An Incentive to Register for the Tour

They say that incentive drives behavior, and if you've been considering the Show Low Bluff Tour of the White Mountains and haven't registered yet, here's an incentive - if you don't register by September 8, a $10 processing fee will be added to the cost of registration. So if you're allergic to paying processing fees and want to ride with friends and family on some of the most pristine and buffed out singletrack in all of Arizona, save money by registering online or by snail mail today!

Official Tour Poster by Cirrus Visual Communication Unveiled

Looking to add a little camo color to your bike room, workshop or - if your better-half allows - living room? Then peep the official Tour of the White Mountains poster designed by our good friends at Cirrus Visual Communication. Cirrus has been the longest standing sponsor of Epic Rides, going all the way back to 2001. Not only is Cirrus one of the leading digital and print design firms in Arizona, but also they're avid mountain bikers just like us. Get the 411 on their Business Builder Bike Ride, and make your next trip to the trailhead good for both business & pleasure.

Every Tour registrant will get this decisively cool camouflage-themed poster, destined to become an instant collectible, especially with those who have a soft spot for GI Joe and M*A*S*H.

Tour is an Official Whiskey Off-Road Grid Grabber

Epic Rides exists to make sure everyone has a smile on their face when riding their bike, no matter how oxygen deprived they may be. Because nobody wants the trail to be more crammed than a Japanese train station during rush hour, we're taking steps to eliminate the bottleneck issue at the first singletrack that has existed in previous editions of the Whiskey Off-Road.

One of the first solutions is to make the Tour of the White Mountains an official grid grabber for the 2013 Whiskey Off-Road. Finish within an hour of the fastest time, and you will grab yourself a reserved spot near the front of the starting grid. A second solution is to award veteran Whiskey Off-Road riders with a staging position based on previous years' finishing times. The third solution is to modify the start of the 2013 course so that there is a more gradual transition from road, to fire road to technical singletrack so that bottlenecking is eliminated.

All of these improvements will help ensure that the start of the 2013 Whiskey Off-Road runs as smooth as possible so you can focus on more important matters, like riding and smiling.

Tour Pre-Ride Information

Want to get a sneak peek at all the choice singletrack in the 2012 Tour of the White Mountains? Then head up on Labor Day weekend, September 1-3 for an unofficial pre-ride so you know exactly what to expect on the trail. Yes, unofficial is italicized for a reason. Therefore, you should bring your own insurance and support (food, water, etc) as well as a sense of humor. A taste for adventure doesn't hurt either.

You can do the 60-mile, a 35-mile or 15-mile ride. All skill levels are welcome, so if you don't have anything on the calendar for Labor Day weekend, get all the details on the pre-ride!

Events Near and Far

Bearjaw Groove
Head up to the Flagstaff Nordic Center on Saturday, September 8 and take part in the first annual Bearjaw Groove 12-hour mountain bike race. Featuring some of the buffest singletrack and most beautiful scenery in Arizona, Bearjaw Groove is destined to become an instant classic. Need more motivation? How about live music all day, beer all afternoon, entertainment for the little ones as well as cash and prizes? Sounds good to us!

Cruiserman
If your idea of a triathlon involves inflatable rafts, beach crusiers and flip-flops instead of aero helmets, tri bikes and speedos, then Cruiserman is for you! Taking place on Saturday, September 29 in Tempe, AZ, Cruiserman is guaranteed to be one of the most rip-roaring fun events you'll ever take part in. And with a "mullets and mustaches" costume theme for 2012, shenanigans will be plentiful, so get all the details and register today!

See ya trailside,

The Crew at Epic Rides

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To fuel your singletrack adventures, the Tour will offer a pre-event pasta feed and a post-event barbeque with Blue Banjo BBQ. And to wash all that mesquite goodness down, New Belgium will serve up sudsy adult libations all weekend long.

October 1 is fast upon us, and for many that means the first day of registration for the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo presented by Tucson Medical Center. Fair warning - solo classes fill within 12 hours (or less) and the entire event sells out by mid-December, so don't wait!