I’ll be in Scottsdale (Carefree area) for a long weekend soon. I’ve arranged to rent a road bike and plan to ride at least 3-4 hours while my wife’s at the spa. Any recommendations on 60-70 mile routes with some climbing?
Thanks, J
J,
Check out www.bicycleranch.com, they sponsor Saturday rides. You might also want to check out the Phoenix Tri club, they may be riding the IMAZ course, phoenixtriathlonclub.org.
Also, see http://www.bullshifters.org/
The forecast for this weekend, however, is a chance for rain.
Jeff,
There’s a great route (imo) out towards Barlette lake.
The directions are pretty simple:
Take cave creek road north through cave creek and carefree, take a right on Barlette Lake turnoff road…then proceed a hilly 14 miles to the lake.
All of Cave Creek road has a nice shoulder. The turnoff road to Barlette Lake doesn’t have much of a shoulder in spots but as a whole this route kicks arse. There’s a nice climb coming outta of Barlette Lake.
late Sean
ditto on the toaster… Bartlett is a great ride with some good climbs. Re-stock just past the entrance going down to Bartlett at the Ranger Station (water / soda) or at the bottom (take a right and follow it around) of the road at the lake snack shop.
The Bartlett route is good hills for sure. I’ve avoided it due to lack of shoulder but I’ve seen plenty of others out there.
Another option if you are a chicken like me: The backroads of Cave Creek/Carefree have some nice short hills, but it is sort of a maze if you don’t know your way. There was a century ride that went through there and marked the route with little yellow circles spray painted on the road, sort of like this 0- with the tail pointing which way to go at the intersection…they are still there last time I rode it. You can catch it by going north on Cave Creek road starting at Lone Mountain or so. If you keep following it after Carefree it will take you down to Happy Valley, through Reata Pass and down “9 mile hill” to Rio Verde then to Fountain Hills, which has lots of good climbs including and infamous 18% grade. By that time you probably ought to turn around.
the 18% grade on Golden Eagle in Fountain Hills (marked by a sign post as 17%)??
yeah, something like that :-).
Fountain hills loop- referrred to above- 50+ miles depending on where you start.
Bartlett lake ride- +/- 35 miles out and back from careafree. Definite hills, some shoulder, some not. Watch out for the drunks in monster suvs pulling boats up the hill in the afternoon. You could always do it twice if you felly want to…
If you are feeling frisky ride with the “A” group from bicycle ranch on saturday am, i think at 7 am now, usually 60-80 miles at a “brisk” pace. I don’t know how fast they ride because they generally lose me in the parking lot.