the way back to Sedona and follow the complete route and try to stay ‘in’ the race. I opted for neither, I wanted to see what this Mingus Mt. was all about, so I back tracked and picked up the route where it crossed the highway at the Templeton tunnels and said “I’m officially out, but I’m sleeping on the top of Mingus tonight.”
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After Red Rocks State Park on the Lime Kiln trail I met up with the Alaskan crew who was waylaid by flats and out of spare tires hopping to make Cottonwood before the bike shop closed. Now I was on a mission, reach the bike shop before it closed, buy some tubes and patch kits and leave them on the stoop. It was a perfect excuse to bomb down the highway into Cottonwood (I’m already DQ’ed) but just as I arrived Dave passed by having caught a ride into town. Relived of my duty I ate a pizza, shopped at Food City and headed back for the route.
The sun set as I hit dirt at the bottom of Mingus and these mattresses tried to tempt me saying you’re headed where? When? But I said no and with a quick break and attitude adjustment I was off. At 10:40pm, a mere 4hrs & 40min. later I topped out and saw the official camp was still a few miles away. The temps were nice (for 7800ft), my rear tire was hemorrhaging Stans and when I looked to the right I saw a spot not completely covered in rocks and I realized… this is camp!
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The next morning I appreciated how steep a climb it was the night before as I passed the hang glider launching pad!? No turning back now, I’ve made it to the far side of the loop headed down Mingus Mt. and looking back across Sedona to the start/finish line.
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Flying down the hill to the Verde River was great even knowing it meant I had to climb back out of the Verde Valley to the pine trees. Ignorance is bliss, little did I know it would be a 5hr climb out, and I was wiped by the time I rolled in to Williams. Fortunately I was on the tail of Jason & Matt who knew the drill and headed straight for the pizza shop. After a calzone and bowl of pasta I headed to the closest, cheapest motel around, and I got what I paid for right across the street. Sure the toilet was wobbly and the shower head was well below my neck but the water was warm and there was a bed.
Rolling out of bed after 10hrs of sleep I was completely exhausted. While having breakfast I was looking at my GPS base maps trying to figure out the shortest way back to Flagstaff without getting on I-40.
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Old Route 66 and ‘The route’ were going my way.
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This guy was going the other way on Route 66.
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They weren’t going anywhere much with the fences around.
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The San Francisco Peaks were getting close now and my off route dirt roads were still holding out.
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Back on old Route 66, fortunately I wasn’t planning a re-supply here.
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Now were talking, close enough to see the Fall color.
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My short cuts allowed me to catch up with some of the single speed contingent near the front of the pack.
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As they headed to the hills on route, I continued bee lining it for Flagstaff. Though much shorter, the forest road that lead to a trail (according to my GPS) disappeared after I climbed over a gate and pushed up the hill. A bit of bushwhacking did lead to a trail of sorts, (at one time) and finally to a logging road, then along a phone line, to the power line, across the railroad tracks, over the guard rail and, Woo Hoo! Route 66/Bus. I-40 straight into town.
With a good try under my belt I’m already planning on another go around next year, and I won’t be fooled by the talk of “it’s easier than the AZT 300”. Granted being from Tucson I was more familiar with the AZT’s trails but nowhere were there consecutive days of continual climbing for 4+hrs and Mingus with about as challenging a hike-a-bike as it gets at the end of the seemingly vertical jeep roads. But hey, all that suffering seems to make those golden moments shine all that much brighter. 🙂 Can’t wait till the next time. 🙂
thepedalingarborist 