Tag Archives: Arizona

Ben’s Bikes Saturday B/C Ride

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Ben’s Bikes Saturday B/C Ride

A great east-side option for riders looking for a friendly, moderately paced Saturday morning group ride. The Ben’s Bikes B/C Ride is a no-drop road ride typically covering about 30 miles, with routes changing from week to week.

Being based on Tucson’s southeast side gives the group access to some terrific riding, including Saguaro National Park East and other routes around Vail, Rita Ranch and southeast Tucson. The emphasis is on riding together rather than racing, making this a good choice for cyclists who are comfortable riding in a group but don’t want the pressure of Tucson’s faster drop rides.

When: Saturday mornings
Distance: About 30 miles
Level: B/C
Ride: No drop
Routes: Saguaro East and other southeast Tucson routes
Vibe: Friendly, social and moderately paced

Ben’s Bikes of Tucson

Address: 7431 S. Houghton Road, Suite 100, Tucson, AZ
Phone: 520-574-2453
Website: Ben’s Bikes of Tucson
Facebook: Ben’s Bikes Tucson

Ride times and routes can change with the season. Call the shop or check Ben’s Bikes on social media for the latest ride details.

El Grupo Fall Fondo

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The El Grupo Fall Fondo is more than a bike ride. It is a celebration of El Grupo Youth Cycling and one of the best opportunities of the year to ride with and support the next generation of Tucson cyclists.

Choose from 35, 50, or 75-mile routes through Tucson, then return to the El Grupo Clubhouse for the real heart of the event: food, drinks, music, an auction, and a chance to hang out with El Grupo riders, coaches, families, and supporters.

This is a fundraiser, not a race. Proceeds support El Grupo Youth Cycling and its work using bicycles to help young people build confidence, skills, friendships, and independence while making cycling accessible regardless of a family’s ability to pay.

If you love Tucson’s cycling community, this is an important one to support. Come for a great ride and leave knowing your miles are helping put more Tucson kids on bikes.

https://www.kgun9.com/news/community-inspired-journalism/midtown-news/el-grupo-youth-cycling-hosts-fall-fondo-fundraiser-in-midtown?fbclid=IwY2xjawTvQGdwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5RC3XawhwaAbeJgFvQotHIartRmxKMoXkffVR1Y5p3adGPPkFjRDPicArmuQ_aem_-RYZ56duzC6z0D-bEo-jyw

 

 

ADRENALINE NIGHT RIDES

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Experience the magic of night trail riding in the Sonoran desert at the Adrenaline Night Trail Rides held on a rolling 9.5 mile loop at McDowell Mountain Regional Park. This is a perfect beginner night ride with distances for all. Ride past towering saguaro cactus under the night stars!

This race is the 2nd in the Insomniac Night Trail Ride Series with events across the greater Phoenix, Arizona area. Join us and “Carpe Noctem” to “seize the night”!

Register Now

The Tusayan Tussle – Arizona Endurance Series

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The Tusayan Tussle

The Grand Canyon Stagecoach Line is a true backcountry Arizona adventure, starting in Tusayan just outside the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Choose between a 60-mile or 94-mile route, combining remote Forest Service roads, doubletrack and miles of the Arizona Trail through the high-country forests surrounding the Grand Canyon.

The 60-mile loop follows fun doubletrack to the historic Moqui Stage Stop before picking up the Arizona Trail for the ride back to Tusayan. It’s an epic route without requiring an epic-race résumé.

Want the bigger day? The 94-mile route includes roughly 40 miles of nearly traffic-free Forest Service roads before returning on the Arizona Trail. Near the end, riders reach Grandview Lookout, where those willing to climb the tower earn spectacular views and a time bonus. Take a selfie at the top for proof. Afraid of heights? The climb is optional.

Like other Arizona Endurance Series (AES) events, this is a fully self-supported ride. Riders need to carry what they need and be prepared to filter water if necessary. This isn’t an organized tour with aid stations every few miles. Self-sufficiency is part of the adventure.

Remote dirt roads, the Arizona Trail, high-country forest, virtually no traffic and the Grand Canyon just down the road. If your idea of a good ride involves a little adventure and a lot of Arizona, this belongs on the list.

August 29, 2026 | Tusayan, Arizona
60 Miles: 7:00 a.m.
94 Miles: 6:00 a.m.

Tussle

Route:

The Tussle will be a loop rather than the out and back. The route will be ridden in a counterclockwise fashion with the route consisting of 25 miles of scenic remote forest service roads, 35 miles on the Arizona Trail and 1 mile of asphalt/concrete riding through Tusayan back to the finish.

****Grandview Lookout will be on the route approximately 16 miles from the finish with a requirement to climb it. The views are worth the climb up. If you fear heights, you don’t have to climb it. ******* Time bonus for the ones that climb it. Selfie pic for proof******

Fully self-supported ride. Russell tank has water and can be filtered if needed. There will be NO water drop unless we have a volunteer drop and pick up at Russell Tank. Russell tank should have plenty of water for filtering with all the monsoon activity.

