25ish Mile Gravel Route

Solo Junior: Female, Male

Solo 18+: Female, Male

Solo 40+: Female, Male

Solo 50+: Female, Male

Solo 60+: Female, Male

Single Speed: Female, Male

45ish Mile Gravel Route

Solo Junior: Female, Male

Solo 18+: Female, Male

Solo 40+: Female, Male

Solo 50+: Female, Male

Solo 60+: Female, Male

Single Speed: Female, Male

80ish Mile Gravel Route

Solo Junior: Female, Male

Solo 18+: Female, Male

Solo 40+: Female, Male

Solo 50+: Female, Male

Solo 60+: Female, Male

Single Speed: Female, Male

*Zia Rides reserves the right to combine categories if less than three register for a category. 

Dates and Deadlines

• Registration Opens: March 1
• Registration Closes: September 11

Price Deadlines:

• Register by April 30: 
• Register by June 30
• Register by August 31
• Register by September 11

Discounts

• Juniors (under 18): Half price at checkout
• Full-Time College Students: Half price at checkout (email Seth at elcapitan@ziarides.com for the promo code)

Category Prizes

Prizes will be awarded to the top three in each category. We always try to do something cool and custom for each event

Fun Prizes

We realize that fast and riders are not the only people that make our events awesome. Sometimes we recognize other folks, so stick around for awards. We don't recognize all of these things every year, but folks have received prizes for things like the following:

• Congeniality Award: Awarded to the most courteous rider on the course
• Most Fun Rider Award: Awarded to the rider with the most spirit (Anders is not eligible to compete!)
• Endo Award: Awarded to the rider with the worst luck
• Best Costume Award: Awarded to the rider who completes at least one lap in their goofy getup
• Best Classic Bike Award: Awarded to the rider who completes at least one lap on a vintage bike
• Best Mustache Award: Awarded to the rider with the best facial hair
• Best Hype Man/Women Award: Awarded to the most enthusiastic supporter
• Best Volunteer Award: Awarded to your favorite Zia Rides volunteer
• Best Camp Award: Awarded to the camp with the best decorated tent
• Best Family Award: Awarded to one of the awesome families at our race
• Oldest Rider Award: Awarded to the oldest rider
• Youngest Rider Award: Awarded to the youngest rider
• Furthest Traveled Award: Awarded to the rider who travels the longest way to be here

Volunteer

We always need volunteers! In return for your time we promise our undying gratitude. But, you also can count on the following benefits:

• Early access to the venue for primo camping
• Awesome swag from our sponsors
• A damn good time

Please visit the link below from SignUp to see what volunteer opportunities are available.

Sign Up to Volunteer

The Venue

The event is hosted at Wilderness Ranch. To check out the venue, visit: Wilderness Ranch

Directions

Google Maps

Camping Fees - funds go to Wilderness Ranch

• Cars and trucks: $5
• Small RVs and Trailers: $10
• Large RVs and Trailers: $20
• Powered Spots: $40
• Will be collected at packet pickup

Camping

Camping is allowed at the staging area. Camping opens Friday at 12PM and closes Monday at 12PM. You can’t show up early, and you can’t stay late! Want to show up early and get a good spot, then we suggest that you volunteer. All camping is FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. Your fees will be collected at packet pickup.

Ammenities

There is potable water onsite, but you should plan to fill up your rigs ahead of time. You will NOT be able to fill tanks. Please plan accordingly. 

Zia Rides will provide dumpsters. There are bathrooms onsite, and Zia Rides will provide additional portable toilets.

Parking

We will not allow RVs to park horizontally across multiple parking spaces. If you can’t park your RV vertically into a spot, we do ask that you leave it at home and find alternate accomodations. 

Hotels

There are numerous hotels to choose from in Pinetop-Lakeside and Show Low.

Pets

We love pets and welcome them at our events! If you bring your pups, please keep them on a leash or under control in your area.

