Media
March 10, 2020
Mt. Lemmon Gravel Grinder Announces Pinal County
as New Title Sponsor
Popular cycling event seen as a way to boost area as adventure corridor
(Oracle, AZ) March 10, 2020 - Organizers of the Mt. Lemmon Gravel Grinder announced today that Pinal County will be the event’s new title sponsor. The new partnership is a three-year commitment that provides financial, infrastructure, and marketing support for the event that draws hundreds of cycling enthusiasts to southern Arizona every year.
“By supporting the Mt. Lemmon Gravel Grinder, Pinal County is recognizing Oracle as a destination cycling community for outdoor enthusiasts,” said race organizer John McCarrell. “Their support will help grow the MLGG into one of Arizona’s premier cycling events and foster wider participation so everyone can experience the area’s natural beauty and Oracle’s small-town charm.”
Stephanie Maack, Pinal County’s Economic Development and Tourism Specialist, said the Mt. Lemmon Gravel Grinder “perfectly aligns with our vision of Oracle as an adventure destination.”
“We’re proud to sponsor the Mt. Lemmon Gravel Grinder,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to really highlight an amazing part of the county.”
Founded in 2016, the Mt. Lemmon Gravel Grinder has brought more than 1,000 participants to the region over the past four years. The MLGG offers main event distances of 60-, 50- and 40-miles that take participants through the lush, semi-desert landscape that skirts the lower elevations of the Santa Catalina Mountains and leads the way to the main climb up the “backside” northern slopes of Mt. Lemmon. Other ride options include a 13-mile Family Fun Ride and Free Kids Race/Ride for ages 12 and under. Last year in 2019, the event attracted 422 riders from across the country, Canada and Mexico. The FREE Kids race attracted 38 participants.
Registration begins April 1 for the two-day event and festivities begin Friday, Oct. 30 with the ride taking place on Saturday, Oct. 31. The main event distances are limited to 550 riders.
The event leverages the 3C Ranch to provide a complete family-friendly experience. Attendees enjoy the beautiful grounds for event activities and live music, on-site camping, and accommodations, campground games, a robust communal campfire and more.
The 3C Ranch also offers a restaurant and lounge, and other amenities for riders and visitors to enjoy. Adjacent is the Hay Creek Ranch RV Park for those seeking to bring their own accommodations. Nearby attractions include Peppersauce Campground and Peppersauce Cave, Arizona Zipline Adventures, the Arizona National Scenic Trail, Oracle State Park, Biosphere 2, Galiuro Mountain Range and the San Pedro River Valley.
“The 3C Ranch and support from Pinal County are really going to help us thrive,” McCarrell said. He expects over 550 participants this year, and over 1,500 attendees to enjoy the two-day festival.
For Pinal County, the event is an opportunity to show off one of Arizona’s undiscovered gems.
“I think it opens a lot of people’s eyes to what we have,” Maack said. She envisions the area as an adventure hot spot that attracts millennials who like its natural beauty and year-round outdoor activities.
“There is so much to do and so much to see. It’s an ideal place to work and play. We want them to stay in our county,” she said. “We are very excited about growing Oracle’s active lifestyle culture.”
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For more information about the Mt. Lemmon Gravel Grinder, follow @mtlemmongravel on social media channels, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Media Resources:
Link to Mt Lemmon Gravel Grinder Photos
Photo & Video Credit: Skywest Media
Link to Video Promo MLGG 2020 Short
About Pinal County:
Pinal County is the nexus of the Sun Corridor, a burgeoning region that begins in central Arizona and extends south into northern Mexico. This megalopolitan location, combined with unparalleled economic advantages and desirable amenities, places Pinal County at the heart of a powerful economic engine that will grow and prosper decades into the future. Along with our economic development growth, Pinal County also offers majestic locations to recreate along with the opportunity to take advantage of our beautiful hotspots for exploration. Your next great adventure beings in Pinal County!
Dirty Freehub: Training for Mt Lemmon Gravel Grinder
By Gravel Girl from Dirty Freehub
The Lemmon as I like to think about it requires you cranking out a bunch of training miles to get ready. But why not make those miles super fun, scenic, full of adventure? Why not ride really great routes to get ready?
At Dirty Freehub we’ve pulled together some amazing gravel bike routes near Tucson and across Arizona. We promise they are well worth the effort. Even if you have lived in Tucson since the beginning of time, I’m betting we have a new route that goes down a dirt road you didn’t even know existed.
That’s what we do; that’s all we do. We provide curated routes. If they are good or we aren’t sure, they land in the training bucket. But if they are AWESOME, five-star, then they become one of our core routes. Let’s just say we are picky.... we like scenery, variety, good climbs and little or no traffic.
You can download our routes for free. We provide loads of info on each route: where to park, is there water, photos that give you one darn good idea what you are riding, can you bring your friend with an e-bike, recommended tires, etc. In Arizona, we have 25 routes, many not too far from Tucson. We have a bunch more in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and, uh, Tasmania.
Have a route you think we should include? Drop us a note. You’ll find all our details on www.dirtyfreehub.com.
And hope to see you at the Lemmon this year.
Gravel Girl (aka Linda English) Co-Founder of Dirty Freehub - There are many fantastic gravel routes that you can download for free.
Captain O (Kevin English) Co-Founder from Dirty Freehub. So many Tucson area routes I've curated on the Dirty Freehub website.
Dirty Freehub Club Membership
