Ch 13 - Kodachrome to Escalante to Calf Creek

Thought about poaching a closed trail out of Kodachrome that was a shorter route north to Henrieville.  It was apparently closed due to rockslides.  You could see it leading steeply up the side of a mountain I pedaled up to it but I was pretty tired and decided to take the paved route around out of the park.  Kodachrome is a really nice park, by the way. 

I passed through a bucolic valley along the Paria River, with sporadic ranches along the small waterway.  At the intersection of Hwy 12 there was a small lodge where I bought an Odwalla smoothie that had carrot and orange juices -- the first fruit I've had in awhile. 

The rest of the ride to Escalante was very scenic but uphill with headwinds.  I was pretty tired and hungry and passed the state park on the outskirts of town in favor of a motel room.  It required less effort and was near a little grocery.  I bought all the food I could carry and went back to my room and feasted. 

The next day, after much-needed good sleep, I pedaled along Hwy 12 to a little campground at Calf Creek.  The road passed through some crazy canyon country that was barely navigable if there wasn't a road.  Those Mormon pioneers really must have been tough to eke put an existence down here. 

The Calf Creek campground isn't as nice as Kodachrome since it's near a popular trailhead and tons of people are steaming by my campsite.  But it has water and a bench and a nice flat tent spot.  There's not much between here and Torrey which is another 60 miles or so.  It's 170 miles to Green River, where I hope to catch the Amtrak back to Glenwood or Denver. 

After setting up camp at the last spot available, a cold wind and a drizzle picked up.  I retreated into my tent for a bit to listen to the news on my Sirius pocket radio.  As the rain pattered on my tent I felt the first pangs of homesickness.  Shockingly, I am beginning to miss work.  It's probably just the rain and the mediocre campsite.  My tent is right next to the camp drive and everyone is walking/driving by and staring at me.  Should have pushed on to Boulder and gotten a room.  Or dry camped somewhere.  It's hard to know what's good until you get there.  On a bicycle, it's not like you can cruise around up and down huge hills all afternoon to find a nice campsite. 

I stocked up on lots of food in Escalante, so now I'll have a hearty dinner.  Nothing fresh, though.  I am looking forward to the next salad instead of dehydrated envelope food. 

Ch 11 - North Rim to Page to Big Water

The winds howled at the North Rim all night long, shaking my tent.  It was pretty cold but I had enough clothes.  I slept in my bag wearing pants and thermals and a fleece and down vest and wool hat.  Still pretty hard to sleep with all that noise and flapping. 

In the morning I cruised back to the lodge and mailed home my shoes, which I only needed for the Grand Canyon hike.  Then I hit the road, pedaling towards Jacob Lake, 41 miles distant. 

The winds were luckily going in my favor today, and I made the distance more quickly than I thought.  It was only 1pm when I got to Jacobs Lake, so i figured I'd push it further.  I got a room reservation at a motel in Marble Canyon, another 40 miles off.  But it was about 4000 feet lower, so I thought it would be doable. 

Down I went out of the pine forests onto the red rock desert.  Occasionally I could see the Canyon far away, as a shadowy cleft in the desert floor.  The road had no shoulder but there wasn't much traffic.  Eventually I turned away from the gusts and sailed into Marble Canyon, hardly pedaling. 

At one point i had to make a choice between roads.  One lead me north into the Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument.  But I wanted to get to a town to get supplies before heading into Escalante.   I headed towards Page, about two days distant. 

The following day, the winds were howling again.  It helped me the day before but I had to go straight into it for a time today.  It was only 9 miles but it took much of the day.  There was no shoulder at all, and I could barely pedal into it.  Side gusts would force me to swerve into the lane.  Lots of old people and Asian tourists driving rented RVs had me scared.  Then I saw a vague trail over toward the mountains that roughly paralleled the road.  I decided to take it. 

