2019 Kokopelli Epic Adventure

Wow fellas, I had an amazing time! Truly epic. Here are some thoughts:
  • The IMTB crew was awesome to be part of
  • Harder than I expected
  • Scenery was truly beautiful
  • Weather was near perfect for riding
  • 17 miles of climbing is hard on day 3
  • Going down UPS and LPS is even harder on day 3
  • Food was fantastic
  • I said "oh s#$t" more than I can count
  • Hike a bikes suck
  • Mikie's casual pace was not casual
  • Next time I'll train more than 5 months prior
  • Two of our guys snore extremely loud
  • I'm still pretty tired
  • All 3 days are difficult in their own unique way
  • Western Rim was stunning
  • I need to work on chunky drops more
  • I made it back in one piece
  • Sharone nearly going postal on obnoxious bike queue chick was awesome
  • Faust29 rallied after that fall and did great
  • Every time you look up it is a postcard view
  • Thanks for waiting for me at the top of the climbs fellas
  • It's hard setting up your tent at the end of a long day on the bike
  • How the f did I gain 2 pounds?
  • Alex and his staff were fantastic
  • Those ladies from Steamboat could climb
  • Not sure how I would fare if the temps were above 80
  • I'd do this again
  • Thank you Mikie and Team IMTB Trails
 
Fijirob said:
Wow fellas, I had an amazing time! Truly epic. Here are some thoughts:
  • The IMTB crew was awesome to be part of
  • Harder than I expected
  • Scenery was truly beautiful
  • Weather was near perfect for riding
  • 17 miles of climbing is hard on day 3
  • Going down UPS and LPS is even harder on day 3
  • Food was fantastic
  • I said "oh s#$t" more than I can count
  • Hike a bikes suck
  • Mikie's casual pace was not casual
  • Next time I'll train more than 5 months prior
  • Two of our guys snore extremely loud
  • I'm still pretty tired
  • All 3 days are difficult in their own unique way
  • Western Rim was stunning
  • I need to work on chunky drops more
  • I made it back in one piece
  • Sharone nearly going postal on obnoxious bike queue chick was awesome
  • Faust29 rallied after that fall and did great
  • Every time you look up it is a postcard view
  • Thanks for waiting for me at the top of the climbs fellas
  • It's hard setting up your tent at the end of a long day on the bike
  • How the f did I gain 2 pounds?
  • Alex and his staff were fantastic
  • Those ladies from Steamboat could climb
  • Not sure how I would fare if the temps were above 80
  • I'd do this again
  • Thank you Mikie and Team IMTB Trails
Click to expand...
That....@fijirob, was a fun assessment!
I would like to apologize for my pace. I know that everywhere you turn your head it truly is a postcard moment. I tried to make sure we stopped at all the breath takers picture spots based on previous years. My fear was with a large group we would have some folks fry out there and not be able to complete so the goal was to go at a “moderate” pace so we got done at a reasonable time. Even with the pace we did, we were probably running mid pack at beast.
Oh... and I totally got “Chicked” by a couple girls on the climbs! It was awesome. One of them was wearing that skirt thingy.... sexy!
 
Fijirob said:
Wow fellas, I had an amazing time! Truly epic. Here are some thoughts:
  • The IMTB crew was awesome to be part of
  • Harder than I expected
  • Scenery was truly beautiful
  • Weather was near perfect for riding
  • 17 miles of climbing is hard on day 3
  • Going down UPS and LPS is even harder on day 3
  • Food was fantastic
  • I said "oh s#$t" more than I can count
  • Hike a bikes suck
  • Mikie's casual pace was not casual
  • Next time I'll train more than 5 months prior
  • Two of our guys snore extremely loud
  • I'm still pretty tired
  • All 3 days are difficult in their own unique way
  • Western Rim was stunning
  • I need to work on chunky drops more
  • I made it back in one piece
  • Sharone nearly going postal on obnoxious bike queue chick was awesome
  • Faust29 rallied after that fall and did great
  • Every time you look up it is a postcard view
  • Thanks for waiting for me at the top of the climbs fellas
  • It's hard setting up your tent at the end of a long day on the bike
  • How the f did I gain 2 pounds?
  • Alex and his staff were fantastic
  • Those ladies from Steamboat could climb
  • Not sure how I would fare if the temps were above 80
  • I'd do this again
  • Thank you Mikie and Team IMTB Trails
Click to expand...
This x 1000!!! x infinity on the hike a bikes. I did week one and would basically call this ride a character builder. I learned a lot about myself.
 