Food Trucks

• Black Beard's Galley: a delicious taco truck with Caribbean flare
• Bear Beans Coffee: yummy coffee and pastry's to launch your morning the right way

Support

• Show Low Ford: Will have cars onsite and will be doing the neutral roll out.
• Hammer Nutrition: will be in all packets and at aid stations
• Squirt Cycling: we will have squirt samples in your packets and a bottle at each aid station to keep the drivetrains spinning smoothly
• Cyclemania: our season sponsor will be open in Show Low to help with any last minute repairs and bike needs. Go see them!
• Buffalo Nickel Brewery: supporting racers with some post race beverages to wash down the tacos
• Outdoor EMS: Emergency medical team patrolling course and looking after folks
• RE:center: the non-profit beneficiary of this race will be helping staff and supply all of the aid stations
• TRACKS: local trail organization providing course marshalls
• Arizona Rangers: law enforcement auxilary providing traffic control to keep you safe

Bike Friendly Restaurants

• Pitalian: great pizza and pasta
• The House: great hangout spot with good food and live music
• Buffalo Nickel Brewery: new brewery in town for delcious pints and food

Rules

1. Be nice to your camp neighbors and fellow riders.
2. No Littering: Please treat the area and trails with respect. Any racer found intentionally littering will be disqualified.
3. Helmets: Required when on the bicycle at anytime, whether racing or not.
4. Race Plates: Athlete “Race Plates” MUST be affixed to the front of the handlebars, and preferably in
   front of any brake or shifting cables. Athlete “Race Plates” MUST NOT be bent, folded, wrapped around the head tube, or in any other position than flat against the handle bars. Improper attachment of the race plate will cause timing chips not to register and may be cause for disqualification. Also, your race plate number is how we visually
   confirm who you are out on the course or in the start/finish area. If we can’t read yournumber, it makes it harder to handle racer concerns that may come up during theevent.
5. Road and Traffic: Athletes are responsible for themselves throughout the duration of the event. This includes:  

• Navigation of the course. While we will mark significant turns on the course, markings can be altered by weather or non-event related people.
• We have navigation resources for you on our website which includes GPS files and maps.
• Riders must be prepared to stop if necessary at all stop signs and road crossings before continuing along the route.
•  Roads and trails are open to the public, and athletes are expected to follow the applicable laws and regulations in addition to using common sense and general courtesy.

1. Race Calling: Generally speaking, in the case of catastrophic failure due to weather or another extenuating circumstance that prevents the ongoing scoring of the event or creates a
   racing environment that is deemed too dangerous for the participants, the race may be called as of a certain time. Final results will be calculated in one of two ways: 

• The race will be considered over at the point it was called and the results will be
  taken from the last completed lap. This will be the anticipated method in the event
  racers needed to be evacuated off course instead of completing their laps.
• Or, The riders will be allowed to finish their current lap after the point the race is called and those results will be taken as final.

1. Race Suspension: In the case that the race is stopped and restarted once the hazard has abated, the combined results of both parts of the race will be used. The race clock (which is based on the actual time of day) will continue without pause during the race suspension. Once the race is restarted, racers who are ready to start a new lap will be free to reenter the course. The time for laps completed prior to the restart will be taken at the time of actual lap completion. This may result in racers who had been running ahead losing some time advantage due to the closure period. While potentially unfortunate in some cases, this is the most straightforward and workable way to account for the race pause. The primary concern is working to maintain the athletes’ safety in the face of hazardous conditions.
2. Ear Buds: Headphones, earbuds, speakers, and other audio devices are highly discouraged. Part of the point of this is to be out in nature taking in the sights AND sounds. If you must wear headphones you may do so in ONE EAR ONLY.  For your safety and the safety of others we ask that you be mindful of your volume and surroundings and ask that you keep the volume low enough that you can hear others. The ability to communicate with each other and other people on the trails is a safety imperative.
   
