2026 North Valley 400km Brevet Pre-Ride Report

October 27, 2026

Pre-ride Report

Arizona Brevet Week is coming up in a couple of weeks and here is my pre-ride report for the North Valley 400!

I stopped here to take a photo of the sand in the corner, as a possible hazard, then proceeded to made a wrong turn. I didn't think the route headed east so I stopped at a street light about a half a mile up the road to check the cue sheet. I realized I loaded the wrong route into my Garmin (the Desert Loop 400 NV) instead of the correct one (North Valley 400k). They both start out the same but diverge here. Luckily it only cost me about a mile to turn around and rejoin the route!

Actually there was lots of sand throughout the course due to the heavy rains we had (are continuing to have) this fall. Bring raingear and use caution in the bike lanes, especially after dark, where much of the sand remains!

Nice sunrise nearing Anthem at the beginning of the route.

The cue sheet is clear, but I didn't think that tiny opening in the fence was the one we were supposed to ride through! So I turned right and made my second route error of the day! Since there was no other openings I figured that must have been it!

Ride through this opening into the gravel and bear right for a very short dirt section to stay on the route.

Happy Valley Road has a several mile long construction project staring at 39th Ave. 

 Reduced to one lane with no lane lines, but the lane was wide enough to ride comfortably.

Follow the cue sheet exactly and you won't miss the entrance to the bike path.

I rode 25mm tires on my old brevet machine and wished I had wider ones to smooth out the 'thump-thumps' on the New River Bike Trail. Still much nicer that riding on the street, and with 10+ miles of urban riding with no traffic interruptions, yes please!

Another construction project, this one on Lake Pleasant Parkway starting at Loop 303. 

I could ride inside the barriers most of the way, but had to share the lane near the end. Traffic was light and not a problem.

For once, light winds on New River Road.

In Cave Creek, this looked like a classic Route 66 Diner, but it has closed and moved up the street to a larger tourist emporium. I was short of time and didn't stop at either!

Example of more sand covering the shoulder/bike lane. This one on McDowell Mountain Road. Bush Highway and Usery Pass Roads had even more (for me it was dark) so stay alert!

The Verde River full, and the desert was very lush for this time of year!

Sunset on Bush Highway with the Superstition Mountain Wilderness in the distance.

Construction at McDowell and Longmore Roads.

The signage said no left turn onto Longmore, which is on the route.

I rode through, it was only a couple hundred meters, and past these barricades the road reopened. It was nearly midnight when I rolled through.

On the Pima Bike Lane most of the intersections are under construction and signs note 'sidewalk closed' I rolled through them with no issues, then hit this last one at Chaparral Road. I rolled through carefully.

This sign indicated the construction zone was complete. Other than the hole to the left, there were no real obstructions. But be careful at the intersections, the curb indentations are hard to see crossing the streets. Most of the intersections on this section of Pima road are under construction, and the traffic paint had not been applied.

Mike selected a nice direct route to the finish and rolled in just before 1am, nearly 20 hours to get this one done!

Still time to sign up at AZRandos.com, come join us.

Steve Atkins