I found a place where the barbed wire could be pulled aside, and started on this trail.  It wasn't much of anything, and was mostly sand and rubble.  I was pushing my bike and could only pedal it occasionally.  It wasn't much fun but was better than getting run over. 

Eventually the 'trail' started going up into the mountains.  I pushed my bike up brutal hills and the wind was blowing sand in my face.  After another hour, I started to get worried about where I was going so I decided to abort and make my way back to the road.  I went overland through cactus and a wash and finally got to where there was a barbed wire fence.  It was pretty tall so I managed to throw my bike over it and then crawl over myself. 

Back on the road, I was only a couple miles from the junction where the road turned away from the wind.  I powered through it but it was a bear.  I leaned my bike against a sign which was shaking from the wind and refilled my water bladder. 

I did the next 20 miles into Page with no problems because the wind was now behind me.  But I needed somewhere to stay.  Hotels were really expensive.  There was a campground and I went to it, pedaling through a foul-smelling windswept industrial area.  Page has lovely scenery, but it smells like sewage and asphalt and exhaust.  No shoulders on any of the roads.  After awhile. I got to the campground and it looked terrible.  RVs smashed together in a gravel lot with a couple of rough-looking people around the office.  I went in and asked about a site and they were full.  Maybe a blessing.

It was getting late and the sun was going down.  I was exhausted.  Apparently you can camp on the lake shore for cheap, but it was an hour ride north.  I set my GPS for that and started pedaling as the sun was going down.  The winds kicked up and blew debris into my face and I swerved off the road into a driveway.  I got on Hotwire and the cheapest hotel in town  (Saturday night) was $330.  Kicking myself, I took it. 

After checking into the Best Western, I ordered a pizza which came pretty quickly.  I wanted something to drink but the coke machine ate my money.  At the desk, the girl was annoyed when I asked for my dollar and made a big show of filling out lots of paperwork in order to refund me a dollar.   After an eternity, I got my dollar and returned to my room to eat cold pizza with tap water. 

I also stayed in in a motel last night and emerged with at least a dozen itchy bumps on my hands and neck and arms and legs and stomach.  So I have been applying anti itch cream all day but it's still uncomfortably itchy. 

I just urinated for the first time in 12 hours.  I drank more than 4 liters of water without producing anything.  That's how dry it is. 

*next day*

I woke up in Page with even more itchy lesions.  I headed to the clinic, where the doctor told me it was most likely folliculitis caused by blocked pores and sweat and sunblock.  He advised cortisone cream.  I bought some and it sort of works.  Sort of.  I also got some antibiotics from the pharmacy in case I get an infection.

My main reason for coming to Page was to get camp food and some trip planning advice.  I went to "Stix Hunting/Fishing Supplies and Liquor", which was apparently the headquarters for such things.  They didn't have any camp food.  I knew the Wal Mart had it, and figured I'd have ride back there.  It was on the other side of town and up a pretty big hill.  A customer overheard my conversation with the proprietor and offered to take me to Wal Mart.   He had an old pickup that I could throw my bike into. 

Timothy was very drunk, I soon learned. He lit a smoke and the rolled up the windows because he had the air conditioning on. He told me sad stories as we drove across town in his truck.  He said he had just done a lot of work on it.  When I asked what kind of work he did to the pickup, he said he just rebuilt the 454 engine.  Then he floored it for about half a mile until we were going at a pretty good velocity.  Then he slammed the brakes, bringing us back to the speed limit.  At least the brakes worked, I thought.  We pulled into Wal Mart drove slowly through the parking lot.  He showed me a tattoo on his arm that he apparently was unsatisfied with, saying it made him "look like the lead singer of Journey".  Jumping out to grab my bike, I said "Later, Steve Perry!"  He yelled back "I ain't no Steve Perry!"

