Tour of the White Mountains changes for 2008

The 13th annual Show Low Bluff Tour of the White Mountains presented by Cellular One is taking on a new look and picking up some new trails for 2008.

The endurance mountain biking event, which will be held Saturday, October 4, still will be on trails in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest located near Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona, but some of those trails are new. More recent additions to the forests' trail system including Timber Mesa, Panorama, Ice Caves and Ice Caves connector trails will be added this year, with the previously more enjoyable sections of the route including Los Burros, Country Club and Blue Ridge trails remaining part of the course.

"The Apache Sitgreaves National Forest and TRACKS, the local trail construction and advocacy club, have worked hard to rehab the Ice Caves trail and build the new Ice Caves-Timber Mesa connector trail, called the Osprey Trail. With completion of the Osprey Trail, people will be able to get on the White Mountain Trail System at the Timber Mesa trail head and hike, mountain bike, or ride horses all the way to the Los Burros Trail," said Nick Lund, TRACKS president. "These trails exemplify the best of Northern Arizona riding, with climbs, fun and challenging, groovy singletrack, and of course spectacular mountain scenery."

The Show Low Bluffs property will also be a new venue for the race. "The site offers amazing camping, and it's close to town," said promoter Todd Sadow, who mentioned it's also close to the official race hotel.

The weekend kicks off with an inaugural White Mountains Jam Session on Saturday evening including Xtra Ticket, Arizona's longest standing Grateful Dead cover band, and Kindread a Reggae band from Glendale

To support the International Mountain Bicycling Association's "Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day", also October 4, organizers will offer all youths 18 and under a 50 percent discount on entry fees for the eight and 15 mile rides

For more information, visit epicrides.com/towm/towm.htm.