Fijirob said:
Wow fellas, I had an amazing time! Truly epic. Here are some thoughts:
  • The IMTB crew was awesome to be part of
  • Harder than I expected
  • Scenery was truly beautiful
  • Weather was near perfect for riding
  • 17 miles of climbing is hard on day 3
  • Going down UPS and LPS is even harder on day 3
  • Food was fantastic
  • I said "oh s#$t" more than I can count
  • Hike a bikes suck
  • Mikie's casual pace was not casual
  • Next time I'll train more than 5 months prior
  • Two of our guys snore extremely loud
  • I'm still pretty tired
  • All 3 days are difficult in their own unique way
  • Western Rim was stunning
  • I need to work on chunky drops more
  • I made it back in one piece
  • Sharone nearly going postal on obnoxious bike queue chick was awesome
  • Faust29 rallied after that fall and did great
  • Every time you look up it is a postcard view
  • Thanks for waiting for me at the top of the climbs fellas
  • It's hard setting up your tent at the end of a long day on the bike
  • How the f did I gain 2 pounds?
  • Alex and his staff were fantastic
  • Those ladies from Steamboat could climb
  • Not sure how I would fare if the temps were above 80
  • I'd do this again
  • Thank you Mikie and Team IMTB Trails
Click to expand...
 
mtbMike said:
@evdog can surely guide you TO these longer routes you wish to conquer.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm not into guiding/hand holding. But there are no shortage of routes out there for riders take on and it doesn't need to be part of an organized event. I'm sure the Kokopelli route is fun but it would drive me crazy doing this year after year knowing there is so much other stuff out there to explore.

Not everyone is into it (or realizes it would be great for them) but bikepacking is still the best way to do any long route IMO. You have ultimate flexibility to do whatever you want in exchange for carrying your own gear and food and giving up some comfort. Honestly it isn't that much harder than normal riding and you get the satisfaction of knowing you did it all yourself - hard to explain but there is something about riding an entire point to point route without support that is just awesome. It's fairly easy to plan routes so you don't have to carry that much food or water. Lots of ready to ride route options out there, even locally: Stagecoach 400, Tour de los Padres, Caldera 250/500, Bones to Blue (Tahoe), Black Canyon Trail, AZT, etc etc and more on bikepacking.com.

And if you insist on support there is no shortage of tour companies out there that can help. Hermosa Tours does self-guided (supported but non-guided) tours in CO, UT, AZ and has also paired with AZT Expeditions to do the same on the Arizona Trail. The Oracle to Picketpost section is around 90 miles and would be a great one to check out http://aztexpeditions.com/Arizona-Trail-1. I'm sure you could get a guide service to support you on a bikepacking route as a custom trip as well. Or better (and cheaper) pay someone's spouse or kid to come along and drive a support vehicle with food and camping gear.
 
evdog said:
Yeah, I'm not into guiding/hand holding. But there are no shortage of routes out there for riders take on and it doesn't need to be part of an organized event. I'm sure the Kokopelli route is fun but it would drive me crazy doing this year after year knowing there is so much other stuff out there to explore.

Not everyone is into it (or realizes it would be great for them) but bikepacking is still the best way to do any long route IMO. You have ultimate flexibility to do whatever you want in exchange for carrying your own gear and food and giving up some comfort. Honestly it isn't that much harder than normal riding and you get the satisfaction of knowing you did it all yourself - hard to explain but there is something about riding an entire point to point route without support that is just awesome. It's fairly easy to plan routes so you don't have to carry that much food or water. Lots of ready to ride route options out there, even locally: Stagecoach 400, Tour de los Padres, Caldera 250/500, Bones to Blue (Tahoe), Black Canyon Trail, AZT, etc etc and more on bikepacking.com.