The Wal Mart had everything I was looking for and I managed to cram 5 days of food into my backpack.   Pedaling out of town with my heavy load, I passed the Glen Canyon Dam.  It is a magnificent structure from an engineering standpoint, but something of a travesty in its effect.  It flooded many miles of Glen Canyon, which was filled with stunning natural beauty and archaeology.   In exchange for this, the cities of Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Las Vegas could flourish.  However, a 15-year drought has reduced the lake to only half full.  A massive amount of water is lost to evaporation and seepage.  So, the dam isn't really even helping to do the job it was meant to do. 

Plus, it is the only reason for the existence of Page, AZ, which is truly an awful town. 

Getting on highway 89, I headed toward the Monument.  The Monument is as large as the state of Delaware and has few roads and fewer services.  I desperately needed information before I was to venture inside.  I was hoping to make it to the BLM station before it closed, but I was about 15 minutes late.  Their water faucet was outside, so I filled up my bladders and got back out on the road. 

Pedaling away from the BLM station, I was entering a huge plain with mountains in the distance.  I knew that a campground (with water) and a scenic road lay that way, so I started pedaling into the headwind.  A little later I noticed that the sun was on its way down and I was headed into the unknown.  It wasn't very reassuring so I called the number of a little motel I had passed 5 miles back.  The lady said they had a room so I turned around.  It's nice to shower.  Plus my dermatitis needs a night to relax.  The BLM office is about a mile away and they will be open in the morning.  

I ate an envelope of camp food in my room because there wasn't anything else, and maybe my pack will get a little lighter!

Chapter 10 - Grand Canyon

To paraphrase T. Roosevelt, the Grand Canyon is worth seeing.  The view from the South Rim is truly vast.  The trail is 21 miles across, with a 5000 foot drop and 6000 foot gain on the other side. I was a little worried about my hiking speed, since I hadn't hiked at all in eight months.  I've been riding my bike for almost a month but those are different muscles.

In typical form we didn't actually start hiking until noon.  It takes forever to ride the buses around the park complex, to stop at the grocery for a forgotten item, and to fix our packs just right.  But we soon departed from the South Kaibab trailhead, which descended very steeply from the very first step.

We had heard horror stories about how active Search and Rescue was in the park.  The lady at the backcountry office told us not to be "a statistic in a government chart", like the song by the Police.  The weather was unsettled with storms in the vicinity, which made it not terribly hot by Arizona standards.  Nevertheless, we saw numerous people carrying a little water bottle or nothing at all, hiking out of the depths of the canyon. Although it didn't rain on us, there was no shelter at all if a thunderstorm passed over.  Most people hiking weren't carrying a raincoat or pack or anything.  I shudder to think of how many people have a bad day on that trail in the hotter part of the summer.  It seems like there should be more warning signs at the trailhead, like we have at our backcountry gates on Vail Mountain.  There, one has to push through a turnstile with dire warnings all over it, which gives a tactile warning that one is passing a threshold.

The South Kaibab Trail has no water or shade, and is arid and exposed.  This makes for inspiring views at every turn.  We descended on the wide, well-built trail down countless steps and switchbacks. Occasionally we passed an "ultrarunner" miserably chugging up the trail.  As we got nearer to the bottom, there were fewer people.  We passes one or two groups of people with backpacks who had obviously done the canyon in one day.  They looked tired and I was glad we would be stopping for the night at the bottom. 

I was very curious about the Phantom Ranch facility.  There is a campground and also even a little lodge/restaurant at the bottom of the canyon. It is so remote that all supplies are brought in and out by mule train.  There is even a little post office.  I wondered if I could mail my backpack to the North Rim so I wouldn't have to carry it up.  I'm sure someone has asked this question before.

The campground turned out to be rather underwhelming. There were perhaps 20 sites, all crammed together within 100 yards of riverbank.  The main hiking trails passes through all of them, so every few minutes someone walked next to your site and stared at you.  Later, the guy next door was snoring so badly that we put in earplugs.  In the early morning, everybody was up preparing to hike.  It was like a miniature Everest base camp, with all the brightly colored technical tents crowded together.