Tusayan_tussle_short_route

Tusayan_tussle_long_route

Please sign-up below with the link as well as commenting if you are interested in camping a 1-2 nights.

Sky Island Tour

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The Sky Island Tour is a one-day bicycle tour through the beautiful high-desert landscapes and mountain ranges of Cochise County. Starting and finishing in Sierra Vista, each route takes riders into Arizona’s spectacular Sky Islands, where isolated mountain ranges rise dramatically above the surrounding desert grasslands.

This is a tour rather than a race, welcoming traditional bicycles, e-bikes, recumbents, handcycles, trikes and ElliptiGOs. With multiple loop routes, riders can choose the distance and challenge that works for them while experiencing a part of Southern Arizona that is absolutely worth exploring by bicycle.

After the ride, everyone returns to the Mall at Sierra Vista for lunch, music and a chance to relax and visit with other cyclists. Registration includes an event T-shirt, route map and goodie bag.

Perhaps the best reason to ride is the cause behind it. The Sky Island Tour is presented by the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Southeastern Arizona (NAMI SEAZ), with 100% of event proceeds supporting the organization and its work in Southeastern Arizona.

Beautiful roads, incredible Sky Island scenery, a welcoming cycling community and a ride that supports an important local cause. This is a great excuse to put Cochise County on your cycling calendar.

October 3, 2026 | Sierra Vista, Arizona

 

Tucson 10er

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Tucson 10’er at Old Tucson may have one of the most uniquely Tucson settings of any mountain bike race. This 10-hour endurance race takes place at historic Old Tucson, the legendary movie studio where countless Westerns were filmed, surrounded by towering saguaros and the rugged Tucson Mountains.

Race solo, as a duo, or put together a team and spend the day ripping wicked-fast Sonoran Desert singletrack. Between laps, Old Tucson becomes part race headquarters and part party, with a large barn, bar, stage, vendors, and plenty of room for racers, friends, and families to hang out.

And the location is hard to beat. You’re riding through classic Sonoran Desert scenery with Saguaro National Park next door, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum just down the road, and Tucson only a short drive over the hill.

Come to race hard, trade laps with friends, or simply spend a January day riding bikes through the saguaros. Ten hours of fast singletrack, Old West atmosphere, spectacular desert scenery, and a venue you won’t find anywhere else.

January 16, 2027

SDMB Poker Ride

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The SDMB Poker Ride is one of those events that captures what the Tucson mountain bike community is all about. Expect a who’s who of the local MTB scene, plenty of laughs, libations along the route, and a massive pile of prizes. Ride from station to station collecting cards, build your best poker hand, and see what you take home. With enough prizes that practically everyone walks away with something, this one is much more about community and fun than finishing times.

If you ride mountain bikes and want to become part of the Tucson mountain bike community, this is one of those rides you need to experience.

But perhaps you’re a runner. You’re welcome too. Come out and make the mountain bikers question their life choices as you fly past them on the climbs and technical sections.

Bikes, trails, friends, libations, questionable poker skills, and a whole lot of Tucson MTB culture.

Picketpost Punisher – Arizona Endurance Series

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Picketpost Punisher

ppp

When:
November 15, 2025
The B (49 miles) and C (22 miles) routes will start at 7:30am. The A route (76 miles) will start at 5am.

Where:
You will  start at the Picketpost trail head off of Route 60 near Superior, Arizona. This is about 60 miles east of Phoenix and about 5 miles west of Superior. If you pass the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, you’ve missed the trailhead turnoff. You can get directions to the start here.

The trailhead has pit toilets, but no water. Also no trash receptacles – pack it in, pack it out.

Camping is NOT allowed at the trailhead. There are however,  a bunch of places to primitive camp beside the road that leads to the trailhead.

What:
The Punisher will once again be split into 3 different lengths so that you can choose the amount of punishment you deserve. Make sure you review the GPS files.

The C ride will be the shortest AES ride ever. A measly 22 miles and about 2300 feet of climbing. In place of FR4, you’ll get to ride new trails in Arnett Canyon. The route will climb on dirt roads part of the way up Montana Mountain. The descent back down will be on the Arizona Trail back to the Picketpost trailhead. Easy peasy.

The B ride is heading south this year. It is actually a subset of one of the previous year’s A route – without crossing the Gila River. You will head south on the Arizona Trail to FR4, then turn south on FR4 (it is not closed in this area). You’ll climb up on the ever lovely Telegraph Canyon road, then down, past Ajax Mine to Box Canyon. There will be a hard left to get you over to Martinez Canyon. After traversing the “brass knuckles” you’ll end up at the Gila River not far from the Arizona Trail. Filter water at the river, then head north to the AZT – all the way back to Picket Post.

