Tucson, Arizona - MTB tour through cactus country
If there is one plant that symbolises my life, it is a cactus. My father was a cactus collector. I spent many afternoons as a child in the greenhouses of the cactus club. As a child of the East, a cactus was more than just a prickly plant. It was a symbol of freedom. America. Cowboys. Endless expanses. Arizona. This always resonated somehow when my father brought home a new cactus and lovingly draped it on the living room windowsill while my mother rolled her eyes. His lifelong dream was to see cacti in the wild. Unfortunately, it never materialised. When my father died last year, I had a small cactus tattooed on my arm as a memento. And now this! I'm biking among real cacti. In Tucson, Arizona.
In the long, cold winter months, the longing for biking grows. The places of longing can be found on the internet. So one evening, while aimlessly surfing around, I came across the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. The race is one of the oldest and most legendary 24-hour races in the world. I'd heard about it before. The pictures I clicked through really captivated me. Marathon freaks cranking through a rough, endless cactus landscape. A backdrop straight out of a John Wayne western. The fact that the race was taking place in February and that I wouldn't be anywhere near in shape for a 24-hour race by then made it all the more interesting for me. I signed up.
Monday, the day after the Old Pueblo: The race was great. What an impressive landscape! Although my legs are dead as a doornail from the 270 kilometres and 4000 metres of elevation gain, I want to make the most of every minute of my stay. Above all, I want to see the gigantic saguaro cacti, which are the symbol of Arizona and one of which adorns my arm as a tattoo.
I have an appointment with Juan from Homegrown Mountain Bike Tours. There are three large singletrack networks around the city of Tucson alone, near where the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo takes place. Juan stops the pickup on a ridge that towers like a dividing wall between Tucson and a huge group of rocks. The car park is the starting point for various trail loops. There are other bikers scurrying around next to us. It seems to be a popular spot.
"We can ride a relaxed loop, or up into the mountains. There are jumps and technical uphill sections. We can set off first and decide on the way," says Juan and starts cranking.
The trails of Tucson - by bikers for bikers
The trail is perfectly modelled. Not too flat. Not too steep. Not too tame. Not too rough. Built by bikers for bikers. Good to ride with a hardtail and also with an enduro bike. Because every few metres there are nice little kickers that invite you to jump, but they are positioned in such a way that less technically experienced riders can circle around them without feeling stressed.
Why is there no such thing in Germany? The question keeps rattling around in my head. Trails close to the city where you can spontaneously go for a ride after work. A real shame.
Juan knows the trail. He elegantly takes every jump, while I am fully occupied with maintaining the normal racing line. It's almost like being in a Video game. I'm still feeling my way from level 1 towards level 2. Juan, the local, is travelling at high score level. The way he drives is really impressive. But unlike him, my eyes are constantly glued to the landscape. It's crazy, these cacti.
Juan stops in front of an impressive specimen. It is as big as a tree, around 10 to 12 metres high. Several spiky arms stretch up into the air from the mighty trunk. A sign that this saguaro cactus is very, very old. "The first arm only develops after fifty to seventy years. It takes several hundred years before the arms are that big and numerous," explains Juan.
Compared to other cacti, the saguaros are peaceful sculptures standing in the neighbourhood. The cholla cacti, on the other hand, are really mean, plants that are hip to man-high and look like fluffy bushes. But watch out! If you get too close to them, they will attack you with steel-hard, centimetre-long spines with barbs in them. What actually happened to me during the 24-hour race. I had to prise the cholla segment that had pierced my thigh out of my leg with a piece of wood.
Here, on the loop with Juan, there are fortunately only a few cholla cacti. But there are other challenges. For example, surprisingly steep, technically demanding uphill sections. No problem for Juan, who masters them with a mixture of hard pedalling, skilful weight shifting and trial moves. I, the marathon specialist who is used to steep climbs, have to get off my bike and push several times. But the alternation of key sections and flow sections is fun. The views are always the best possible: peaks, undeveloped expanses and monumentally large super cacti. My father would have been thrilled.
Perfect touring experience in Arizona
It's the perfect touring experience. Panorama, riding fun, sweat, it's all there. The weather is also merciful. Not too hot, not too cold. Temperatures in Arizona can fluctuate greatly. The climate here is typically desert. Even if it's cosy and warm during the day, it can be frosty at night, just like a German winter.
"Between September and May, the temperatures are perfect. In summer, however, it is so hot that biking is not possible. Even if you try. You can't stand the sweltering heat," says Juan.
After almost four hours, we reach the car park again. That was marvellous. Juan rummages in the cool box and hands me a finisher beer. An India Pale Ale from a local brewery, as Juan explains. It's called Victory or Death. Super! There's nothing more to say. Toast.
Info Tucson, Arizona, USA
Arrival
The journey from Germany is possible from all major airports and takes 14 to 16 hours, depending on the connection. You usually have to change planes once. Bike transport is easy with United Airlines and costs around 100 euros each way.
The city of Tucson
Tucson is known from many western films and is one of the oldest cities in the USA. Around 1 million people live in the city. However, as the city has grown a lot, the small, cosy centre almost has the charm of a small town. There are many cafés, pubs and shops. The accommodation options are numerous and range from simple motels to fully equipped resorts such as the Omni Tucson National Resort.
Places of interest
Due to the impressive landscape that surrounds Tucson, outdoor enthusiasts naturally focus on activities in the mountains or in the Sonoran Desert. However, other worthwhile destinations include the western film town of Old Tucson, the art museum and the observatory. The Saguaro National Park offers scenic highlights including great hiking routes. The famous Grand Canyon is around 10 hours' drive from Tucson.
Biking
There are three large single trail networks around Tucson. You simply park at the start and ride off. All the loops are perfectly signposted. The difficulty ranges from flow to enduro. If you want a customised experience or need a rental MTB, you should contact Homegrown MTB. The guiding specialists organise individually tailored rides and will pick you up at the hotel on request.
24-hour race
The legendary 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo takes place in mid-February about an hour's drive from Tucson in the Sonoran Desert. The starting places are highly coveted and always sell out quickly.