In the morning, we weren't sad to leave the campground.  Staying there was better than walking through the whole canyon in a day, though.  The trail up the north side of the canyon was much different.  It had much more vegetation and water.  We walked up the wide grassy valley of Bright Angel Creek and then turned up the narrow Pumphouse Canyon (?), which was steeply-walled and spectacular.   At several points the trail was hacked into the side of a cliff and we instinctively shied away from the edge of the trail.  We stopped perhaps four times to eat food and stretch out throughout the day.  Near the top of the canyon we got into the part of the trail where mule rides travel.  This was really gross, as there were heaping mounds of mule crap all over and ponds of dark yellow mule urine filling the width of the trail.  We breathed through our mouths and kept trudging upwards. 

Finally we heard the sound of a car above and knew we were almost there.  We climbed out into a parking lot expecting to see the lodge or at least a shuttle bus.  There was neither.  The lodge was another 1.5 miles so we walked onwards, pack straps biting into our hips.  We finally reached the majestic North Rim lodge, which was full of old people and tour buses and people crowding around for photos of the sunset.  There was a buffet dinner for $26 that we quickly jumped on.  It was pretty meager by epicurean standards but I had four plateloads. Salad, pasta, brisket, mac n cheese, more brisket, and apple cobbler.  I also had a $5 bottle of O'Doul's to wash it down. 

We also had another stroke of luck in that a cabin had become available in the day before, so we stumbled over and almost immediately fell asleep.  The next morning, Jill left early on the shuttle van back to the South Rim and then to Flagstaff and Boulder.  I wondered who would make sure my backpack zippers were closed? :(

That morning, I waited around at the lodge and studied maps until the northbound shuttle bus arrived at noon.  My bike was attached to the roof and I helped the driver take it down.  Just as creaky and dirty as I left it!  I pedaled down to the campground and got a tent spot right on the Rim for $6.  It was the best camping spot of my trip so far.  I had all day, so I set about repairing my tires and oiling the creaks.  A Canadian fellow named James set up camp nearby and we chatted and watched the magnificent sunset together.  He had traveled from Vancouver on his BMW dual-sport bike and was on his way to Lake Havasu. I've seen a handful of people doing this and it seems like a really good way to travel.  You can take some dirt roads and have all of your camping gear with you.

A front was moving in and the winds steadily increased all night.  After dark, the winds were roaring our of the canyon and shaking my tent.  I found it hard to sleep with all of the noise.  At about midnight I got up to use the restroom and gazed across the canyon bathed in moonlight. I tried to take some photos but my little pocket camera is incapable of doing much in low light conditions.  But the massive depths of the canyon swallowed up all the moonlight and imparted an eerie vastness.

In the morning James cooked up some eggs and offered me an egg quesadilla.  It was hot and good and I ate it in a few bites.  After pedaling back to the lodge to mail my hiking shoes to Vail, I strapped on my bike shoes and began pedaling out of the park.

Chapter 9 - Flagstaff to Grand Canyon

Jill brought her Revelate bikepacking gear which we affixed to a rented fat-tire bike.  After much stuffing and smashing and cramming (an everyday process), we managed to get everything packed.  We had met a young guy named Jim Walmsley who worked at a local bike shop, and he allowed us to park the rental car at his house.  He also agreed to give Jill a ride back to Flagstaff after we reached the Grand Canyon.   She later tried to pay him but he refused.  He is a long-distance runner and runs down the canyon once a week.  He competes around the country doing such madness.

We cruised out of Flagstaff on the road for a few miles and then turned onto a dirt road that led to the Arizona Trail.  The views of Humphrey's Peak were spectacular as we pedaled along a well-graded forest road.  Eventually we turned north and headed down out of the San Francisco hills into sparse cattle country.  At one point I must have pedaled through a thick patch of catclaw acacia, otherwise known as "goatheads". 