And if you insist on support there is no shortage of tour companies out there that can help. Hermosa Tours does self-guided (supported but non-guided) tours in CO, UT, AZ and has also paired with AZT Expeditions to do the same on the Arizona Trail. The Oracle to Picketpost section is around 90 miles and would be a great one to check out http://aztexpeditions.com/Arizona-Trail-1. I'm sure you could get a guide service to support you on a bikepacking route as a custom trip as well. Or better (and cheaper) pay someone's spouse or kid to come along and drive a support vehicle with food and camping gear.
Click to expand...
Oracle to PP is preferred over PP to Oracle?
 
SnakeCharmer said:
Oracle to PP is preferred over PP to Oracle?
Click to expand...
I've ridden the whole thing both directions and prefer south to north (Oracle to PP), which is the general consensus. Mostly because the descent into Bloodsucker Wash and climbing to Ripsey ridgeline are both significantly easier heading north. You will get differing opinions about Picketpost to Kelvin. The majority of day riders do this segment southbound from Picketpost however I'm convinced riding Kelvin to Picketpost is easier, which fits with the overall S to N preference from Oracle.

Riding south from Picketpost there is around 12miles of climbing to the top of Martinez Canyon. It is almost all rideable but there is some really tough climbing in there you can blow yourself up on and still have a long ways to go. Most people like this direction because of the 7mi descent to the Gila. It is an awesome descent. But then you have 16 miles along the river with three main climbs. These are tough and will include some HAB heading towards Kelvin. So it isn't a downhill ending. Heading the other direction from Kelvin those climbs along the river are very rideable. The climb out of the Gila is only 2000ft and has some HAB where it is too steep or technical to climb - maybe 500ft of it? The rest is all rideable and I find the HAB breaks up the climbing nicely. At the top you have a fun 12mile (mostly) descent to Picketpost.
 
my only complaint is the shuttle line and lack thereof... at one point Alex said to the riders for us to figure it out... someone began shouting numbers... it was a cluster F. that is my only complaint. i hope they organize the shuttle line up better in future years.
 
Dirtrider.... said:
my only complaint is the shuttle line and lack thereof... at one point Alex said to the riders for us to figure it out... someone began shouting numbers... it was a cluster F. that is my only complaint. i hope they organize the shuttle line up better in future years.
Click to expand...


In week one we had the same issue. Someone came up with the idea to lay the bikes down in a row starting where the van parked. Shuttle rides were given in the order of the bikes. The rider handed their own bike to the drivers and got in the van. Seemed to work pretty well. The folks whose bike was in line, but weren’t ready to go, just let others go in front of them.
 
evdog said:
I've ridden the whole thing both directions and prefer south to north (Oracle to PP), which is the general consensus. Mostly because the descent into Bloodsucker Wash and climbing to Ripsey ridgeline are both significantly easier heading north. You will get differing opinions about Picketpost to Kelvin. The majority of day riders do this segment southbound from Picketpost however I'm convinced riding Kelvin to Picketpost is easier, which fits with the overall S to N preference from Oracle.

Riding south from Picketpost there is around 12miles of climbing to the top of Martinez Canyon. It is almost all rideable but there is some really tough climbing in there you can blow yourself up on and still have a long ways to go. Most people like this direction because of the 7mi descent to the Gila. It is an awesome descent. But then you have 16 miles along the river with three main climbs. These are tough and will include some HAB heading towards Kelvin. So it isn't a downhill ending. Heading the other direction from Kelvin those climbs along the river are very rideable. The climb out of the Gila is only 2000ft and has some HAB where it is too steep or technical to climb - maybe 500ft of it? The rest is all rideable and I find the HAB breaks up the climbing nicely. At the top you have a fun 12mile (mostly) descent to Picketpost.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I've done the 12 mile climb from PP to top of Martinez and back.

From Oracle and points North makes more sense anyway because it would be with a friend who lives in Tucson which would be home base for my stay.
 
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