The B ride has an opportunity for a time bonus. You’ll notice a little additional part of the route in Box Canyon. This goes to a section where the canyon gets very narrow – really cool to see. This is an out and back of about 3.75 miles. Do this and take a selfie. Your selfie, along with your GPS track, will get you an hour deducted from overall time.

The A ride (aka: The Pulverizer) will be the same stroll in the park as last year. You’ll begin by heading south on AZT down to the Gila River. You’ll cross the river (good chance to filter water) and start climbing to Florence-Kelvin Highway. You’ll then bomb down that dirt road all the way to Kelvin Bridge. From there it is AZT all the way back to the start.

READ THIS IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT DOING THE A RIDE:

The A ride is a seriously difficult ride. It is only for very experienced and capable back country endurance cyclists.  One of your sources of water is the Gila River – and that needs to be filtered. If you cannot meet the following criteria, don’t even bother:

1. You must have a GPS and know how to use it. There are no trail signs and it will be very easy to get lost.
3. You need to be prepared to be on your bike for 10-15 hours or more. Some VERY fast folks have done this in 10 hours. Expect it to take longer for most everyone else. 
4. You must have lights and be comfortable with riding at night in challenging terrain.

Water:
In a race of this length and remoteness, water is a concern. Bring as much as you can! We’ve done some scouting and found some possible and some dependable water sources. Water sources are marked (as waypoints) on the GPS files.

Route:
It is HIGHLY recommended that you bring, and know how to use, a GPS for this race. The Legends of Superior section has lots of areas where it is easy to miss the trail and get off course. Using a GPS and paying attention are the best ways to stay on course and not get lost. GPS files for all three courses can be obtained at the links below.
PPP_C_route
PPP_B_route(punisher)
PPP_A_route(pulverizer)

Kentucky Camp – Arizona Endurance Series

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When:
October 24, 2026 at 9:00 am (9:15 start time for those doing the short course)

Where:
Kentucky Camp, 40 miles south of Tucson. Google maps link here.

What:
There are two options for this race, (1) a 29-mile lollipop or (2) a 46-mile figure 8. There will be camping available and a post-race party in the area for those that would like to grill. This year, we are doing the Kentucky Camp as a charity event for the Arizona Trail Association. If you want to ride and are not a member, please become a member here: https://aztrail.org/get-involved/join/ 

GPX files and maps:

Kentucky_camp_long_route

Kentucky_camp_short_route

For help uploading the GPX files to your GPS see: http://topofusion.com/tutorials/uploading-tracks.php

Using a GPS is highly recommended!

THE SPIRIT WORLD 100

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Dear gravel riders, soul surfers & anyone who uses the bike to escape time… 

We are Heidi Rentz & Zander Ault

We’re co-creators, gravel cyclists, chefs & party animals. We’re so freaking excited to see you in Patagonia, Arizona for a gravel road race that has inspired every aspect of our lives.  

The Spirit World 100 is a down home gravel road expedition that has been in creation for 4 years. We’ve been exploring the outer reaches of our abilities to be spirited entrepreneurs in an attempt to bring something from another universe to the event scene. Our main goal is to connect more people through our contagious love for riding bikes, cooking and throwing a mean party. Now, we just need all you special humans to bring your creative and powerful energy to the desert southwest.  

The Spirit World 100 and 50-mile course options are 2 of our most coveted and adored gravel routes in southern Arizona. Each course option is a reflection of the thousands of hours we’ve spent soaring through the San Rafael Valley since 2015. In order to showcase one of the Nations best remote and purely quiet destinations, we have partnered with the Town of Patagonia to invite riders and their families to the high desert. Obsessed with the landscape of the borderlands region, we’ve studied the maps of this area and are working closely with regional government, land management and private entities to make this place more accessible for the entire gravel cycling community. We want to help redefine the future of outdoor recreational tourism in the greater Tucson and borderlands region of The Copper State and The Spirit World 100 will be a key player in this mission.   

If we said this wasn’t a race, we’d just sound ridiculous. Any time you place 100’s of riders on the start line, it’s a race! This race is a place to find the answer to why challenging ourselves in unfamiliar conditions is so sought after. We’re only human and we were put on this earth to move, sweat, be affected and feel the power of confidence that our raw and natural surroundings can instill. The Spirit World 100 is a celebration of exactly what you’re searching for every time you jump on your bike. You’re welcomed in, wholeheartedly. 

Tucson, Arizona is our home. When we aren’t there, we’re hosting private gravel and road cycling camps around the globe. For sometime now, we’ve wanted to create an event that everybody felt comfortable committing to. Cycling camps aren’t for everybody. They may never meet your personal schedule or provide enough of what you’re looking for in a vacation. The Spirit World 100 has been designed to deliver fun, challenge and growth oriented human interaction over the course of 4 days. We couldn’t be more excited to show you Patagonia, Arizona and the San Rafael Valley. See you in The Spirit World!

Teeth to the wind,