West Coast Self Supported Bicycle Touring Group

We'll be riding a loop around southern Arizona through the Sonoran desert areas and parts of the Coronado National Forest. (just the southern portion-- the Canelo Hills and Santa Rita and Patagonia Mt. areas- see bottom of map in that article.) We’ll start from the Tucson Amtrak Station and use the town of Patagonia as the midpoint for our loop. There are a number of gravel roads around the town of Patagonia, which makes it a gravel biker mecca for the area-- a good place to ride and camp in. We will head east from the Tucson Amtrak Station and return to the station from the west. See the route description below. We'll take 6 days for the entire loop.
A gravel bike, mountain bike, or all-terrain bike is required, perferably with 2-inch tires or higher.

(While our ride is not based on the Sky Islands Odyssey Loop, you can view their photos for an idea of our loop and its terrain. We are in the same vicinity with similar roads and terrain, and do actually follow part of that loop.)
(The Ruta Del Jefe race also covers similar terrain. There's a YouTube video of the philosophical thoughts about the area. You can see the terrain here also.)

THE ROUTE ITINERARY (See Route).

• Day 1: Outside Vail, AZ. 32 Miles. We will bike from the Tucson Amtrak train station through Tucson to Vail, AZ, using bike paths and small roads. In Vail, we will stop to purchase groceries for the next 2 days (or so) and perhaps catch an early dinner at a restaurant. Then we will head out of Vail, and wild camp somewhere outside of town (location TBD-- perhaps by the Arizona Trail interseection).
• Day 2: Road Canyon Campground. 30 miles. We will do a little bit of climbing and enter the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area (BLM Land). We will stop at the Empire Ranch Foundation, which oversees the land for BLM. We can get water there. We can also visit a rare groundhog preservation area on the land. Then we'll head for a wild camping area labelled Rock Canyon Campground. The area has no water, as it is wild camping, so we need to make sure we have water for the day.
• Day 3: Wild Camp in Coronado National Forest, Canelo Hills - 33 miles. We will bike through the town of Sonoita, where we can pick up refreshments and lunch, and refill with water. There are also a couple of convenience stores to pick up basic supplies for the coming day. Then we will bike through the hills of the Coronado National Forest and find a suitable spot to camp in the wild for the night, somewhere north of the San Rafael Conservation Area.
• Day 4: Wild camp around Adobe ruins, Santa Rita Mts- 33 miles. We will bike through various gravel roads in the Coronado National Forest (Patagonia Mountains section). Halfway through, we'll come to the town of Patagonia, where we'll stop for re-supply, including water, and have a good lunch at one of their restaurants. Then we'll climb back into the Coronado National Forest again (Santa Rita Mountains section). We'll camp somewhere near the Adobe ruins.
• Day 5: Green Valley, AZ. 36 miles. After packing up in the morning, we'll continue on the gravel road and ultimately descend into the retirement town of Green Valley. In the town, we’ll stay in a rented house (no camp options). This allows us to freshen and clean up after our ride and get ready to go back into the city. Maybe we'll all hit a restaurant in the evening to celebrate the (near) end of the ride.
• Day 6. Back to Amtrak Station. 33 miles. We will ride through the San Xavier Reservation Land (Tohono O'odham Nation) and then catch part of the Tucson Circle Bike Trail, before getting into the city and arriving at the Amtrak Station. (For those taking the train, the Amtrak train arrives at the Tucson station at 7:15 pm. We will arrive back in Los Angeles the next day.)

PACKING CONSIDERATIONS

• RAIN GEAR. Although May is historically the month with the least amount of rainfall (which is why we are going on this month), you should still be prepared for localized rain. It’s desert weather, after all. Days are often warm, and the evenings can be cold. (average mid 80s/mid 40s). Pack accordingly.
• WATER SUPPLY. There may be a couple of days between water supplies, so bring bladders or bottles to hold at least 2 days of water. (I'll have my usual 2 water bottles, plus an extra 3-liter water bladder when needed.)
• BATTERIES. There are five days/4 nights out wild camping, with no ability to recharge. Make sure you have enough battery power to charge your bike computer, phone, etc. for this length of time.
• PASSPORT OR US ID?-- The southern area of our route is patrolled by Border Patrol. Be sure to have relevant ID if concerned.

