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The Chuska
Click on this link to take you to the Chuska Online Registration page on active.com - http://www.active.com/cycling/red-valley-az/chuska-challenge-2010 16th Chuska Challenge set for Saturday, October 9!The annual Chuska Challenge will be held on Saturday, October 9, 2010 in the Chuska Mountains on the Arizona/New Mexico border of the Navajo Nation. The fully-supported mountain bike ride incorporates some of the most stunning fall mountain scenery of the region, live music, a benefit rug sale, a raffle featuring tons of outdoor gear plus arts & crafts, adventure movies on the big screen and a sampling of Navajo culture & cuisine. The ride benefits scholarships for reservation students and outdoor adventure programs for Navajo youth across the rez!. REGISTRATION INFO - We encourage you to register online (see the link at active.com above), print the registration form available online (at the end of this section) or contact us for more info. The basic registration for the ride is $50 for adults. This covers all meals including Saturday breakfast, lunch on the trail and a celebration meal back in Red Valley, well-stocked break stations, sag, entertainment, and backcountry use fees. High-quality, long-sleeve Chuska t-shirts and Chuska tech shirts will be available for purchase. Student rates are $40 for high school and elementary school students and include engaging learning activities throughout the ride and at Red Valley. Call us for family rates. Scholarships are available for students with financial hardships. Registrations cover the cost of the weekend, and all proceeds of the ride go directly into scholarships for reservation college students Y.E.S.' outdoor adventure programs for native youth throughout the year. Any donations above your registration fee are greatly appreciated and serve to enhance Y.E.S.' work even further. Special rates are available for 'riding medics'. Please mail completed registrations, fees and any donations to: Y.E.S. Attn: Tom Riggenbach, P.O. Box 1487, Teec Nos, AZ 86514. Registrations are non-refundable after September 15. Partial refunds before that time will be accepted upon request. THE ROUTE- This year's Chuska offers a point-to-point course, from Dine' College in Tsaile to Red Valley-Cove High School in Red Valley, Arizona. Riders are encouraged to camp or arrive for breakfast at Red Valley, from where we will shuttle you and your bikes to Tsaile. (If you have your support vehicle or an extra driver, you may opt to join us at Tsaile.) The main group of riders will be at Tsaile by 9:00 a.m. and the ride will kick off by 10:00. The base Chuska route is 40 miles, primarily on tribal roads from Tsaile to Red Valley, ending with a dramatic 8-mile descent down Buffalo Pass to Red Valley. Along the way, riders will experience the stark solitude of vast meadows, meandering streams anddazzling aspen stands of a Chuska autumn. For those advanced or adventurous riders who want more, we have some routes for you - test your skills on the back side of Roof Butte, ride to the top of the range at 9800 feet and see if you're up to the challenge of a half century in the Chuskas! An optional route into the northern end of the range offers scenic riding among highcountry meadows and ponds, with stunning views of Cove and Mexican Cry Mesa to the north. We will have aid vehicles and Navajo Rangers touring the course until the last rider is in. CHUSKA FOOD - fine meals and hearty break stations - The Chuska kitchen at our base camp at Red Valley-Cove High School will serve up a hot, hearty breakfast on Saturday morning to get you ready for the trail. Well-stocked break stations throughout the day will provide ample fuel for the challenge ahead. Stations will include a variety of smart trail foods (fresh fruit, drinks, granola bars, fig bars, sandwiches, crackers and cheese, trail mix, etc.) and, of course, Kathy's famous pasta salad. The stations will also have some basic first aid, matches & pumps, maps of the area, graphic displays of the work of Y.E.S., plus a few entertaining surprises. Our celebration dinner back at Red Valley will feature mutton stew, vegetable stew, fry bread & tortilla and blue corn mush, proving a fitting culmination to a magic weekend in the rez highcountry! THE CHUSKA 'CLASSROOM' - We have some special activities for school groups on the trail and at Red Valley. Students will have the chance to interact with the Navajo Rangers and share the trail with some positive role models. We will also have some special activities for our school groups on the trail and kids will enjoy some cool music acts, late release movies and Tony Hawk drug-free videos on the Chuska big-screen at Red Valley. The entire Chuska experience will be an engaging and memorable weekend for your students! PRIZES, PRIZES, PRIZES - We'll have dozens of prizes up for grabs in the Chuska raffle! We've got bike gear, clothing, tools, pumps, clothing, gift certificates, art, jewelry, music, camelbacks, caps, books, packs, cycling socks, gloves, music, posters and lots more! Tickets will be available all weekend and all proceeds directly benefit our youth programs. Our benfit auction will feature unique items, such as a Grand Canyon glicee, Navajo rugs, world-class Southwest photography by Mike Buchheit, amazing outdoor and bike gear from Single Track Bikes in Flagstaff and other unqiue gifts. So save a little space in the trunk! THE Y.E.S. CAUSE - The gist of the weekend is to raise funds for the Y.E.S. cause so we can provide college scholarships for reservation youth and continue offering outdoor adventures, leadership programs and community outreach throughout the year. Here's your chance to help. The pledge form is available online if you would like to collect pledge from your friends. Special gifts - a bike jersey, Grand Canyon art or a Chuska tech shirt - will be available to riders who bring in over $200 in pledges. And you will receive a very hearty "ahehe" for your efforts! WEATHER - Fall in the Chuskas is usually exceptional! But nights will be fairly cool and precip is not out of the