Whiskey Off-Road Mountain Bike Event Adds Benefit Community Concert
PRESCOTT, Ariz. — The Sixth Annual Whiskey Off-Road, set to kick off April 25, is adding a new twist to the nation’s mountain bike scene: free live music.The Whiskey Off-Road, now in its sixth year, is an endurance mountain bike event based in the heart of downtown Prescott next to Whiskey Row.
We can’t wait to introduce the music portion and send this thing into orbit,” said Todd Sadow, president of Epic Rides, Inc. “Our intent is to create the perfect destination for desert dwellers to escape the onset of the summer heat with a healthy outlet in the mountains of Prescott. Nothing beats the opportunity to spend a day in the saddle of a bike and an evening on the courthouse lawn with great live music!”
The concert will feature Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. In addition to – or in place of – riding their bikes, participants may choose to practice yoga with a local yogi before the sun sets and the party begins. The Whiskey route takes riders through the 1.25-million-acre Prescott National Forest. The forest boasts a seemingly endless system of well-maintained trails, thanks to the Prescott National Forest Service staff and local trail advocacy groups, including the Prescott Cycling Club. Riders may choose to enter three different distances, from the 15 Proof Fun ride to the 25 and 50 Proof routes that will appeal to more ambitious participants. The “Proof” theme pays homage to the infamous Whiskey Row element of downtown Prescott, an entire city block of watering hole type of establishments; a “proof” in this case represents one mile. The community concert is open to the public and located next to Whiskey Row. All who attend are requested to bring two canned food items for donation to the Yavapai County Food Bank.
“Our goal is to raise a literal ton of canned goods between the mountain bike event and community concert,” said Sadow. “We’re grateful to the community for its support and to the City of Prescott for its willingness to open up the downtown common area. In turn, the event offers a healthy, low-impact activity for the community, brings visitors to boost the Prescott economy, and raises funds to benefit those less fortunate.”
Festivities begin Friday, April 24, when participants arrive for packet pickup and a mandatory pre-event riders meeting on Goodwin St. in the center of downtown Prescott. The riding will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday morning on Goodwin Street at Whiskey Row. Awards will be handed out Saturday evening at 4 p.m., immediately before the concert kicks off.
For more information, interviews and up-to-date reports, photos and video footage check out http://www.epicrides.com or call Todd Sadow at 520-745-2033.
Sadow noted that the Whiskey Off-Road has been made possible by supporters including the City of Prescott, Titus Cycles, Empire Power Southwest, High Gear Bike Shop and the event beneficiaries Yavapai County Food Bank and Prescott Alternative Transportation.
Epic Rides, Inc., founded in Tucson, AZ in 1999, is the first regional mountain bike event promotion organization to embrace the philosophy of putting on events that are suitable for all mountain biking skill levels. Epic Rides events cultivate a laid back non-intimidating environment that accommodates the weekend warrior and beginner as well as world-class mountain bike professionals. Other Epic Rides events include the Kona Bikes 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo in Tucson and the Show Low Bluff Tour of the White Mountains in Show Low. More information on these events is available online at www.epicrides.com.