These little spiny things are the bane of cyclists, and I got clobbered with them.  There were at least fifty, probably more, in each of my tires.  Although the tires are self-sealing, there's no way they could seal this many holes.  I patched them up best I could, and kept pedaling. Soon I was flat again. This process repeated itself for a few hours.  The sun was now getting low and we were nowhere near our destination.  Yet another flat... and another.  Coyotes were howling around us as I struggled to fix another flat in the dark.  We tried to ride on in the dark but the rocky, muddy trail was too much.  We ended up finding a relatively flat spot amidst cow pies and rocks, and gave up for the night. 

The following day my tires held up for awhile but I was soon getting flats again. I had used up all of my patches and sealant and slime tubes and CO2.  So I would go a couple of miles and then use the hand pump.  Repeat.  We were hoping to make it to the backcountry office at the Grand Canyon to get a lottery number for a last minute permit to hike, but it was terribly slow going.  We decided it would be best if I rode as fast as possible between pumping stops so as to maximize efficiency.  So I would stop and use the hand pump until my arms were tired, then pedal as fast as I could until my front tire was flat again.  Repeat. 

At some point the Slime tube in the front tire began to seal itself and hold air.  We were now rolling without having to stop.  We decided to sprint for the South Rim so we could get in the lottery for a walk-up backcountry permit. 

We pedaled and pedaled and finally made it to the town of Tusyan.  We had about 45 minutes before the backcountry office closed.  But it was yet seven miles away.  I volunteered to ride my bike there.  I didn't think I would make it, but I halfheartedly vowed to try. 

The fee booth had a long line of vehicles  waiting to get into the park, and I was on my bicycle in between RVs.  Finally I got to the window and the attendant told me that canyon campground permits were impossible to get, that they had been reserved for months (information information already knew), and that I would never make it to the backcountry office before it closed.  He was a real jerk about it.  But I figured I'd try anyway.

Sprinting down the maze of roads in the park, my legs were like rubber.  Finally I pulled in front of the office where the lady was locking the door.  Summoning the correct submissive tone to persuade a bureaucrat, I asked if I could possibly have a lottery number.  To my surprise, she was very nice and agreed to go back inside to get me one.  It was a great victory and I was terribly relieved.  But the real test would be at 8 am the next morning when the drawing took place. 

The next morning, Jill and I called a taxi at 7:15 am to get us to the backcountry office.  He showed up almost 45 minutes later.  Apparently he was new and was waiting at the wrong hotel.  Heartbroken and frustrated, we went to see if the lottery had taken place yet. 

The backcountry office was crowded with backpacker types all anxiously waiting.  As soon as we entered, the people in back imperceptibly crowded together so as to make sure we couldn't get in front of them.  Luckily, due to the prior night's efforts, I already had a number.  The clerk called "Number Five!".  I looked in my hand and we had number seven.  Rejoicing (and gloating), I waited for my turn.  Number Six didn't show up, so we were next.  When we were called, the lady said she indeed had a site available for the following night.  We were giddy.  The girl at the adjacent counter was not so lucky and was pleading her case.  But we were the last ones.  The whole journey to get a permit was almost thwarted at every turn, and we got one. 

Chapter 8 - Sedona to Flagstaff

My current whereabouts via satellite tracking can be found here:

https://share.delorme.com/RayDixon

After a couple of 'rest' days in Sedona (trail riding without all the camping gear attached), I loaded up and hit the road again.  The only feasible way to Flagstaff is via the 4wd Schnebly Hill road, which eventually leads up to I-17 for the rest of the journey.  I reckoned that the first part of the day would be fun and that the second half... not so much.  I was right. 

There was scattered rain in the forecast, and it began to sprinkle as I headed up Schnebly Hill.  I was the only bicyclist out there, but there were many jeeps taking tourists up for photos.  It was a long climb but my spirits were lifted by the fantastic views of red rock buttes and pinnacles.  At the top the road continued into a flat plateau of piñon forest.  It was much cooler up here and the rain continued to fall. 