3. Course Food/Water Support: any person may supply a racer on the course with food and water.
4. Course Mechanical Support: racers may receive mechanical assistance on the course. A rider providing assistance to another rider must have entered the course under their own power, either on foot or on a bicycle, not by motorized vehicle. Any rider who has entered the course in support of another may bring equipment and tools and may even swap bikes with the rider in need of support. The cannibalizing of bikes is permitted.
5. Passing Etiquette:  Follow rules #1 and #13. For those that need it spelled out: (A) Racers riding bicycles have the right of way over racers pushing bicycles. When practical, racers pushing should stay on the least rideable portion of the path when being passed. A racer pushing or carrying his bicycle can overtake a racer riding his bicycle provided he does not interfere with the rider’s progress. (B) Slower riders should yield to overtaking riders. Riders should clearly voice the command “On your left, I’d like to pass,” etc, when overtaking another rider. (C) Riders being passed must move over as quickly, efficiently and as safely as possible. (D) It is the responsibility of the passing rider to overtake safely. But that doesn't give the slow rider permission to violation rules #1 and #13. (E) In the event two riders are vying for position, the leading rider does not have to yield his position to the challenging rider. However, a rider may not bodily interfere with the intent to impede another rider’s progress. 
6. Course Cutting: any attempt to cut the course will result in immediate disqualification of that racer’s entire team.
7. Bad Attitudes: if there are two or more complaints about unsportsmanlike behavior, the racer and his or her team will be disqualified from the race, asked to leave the venue, and will not be welcome at future events. We will also talk smack about you. Refer to rules #1 and #13.
8. Penalties: all penalties are determined on a case-by case basis by the Race Director.
9. Assholes will be disqualified.
10. Act of God: In the case of catastrophic failure due to weather or another extenuating circumstance that prevents the ongoing scoring of the event or creates a racing environment that is deemed too dangerous for the participants, the race may be called as of a certain time, or postponed and restarted, or any other way we damn well please.
11. Protests and Changes: must be made during the 15 minute protest period immediately after the race. After that, the results are final. 

1b. Have fun!

Results

• 2024 results

Thanks to Cyclemania for preparing these FAQs to answer some of your questions:

What are the courses like? 

• Refer to course maps on the event website: https://ziarides.com/the-pinewood-showdown/
• 20+ mile course: Expect smooth and fast tracks, somepavement, some mild to moderate forest road gravelconditions. 1000+ elevation gain
• 40+ mile course:Starts off smooth to mild, some pavement, transitioning to mild to moderate forest roads, some moderate rough conditions. 2000+ elevation gain
• 80+ mile course:First section, smooth fast pavement and moderate forest roads. Transition to rougher forest roads with some steep climbs and rough downhills, be prepared to moderate speed on rough downhills. 6500+ elevation gain.

How should I set-up my Bike?

• Chains: Recommend cleaned and waxed chains because soils in the area are of a high crystalline content and can be aggressive on drivetrains. For the 40- and 80- mile courses, recommend taking a small bottle of chain wax to refresh chains between 20 and 30 miles. Squirt Cycling samples will be in every packet!
• Tires: Good quality gravel tires recommended, the wider the better, local gravel riders run 45mm tires, some with inserts to protect rims. Tire pressures vary depending on rider weight, rider preference and presence of liners. 28-40 PSI depending on rider weight.

What should I bring for food and water?

• Water: Recommended to carry sufficient water and electrolytes. Aid stations available to replenish water and electrolyte drinks. Do not drink from local streams.
• Nutrition: Plan to burn a minimum of 500 calories on the 20, 1000 on the 40 and 2-3000 on the 80.
• If you have unique nutriotional needs, be sure that those needs are met while riding.
• Aid stations will be supplied with Hammer Nutrition including HEED, FIZZ, and GELS.
• In addition, volunteers from Re:Center, the local event beneficiary, have secured drink donations from Coke and Pepsi and will have fruit, protein/nutrition bars, and other quick snacks at the aid stations.

Can we have support during the race?

• Water/nutrition support from non-competitors is allowed anywhere on course.
• Aid drops will not be provided.

Will there be sweeps and /or emergency help?

• There will be rider sweeps for the 20 and 40-mile races.
• There will be an ATV sweep for the 80-mile race.

Will it rain?

• Plan for potential rain conditions and pack a rain jacket.
• Hopefully you won't need it but better to be prepared.

Where can we use the restroom?

• There will be porta-potties on the course at the aid stations.
• If you absolutely need to use the forest, please bury toilet paper well off the course.

Is there cell phone coverage?

• There is decent coverage for the 20 and 40-mile races.
• There are sections of limited or no coverage on the 80-mile course.

What are some high elevation considerations?

• Sunscreen or UV-resistant clothing /arm covers recommended. It is easy to burn at this elevation.
• It will be cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon. Be prepared.