Desert 600

Desert 600 Description

The Desert 600 brevet route can be described as City meets Desert meets Farm meets Reservation in a repeating cycle. The route starts and finishes in Chandler. The first 400k travels in a counter-clockwise direction.

This 400k travels along most of the length of the Valley of the Sun. This is on roads that generally only skirt the southern reaches of the cities of the Valley, which together comprise the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States. The roads were chosen to minimize traffic and stop lights, and many are formerly key roads that have been superseded by Interstate and highways, leaving them for cyclists to enjoy. Riders return to the start after 400k and can get some sleep or continue on.

The final 200k will feel differently than the 400k just completed. We will head north to the foothills north of Phoenix and Scottsdale where you’ll encounter 3 long, gradual climbs. You will appreciate a change of terrain while enjoying the fun descents! After the big loop, you will return to your triumphant finish in Chandler.

Services are located at regular intervals along the route. Towns and cities visited: Chandler, Estrella, Laveen, Phoenix, Estrella, Buckeye, Gila Bend, Maricopa, Stanfield, Casa Grande, Coolidge, Florence, Queen Creek, Tempe, Scottsdale, Rio Verde, Fountain Hills and Mesa.

Terrain: The route follows the Gila and Salt River Valleys as it winds between several mountain ranges. This section of the route is relatively flat by Arizona brevet standards, with only 2700 feet of total climbing, it differs from flat routes in other parts of the country in that it offers continually changing views of mountains in all directions along the entire course. The final 200k will have you gently climbing and descending much of the way, with ~4400′ of climbing.