Eventually the rain turned to sleet and came down even harder.  My fingertips were white as I dug into my backpack to put on every piece of clothing I had.  At one point I passed an old trailer in the woods and took shelter underneath it.  The rain eased a bit after awhile and I continued on to Flagstaff.  I was on the interstate for about 20 miles and then got on the urban bike path.  It was pretty late and getting dark and I was cold and hungry.  I fished around for some jerky and ate it while pedaling, drool coming off my lips.  I couldn't see very well because my sunglasses were coated in rain and sweat and sunblock.  Finally I pulled into the driveway of the AirBnB that Jill had arranged, and met the proprietor, who offered some chili.  I couldn't turn that down. 

Arizona - Chapter 7 - Sedona

Sedona, as everyone knows, is a real new age center.  It's full of shops selling crystals and vortex tours and palm readings and whatnot.  The landscape there is indeed inspiring.  I felt the town was a little sprawly, without a real center where one could walk around.  But there are abundant hiking/biking trails, so I explored these for a couple of days. 

The first day I took a trail up over a ridge toward the south of town, which led eventually to Cathedral Rock.  There was a creek crossing and I felt pretty cool holding my bike over my head as I waded through the water with many onlookers observing.  They were probably hoping I would fall in the water and cause some excitement, but I managed not to slip. 

The trail went south and climbed up onto some slickrock (not actually slick at all, but very sticky -- great traction).  Here the trail was shared with quite a few pedestrians toting cameras and children.  Trying to be as courteous as possible, I slowed to a walking pace when I encountered anyone.  I was dismayed when a group of five mountain bikers came roaring through the trail and almost hit me, shouting "coming through!!".  I am assuming they scared more hikers along the trail.  It's a bummer, because poor etiquette makes all bikers look bad. 

The second day I ride some more trail, this time in the less crowded northwest part of town.  It was really beautiful and peaceful.  I met a guy named Pat who had driven out from LA and we rode together for awhile.  He is a mechanical engineer and was just out for the weekend with his truck and his mountain bike.  Nice fellow. 

Sedona denizens talking about wheatgrass and bee pollen

Pat, my riding partner for the Chuckwagon trail

Friendly help at Over the Edge Cycles

Questionable Sedona yard art

Arizona -- Chapter 6 -- Cottonwood to Sedona to Flagstaff

The Lime Kiln Trail is an old wagon road that leads from Cottonwood to Sedona.  Some people got together a few years ago to resurrect it as a multi use trail.  I decided to take it from Cottonwood to Sedona.  It turned out to be variable, but mostly decent. 

It annoyed me that the state park charges $3 to ride through to access the trailhead, so I pedaled on the highway a couple of miles to avoid the park.  It turned into some desert scrublands with sand in the washes.  Nobody was out there and it was very silent.  As I climbed atop some small hills I got a view of the gorgeous red rocks and spires of Sedona in the distance. 

Coming out of the hills, I thought maybe I'd try out the pistol I brought along.  I could see for a long ways in every direction, so I didn't think I'd disturb anyone.  I found an old can and a fragment of skeet and put some holes in them, which was fun. 

Pedaling up the hill into Sedona was difficult and my butt got sore again.  I was hoping to camp near town but camping is prohibited anywhere near Sedona.  So I got a room at the Days Inn and unloaded my stuff. 

It was evening by now, and I decided I wanted to catch the sunset.  Dressed in sandals, I pedaled up the road from the hotel and saw a trail on the side of the road.  I felt pretty hardcore when I passed a couple of bikers on a fairly technical bike trail -- me wearing sandals and a baseball cap while they were decked out in helmets and all the gear. 

The sunset was nice, but I soon discovered that I had lost my bike light on the previous rocky bike trail.  I walked around through the rocks and desert until it was very dark, looking for my light.  No luck.  I've lost quite a few items on this trip and I was mad at myself about this one.  Oh well. 

