May 23, Tour of Tucson plus Mt Lemmon (for Phoenix guys)

[badlandz]

Tour of Tucson All Day Event through Tucson. Saturday May 23, 2009 Full Loop 9AM to ~5pm However, those wishing to just do the Mt. Lemmon run can meet at 12:30pm. Mt Lemmon Run leg only ~12pm to 5pm Reason: The idea is to show the Phoenix guys around some of the more interesting routes around Tucson by driving a big loop of some of the more interesting roads. The entire loop is 134 mi, and without any stops the estimated driving time is about 5 hours 9 mins. We will be stopping, so this is an all day trip. If you want to have breakfast, meet at 8am. We will LEAVE at 9am at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant. 8400 N Cracker Barrel Rd Tucson, AZ 85743 It's right off I-10, so it should be really easy for the Phoenix guys to get to and find. It is just west of Exit 246, Cortaro Rd./Cortaro Farms Rd. At 9am we will head up through Contzen Pass in Picture Rocks, it is a pretty scenic drive. We will take Cortaro Rd southwest to Ina Rd, go south just a bit, turn left at N Wade Rd right away, and then Slight right at W Picture Rocks Rd which will take us through Picture Rocks, and over to Sandario Rd. Then head south on N Sandario Rd toward Bajada Loop Dr/Golden Gate Rd, turn left at N Kinney Rd left at W Gates Pass Rd, and up over Gates Pass. Photo Op Then to Starr Pass Resort, where Andy claims there is a great photo opportunity on one of there parking structures. Out of Gates Pass, it's a slight right at Anklam Rd, right at Players Club Dr then left at W Starr Pass Blvd and take that up to Starr Pass Resort. We should get there around 10:30am or 11am. Heading down from Starr Pass Resort on Starr Pass Blvd, it turns into 22nd Street. We'll take 22nd street to Kino Parkway North, which turns into Campbell Ave and skirts the Eastern edge of UofA. Then take a Right on Speedway, left on Wilmot, which turns into Tanque Verde Rd, then left at E Catalina Hwy. Mt Lemmon Leg Meetup We will stop briefly at the McDonalds on the north east corner of Tanque Verde Rd and Catalina Hwy to regroup, grab a quick bite if anyone wants. There is also a grocery store there if you need to run in for anything. Meet at 12:30PM at McDonalds of 9075 E Tanque Verde Rd, Tucson, AZ Then we head up to Mt. Lemmon. DEPENDING ON TIME and how people are feeling, we might run to the top, or might stop at one of the scenic pullouts and head back down. Then we head back down. At this point, I suspect some people might want to head right out to I-10 if they need to get back to Phoenix or something. But for those interested in seeing a couple decent roads that are actually IN Tucson on your way back out of town, we will take a more fun route to I-10. Coming down from Catalina Hwy, turn right at E Tanque Verde, then turn right at N Sabino Canyon Rd. Then take a left at E Knollwood Dr/E River Rd and follow River Road to Campbell. Then right on Campbell to go up to Skyline, which will turn into Ina, and take you right back to I-10.