A rumor has been started that the IMAZ bike course will skip the town of Fountain Hills (doesn’t surprise me) and continue on up the beeline for the turn around. Nothing has been said as to whether it will stay a double out and back course or change to a single.
Anyone else?
that would be unfortunate. the ride breaks up nicely into 3 segments with the fountain hills section. ride to the beeline, the beeline, then fountain hills.
i’d be pretty surprised if that happened.
I agree! However I could see it changing due to the city of Fountain Hills having a problem with the road closures as well as Rio Verde. Riding it all the way up the beeline would be about as straight as it gets! I biked from TBP and up and around the McDowell Mountains and then followed the course back from the park and saw a lot of aerobars… got me all jacked up for April.
grrrrrr
Started by whom…where did you hear this?
If the route goes past FH, then Shea would still be effectively cut off due to crossing traffic. It might actually make the course better though…you get a little downhill break as you pass Shea and then a grinding 3% uphill for about 8 miles or more…not sure what comes after that, sort of flat to rolling I think. But the road would be much smoother and no turns so probably faster overall. It would cut off the main access to the Indian casino there.
While we’re at it, let’s make the course go up the Beeline to the Saguaro Lake turnoff, then loop down through NE Mesa to McDowell; McDowell to Gilbert Road, back north to the Beeline. Do that loop twice, plus the initial and finishing sections to Tempe beach park, and you’ve got a nice, rolling 112 miles that would have a few difficult traffic closure issues in Mesa, but not much worse than whatever issues may exist in Fountain Hills. I’d love that course.
I would hope that they would not take us over the chip sealed roads of the Bush Highway.
It was posted on the IMAZ forum.
I say take us 56 miles up the beeline and back… lets say to the city of Rye!?!