This past weekend I rode in the Tour of the White Mountains. This is an endurance mountain bike event, with the option of riding anywhere between 10 and 66 miles in the beautiful Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest outside Pinetop and Show Low. This year, Show Low Bluff agreed to a 3 year deal with Epic Rides to stay on as the title sponsor. It’s a natural fit for the developer and the event producers.
The Show Low Bluff development will cover over 1,500 acres of land, is zoned for more than 3,500 residences and will host more than 100 acres of commercial activities centered on a pedestrian-friendly area referred to as “The Hub”. It will be the first traditional downtown venue in the White Mountains, projected to include the area’s first-ever outdoor theater and boutique hotel.
Show Low Bluff says they are focused on fun. In the pre-race meeting on Friday night, they announced plans to develop new trails, specifically for mountain bikers, which will link with the extensive pre-existing trail system in the White Mountains. Show Low Bluff will also include a water-centered recreational area with a lake for sailing and canoing, a stream for kayaking, a real swimming hole (not a pool), rock-climbing areas, trails for hiking, running and mountain biking and riparian areas.
Without getting into too much race detail, I’ll just say that today I’m tired. 6 hours and 45 minutes were needed for me to complete the 52 mile course. That’s the longest non-stop ride of my life. I have ridden further distances in 24 hr events, but these are relay formats, with breaks between relay legs. My personal goal was to finish the ride. I didn’t care what place I was in, so long as I finished, so it was definitely a success for me.
Events like this highlight one of the many advantages of living in the great state of Arizona. The course was at an altitude ranging from 7200-8400 feet. It was in the mid-40′s at the start of the race and the 60′s at the end of the race. Everyone was in multiple layers trying to stay warm. Competitors from Tuscon or Phoenix that took the short 3 hour drive home after the event, found temperatures in the 90′s and air conditioning was suddenly needed. How cool is that?
The geographic diversity that Arizona offers is such a marvel, and something I think that many of us living here often overlook. Sure, the Grand Canyon is an obvious wonder, but how frequently do Arizona residents visit? I think I’d lived here for 15 years before I had made my second visit. Now if I go 12 months without a trip I start to go stir crazy. But the Grand Canyon is just one of many marvels our state has to offer. The fall season is perhaps the best season for exploring Arizona. The mountains offer cool and crisp temperatures, while the Valley is still allowing shorts and T-shirts, without the fear of dehydration in 30 minutes of exposure. During October, get out and explore a new corner of Arizona. I’m sure you’ll be happy you did.
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