Mingus Mountain 200km Brevet

Ride Report
May 16, 2015

Scenic Overlook on Mingus Mountain above Jerome

The brevet schedule in Arizona starts while most of our friends in the North and East are still in winter hibernation! Or course we start early because of the great winter weather in the Southwestern Desert, but also because we need to get the series done before the onset of triple digit temperatures!

This year, John Ingold established the Northern Arizona Randonneurs and has put together a great selection of Northern Arizona Brevets for a full ACP Super Randonneur series in May, June and July! First up; The Mingus Mountain 200km Brevet.

Eight riders lined up at the 0600 start at the Basha's parking lot in West Sedona, Arizona. The Cliff Castle Casino Hotel north of Camp Verde was only 30 minutes away from the start, so that would be the Friday night bivouac location. Clean, cheap, but with paper thin walls, it was fine until the drunk rush rolled in about 0300! Happily, the neighbors passed out quickly and the next sound was the alarm at 0500! 

John Ingold pre-rode the course earlier in the week and was the trail boss for today. Eight riders pulled on the rain gear and rolled out for the first running of a wet Mingus Mountain 200. This also was John's first brevet as an official Regional Brevet Administrator (RBA) and he did a great job!

The group quickly split and I found myself with 3 Bullshifters (Mike Sturgill, Lee Wilkening, and Brian McGuire) rolling along the generally downhill route to the first informational control in Cornville Arizona. John was waiting at the the control and checked us through. Even in the rain, it was easy to hold a 20+ mph pace. This brevet covered a route that I had never cycled before, and it was an outstanding course with good road surfaces and tremendous views!

Mike, Lee, and Brian in Cottonwood

Temperatures were cool, and the rain eased to a steady drizzle. John's route rolled through a residential section of Clarkdale, and provided a nice low traffic route to the base of the climb up Mingus Mountain.

Deb's sister and brother were born in Clarkdale!

We stopped at the base of the climb to strip off a layer and get ready for the climb. The rain had stopped, but the cloud ceiling was so low (about 4000 feet) that we would soon be climbing in the clouds! Our group split apart quickly with Mike and Lee disappearing into the mist and Brian and I settling into our own pace.

About halfway up the climb, the route enters the 'Ghost Town' of Jerome Arizona. Once a thriving mining community, it has transitioned to an eclectic combination of ghost town, counter culture pot mecca, Arizona Mining History, and Western chic and not so chic art galleries and antique stores. We rolled through early in the morning, after the spirits had called it a night, but before the mortals had hit the streets.

Enjoying the views and not really paying attention to the route, my Garmin suggested a wrong turn at the edge of town, after checking the route sheet, it was back on course, climbing the steep streets/switchbacks of Downtown Jerome.

John set up a staffed control at the scenic overlook just above Jerome. Now well into the clouds, the visibility was only a few hundred meters! Mike and Lee rolled out just as I rolled in.

John Ingold Northern Arizona RBA

John was at the ready with a full selection of snacks and drinks served with a smile at the Jerome checkpoint. I reloaded my bottles, visited with John, and rolled out as Brian rolled in!

The 'scenic' view of the clouds

As the climb continued the weather started to clear and snow was visible on the ridge line above the road cuts. Traffic was light and the road surface excellent. Combined with the cool weather it was perfect conditions for a long climb (about 15 miles).

The 'Summit' at 7000+ feet

Traces of Snow on the Ridge

With the rain jacket back on to ward off the wind chill on the decent, the route heads down toward Prescott Valley and the turn around control in Dewey Arizona. With partly cloudy skies, and air crystal clear from the previous rain, visibility was practically unlimited! The route gives up about 2/3rds the climbing, and it is a long descent to the Dewey control.

Mike and Lee were heading out as I pulled into the Maverick store to get supplies and a receipt. After a quick call to Deb to update her on the progress of the ride, I was back on the climb of the back side of Mingus Mountain.

Easier to take pictures on the uphill!

The climb is somewhat shorter, and soon John came into view at the summit with his fully stocked brevet-mobile. I was able to reload again, put my jacket back on and prepare for the long decent through Jerome to the Verde Valley.

The Scenic View above Jerome

Not a required stop, but wanting an 'after photo,' I made a quick stop at the Scenic View above Jerome, quite a difference. John warned us about the traffic we would encounter in Jerome, and he was right. Volunteers were controlling one-way traffic sections and numbers of oblivious tourists would step off the sidewalk right into the street not hearing a cyclist approaching! 

Outside of town the E ticket ride continued to Clarkdale. After the long descent the route rolls through Cornville and approaches Sedona from the south. After a short rough patch, the road improves with a full bike lane.

Clouds on the Horizon

As a fitting end to the ride, a large rain cell appeared, and the last 9 miles were in the rain.The bike path was especially appreciated as an easy way to pass the heavy tourist traffic backed up on the highway!

The Road to Sedona

Reaching the Vortex of this tourist town, the route headed west to the Basha's where it all began, leaving the tourist traffic and rain behind! John was waiting at the stop to check me in and collect my brevet card and receipts.

This was a fantastic 200km brevet, and it could not have been better supported, bravo John! This was not a fast 200, with 9500+ feet of climbing, I was very happy to have it in the bag at 9 hours and 15 minutes, but even happier to have spent the day on such an outstanding route!

Thanks again John, looking forward to the next brevet on the Northern Arizona Series; the Grand Canyon 600!

Steve Atkins

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