COST: $50 House Rent--Green Valley (your share of 1-night house rental)

• add $108 if using Amtrak, roundtrip from Los Angeles
• you'll need to plan for your own meals and supplies. We may eat out 3-4 times, above your own camp meals and ride snacks.

MEETING POINT
We will meet at the Tucson Amtrak Station at 9:00 AM on Saturday May 24, and depart from there when ready. Get there in whatever manner you choose.

Using Amtrak (optional- for those coming from So. Cal.)
Although the official starting point for the ride is the Tucson Amtrak Station, those in the southern California region may consider taking the Amtrak from the Los Angeles Union Station. I have found Amtrak to be useful (it will be my mode of travel to Tucson). If interested in using Amtrak, here are the details:

You will need to catch the Amtrak train from LA Union Station a day before the official bike depart from the Tucson Amtrak Station, i.e. Friday May 23. The train leaves from LA Union Station at 10 pm Friday. The train is scheduled to arrive in Tucson at 7:40 am, but I have never found the train to be on time. (On my last trip, the train arrived in Tucson at 11 am). The cost is $41 and up each way (variable-- like airline tickets), plus an additional $20 for the bike. You can book your reservation online. When you're ready, book as early as you can to make sure your bike gets on.
At the station, you will first have to go to the baggage area in Union Station, show them your reservation, and they will give you a tag to put on the bike (like a luggage tag you tie to your suitcase). At the train, you have to unload your bicycle and hand the unladen bike to the baggage car. You do not need to box the bike; it can be intact, but just unloaded. What I have previously done is bring a foldable duffel bag and put everything (all panniers, bike accessories, etc.) into that single duffel bag and carry it with me onto the train. Upon arrival at the destination, I unpack everything from the duffel bag and load it onto the bike. I fold the duffel bag and stuff it in one of the panniers.

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Disclaimer: This bike-touring/camping group ride is a meeting of like-minded people gathering for a time of fun and social interaction. No organizational responsibility is implied in the creation of this ride. Upon registering for this event, you acknowledge that participation in the event is done out of your own risk and you accept responsibility for your own safety.

ROUTE-- FIRST DAY. Starting in Carpinteria, we will head to Santa Barbara, where we will have lunch at the Santa Barbara Public Market, which has outside seating where we can watch our bikes. You can also bring your own lunch and eat there with us, if you wish. From there we will head to Goleta (Isla Vista), where we will stop by some markets for anyone to buy their food supplies for the weekend. (We can park our bikes in one place and there are 4 small neighborhood markets in that general area-- Isla Vista Deli Market, Isla Vista Market, Isla Vista Food Cooperative, and International Food Market. Go wherever you want.) Afterwards, we will do a brief 1.5-mile gravel stint through the Ellwood Mesa Bluffs. Gravel bikes will feel at home, but those with road bike tires can still manage, albeit it may be briefly uncomfortable. From there we jump on the Highway 101 for 9 miles; don't worry, there is a very wide curb where bicycles can ride quite safely. At the end, we arrive at Refugio State Beach where we will settle for the night in the Hike & Bike site. The camp fee is $10, which you pay at the gate upon entering the State Park.

RETURN ROUTE: The next day, we will return by a slightly different way. We will stop in Goleta for lunch at the original Habit Burger. Then we will go through Santa Barbara, and ride through the roads that we rode on the day before, ending at the Carpinteria Amtrak Station. We should return to Carpinteria no later than 4 PM. For those taking the train, there is a 4:57 Amtrak train.

MEETING POINT: We will meet at the Carpinteria Amtrak parking lot at 10:00 AM and depart when we're ready. If you are considering taking Amtrak, there is a train that arrives at 9:40 AM. Those driving can park overnight in the parking lot.

EXTRACURRICULAR: For those wanting to extend their camping experience (or to arrive in Carpinteria at a more conducive time), you could always camp at the Carpinteria State Beach hike-and-bike campsite on Friday or Sunday as well. The campsite is located next to the Carpinteria Amtrak Station. There are also nice restaurants to enjoy nearby.

OPTIONAL DONATION: This event is free (although you are responsible to pay for your $10 camp fee and all your food.) However, an optional $5 donation to this group would be helpful to help maintain our Meetup account.

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Disclaimer: This bike-touring/camping group ride is a meeting of like-minded people gathering for a time of fun and social interaction. No organizational responsibility is implied in the creation of this ride. Upon registering for this event, you acknowledge that participation in the event is done out of your own risk and you accept responsibility for your own safety.