Charity event organizer Chad Brown estimates that about 130 mountain bikers donated to the Arizona Trail Association at Saturday's Arizona Trail Jamboree fundraiser. In only its second year, the event raised $5,000. Brown coordinated vehicle shuttles to transport riders and their bikes from Pistol Hill Road near Colossal Cave to Box Canyon Road.  From there, cyclists enjoyed 35 miles of AZ Trail single-track back to the post-ride celebration.

Money raised supports trail building and maintenance in the Cienega Corridor just east of Tucson. This section of the AZ Trail swoops through the Sonoran desert, and includes the surprisingly lush canyon of cottonwoods: Cienega Creek Natural Preserve. Riders cruise on a bridge above the preserve, and the trail continues along the top of Davidson Canyon.

“The Cienega Corridor is pretty amazing, right by the railroad crossing,” says event organizer Brown. “Great diversity of plants and animals. I like the ecosystem change, because you’re used to desert, desert, desert, then bam, there are all these trees.” He cautions that it’s tricky to get down to the bottom, “but if you can get down, it’s nice and cool down there.”

The Jamboree was a create-your-own ride event. Some cyclists arranged their own shuttle for a shorter route that started at Sahuarita Road, for a 13-mile ride north to Pistol Hill Road.  Other cyclists started at the Pistol Hill parking area and rode an out-and-back course.

Ty Brookhart drove  The Cycling House van to shuttle riders to Box Canyon Road. He returned to Pistol Hill Road, and rode with friends on the AZ Trail south. “It’s a great day to be out on a bike,” he says.

Scott Morris and Krista Park also chose the out and back option. They were taking it easy at the base of the Rincon Mountains, because they rode 100 miles around the Catalina Mountains the day before.

Scott Cnockaert was fighting a cold, but decided to join the Jamboree anyway, riding from Sahuarita Road to Pistol Hill. Asked about his favorite part of the route, he replies: “The finish,” as he prepared to join the post-ride fiesta. His riding companion, Tim Wall, says: “This is really the best part of the trail, really good downhills, it has a nice flow to it.” The previous week, Cnockaert and Wall rode from Rosemont Junction to Sahuarita Road, “That part of the trail has some pretty rough sections,” says Wall, “It’s pretty rough and raw, pretty serious stuff.”

The two ride Tucson area trails every weekend with the Tucson MTB Addicts, a local facebook group. “We’ve ridden parts of the AZ Trail at Chiva Falls, Italian Trap area, Molino/Prison Camp, Sweetness out near Oracle, Kentucky Camp, Gardener Canyon.”  Wall continues, “It’s a great group, easy going, we have all levels of riders and just ride for fun.”

Niner pro rider Dejay Birtch rode in the charity event and tried to talk people into his Zest to Peel midnight hike and bike, scheduled for Friday at midnight, January 21. Hiking and biking in the snow-capped Catalina's seemed far away from the sunny and warm Arizona Trail side.

Brown also organizes the Antelope Peak Challenge, January 29, with the 115-mile ride staring at 3 a.m., and a 65-mile start at 7:00 a.m. The Challenge takes place just north of Tucson, starting at the Willow Springs Arch. Check out other challenging mountain bike events throughout the year, organized by Chad Brown and friends, through the Arizona Endurance Series.