question. Expect the best, but be prepared for the rest. WHERE IN THE WORLD IS RED VALLEY?? - Red Valley is located on the east flank of the Chuska Mountains, just beneath Buffalo Pass. From Farmington, Durango, Shiprock and points east or north, Red Valley is about 30 minutes southeast of Shiprock, NM. Head south of the town of Shiprock on U.S. 491 (666) to the rock formation of Shiprock and then travel east toward the mountains and Red Valley. Two miles past the Red Rock Trading Post, you will see Red Valley-Cove High School. From Flagstaff, head east on I-40 to Chambers and then north on U.S. 191. From Ganado, head east to Window Rock and then north on Navajo route 12 for 50 miles to Tsaile. From Tsaile, continue north to Lukachukai and then east and over Buffalo Pass. RVCHS is on the eastern side of the Chuskas. From Gallup or Albuquerque, travel to Window Rock and then straight north to Tsaile on route 12 to Lukachukai and then east ovr Buffalo Pass to the high school. From Kayenta, Tuba, Page or points west, head east on U.S. 160 to route 59. Head south on 59 to Many Farms, then east on U.S. 191 to Round Rock and then south to Lukachukai on route 12. From there, it's east and over Buffalo Pass to RVCHS. From Moab or southern Utah, take U.S. 163 to Kayenta and then follow the directions above. E-mail Tom if you have questions or need help finding Red Valley. If you're flying in , your closest options would be Durango or Cortez in Colorado, or Farmington, NM, though Phoenix, Albuquerque or Las Vegas are more economical. LODGING & CAMPING, BIKE RENTALS, Misc. - If you are arriving through Phoenix, we recommend Single Track Bikes in Flagstaff for bike rentals and any bike gear you may need. Contact them at (928) 773-1862 and tell them you are participating in the Chuska. If you're looking for the best lodging near Red Valley for Friday night, check out Chinle if you're coming in from the west (we recommend Thunderbird Lodge or Holiday Inn) or Farmington from the east. We would love to have you in Red Valley on Friday and/or Saturday night, where we will have free camping (with indoor restrooms and showers) on both nights. Local community members will have Navajo Tacos for sale at our campsite on Friday night. OUR SPONSORS - Special thanks to the Navajo Way, B.H.P. Billiton, Ted's Shed, Single Track Bikes in Flagstaff, Wells Fargo Bank, the Navajo Rangers and United Facilities, Inc. for their generous support of the Chuska! Additional support is provided by Sonoran Desert Mountain Bike Association, Kokopelli Bike & Board of Cortez and Spectrum Designs of Page. A hearty ahehe to Red Valley-Cove High School for hosting the Chuska Challenge again this year. CONTACT US - You can reach our Tom Riggenbach by e-mail at chuskaman@yahoo.com or at (928) 429-0345.
2010 CHUSKA CHALLENGE REGISTRATION FORM Rider's Name:____________________ Age ___ Address: _______________________________ City, State & Zip: __________________________ Phone: ____________ E-mail: _____________ Emergency contact: _______________________ Vegetarian meals? ___ Do you plan to eat and camp with us Friday night? ___ Saturday night? ___ Do you have any medical problems, medication allergies or take any medications that we should know about, in case of emergency? _______________________________________________________________________________________ REGISTRATION PACKAGE : Basic adult registration ($50) ___; Student registration ___ ($40) Please make checks payable to Y.E.S. WAIVER & RELEASE:I understand that there are certain dangers inherent in the sport of cycling and I fully assume and accept these risks. I understand that participation in this event requires use of a CPSC-certified helmet. In consideration of Youth Empowerment Services for Dine' Bikeyah, Inc. (Y.E.S.) accepting my application for entry into the 2010 Chuska Challenge, I hereby waive, release and discharge Y.E.S., its employees, the Chuska Challenge organizers, sponsors, volunteers, supporters and participants from any claims for personal injury, property damage or death resulting from my participation in this event. I certify that my bicycle is suitable for safe use in this event, that I am in good physical condition and that I am able to participate in this event. I consent to emergency medical care if injured or ill. I have read this waiver and release and fully understand its terms, and agree that is shall be binding on my heirs and assigns. _______________________ ___________ Rider's Signature Date [Parent/Guardian must sign for riders under 18 years old.]
2010 Chuska Challenge Pledge Form All pledges made to riders on the Chuska Challenge benfit the outdoor adventure programs for Native American youth provided by Y.E.S. for Dine' Bikeyah. Y.E.S. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization so all donations are fully tax-deductable. Thank you for your support of the youth. ____________________________________________________________________ Name Address Amount ______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________ TOTAL PLEDGES: _______
Checks should made made payable to Y.E.S. for Dine' Bikeyah. All donations may be mailed to Y.E.S., P.O. Box 1487 Teec Nos Pos, AZ 86514 For more information about the Chuska or the programs of Y.E.S., contact our Director Tom Riggenbach at chuskaman@yahoo.com or explore our website at www.navajoyes.org. You can also reach us by telephone at (928) 656-3817 or (928) 429-0345 Ahehe!
We hope to see you on the Chuska trail this fall, joining our past and current riders from . . . across the Navajo Nation - Black Mesa, Shiprock, Chinle, Tsaile, Kayenta, Kaibeto, Tuba City and Ganado, including youth groups this year from Shonto, Lukachukai, Leupp, Rough Rock and Chilchinbeto; throughout the Four Corners region - Flagstaff, Verde Valley, Durango, Farmington, Phoenix, Denver, Gallup, Jerome, Albuquerque and Cortez; and from as far away as Missouri, Illinois, California, Michigan and North Carolina! 'I must say I was 'flying' for a week after an awesome weekend of riding with your group on the rez!' - Wendy, Chuska rider |
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