Nice Sedona sunset

Shooting some cans in the desert

View of Sedona from Lime Kiln Trail

Arizona - Chapter 5 -- Camp Verde to Cottonwood

It's always a process to pack up my things and stuff them into my tiny bike bags just so.  There is barely any room, so it takes some serious origami and elbow grease.  I finally got this accomplished and set out to check out the nearby cliff dwellings,  named Montezuma Castle. 

Montezuma Castle didn't have anything to do with the Aztecs, but were the apartments of some people who lived there around 1200AD.  They have been extensively looted but there is an interpretive center to tell what these people did.   There was this mournful flute music being played.  I wondered to myself how anyone knew what kind of music these people played.  I figured it was a recording, but I turned a corner and saw that it was being played by a rotund man with a recorder.  He took a break for awhile and then started up with a few dramatic notes that sounded like the beginning of John Williams' Star Wars theme.  I was really excited for a moment but then he settled back into a sad, slow minor key melody.  So close...

After having had my fill of flute music and cliff dwellings, I pedaled on to Cottonwood.  The road was busy but it had a shoulder.  It was damn hot, so I kept sucking water and cranking away.  At one point I crested a hill and saw a bicyclist standing on the shoulder.  I pulled up alongside him and asked if everything was OK.  He said he was fine... his name was Tim and he had just come out of the nearby desert where he had been camping out.  We ended up cruising together for a few miles on our way into town. 

I found a bike shop and got some air in my rear shock, then headed over to the state park to find a campsite.  The lady at the kiosk said it was $25 for a tent site.  That was kind of steep, I thought.  "May I go have a look at the site first?", I asked.  It was pretty important that there was some shade.  She said no, because a bicyclist might just decide to ride around and enjoy the park without paying.  If I were in a car, she said, I would be more trustworthy.   I was incredulous but kept my cool. I offered to leave my phone with her as collateral but she relented. 

The tent sites turned out to be pretty miserable.  No shade, just forlorn windswept asphalt.  The RV sites were nicer, but they were $35/night, which is quite a bit when you're just looking for a patch of grass.  So I pedaled back out of there and back into town. 

Then I inquired at an RV park if I could pitch a tent, but the proprietor said no.  I think he thought I was a vagrant.  Finally, I paid for a room at a local mom and pop motel which turned out to be very nice.  I felt kind of dumb having carried all of my camping gear around and not using it.  However, the shower was delightful and I slept well. 

 When I have cell service and a full battery, I listen to some tunes.

 Cliff dwellings at Montezuma Castle

 Rode with Tim on the way into Cottonwood

 This fellow at the bike shop in Cottonwood helped to pump up my rear shock

 Somebody looking for a handout

 Riding on the interstate isn't too much fun, but sometimes it's the only way.

Arizona - Chapter 4

Day 14 (?) Strawberry - Camp Verde

Mick at Certified Bicycles had suggested that I take Fossil Creek Road over to Camp Verde.  There are some access issues since Arizona decided to make it permit-only this year.  This was in response to huge crowds that left lots of trash and had to be rescued.  Apparently 200 people got rescued last year due to hiking out in the desert in flip flops, getting dehydrated, and calling for help.  So this summer there are a million signs for miles around saying the area is closed.

I was pretty worried as I pedaled down the road that I would get turned back.  I knew the highway didn't have a shoulder and wouldn't be pleasant.  Soon enough, I came upon a guard post that consisted of a couple of young park rangers and a truck.  A girl looked up from her book and I asked with great politeness if I could pass through.  She was wary and had to call her boss.  The boss showed up and extracted promises from me that I was prepared, that I knew the trail was rough, that I knew that I might die, and that I wouldn't stop and look at anything.  Reluctantly, they let me through. 

It turned out to be a really cool ride, and free from vehicle traffic which was nice.  The road descended really far down a canyon until it got to Fossil Creek, which supports a little forest along its banks.  It was a welcome change from the stark desert. 

I dismounted my bike and took a trail up to a waterfall that descended into a pool called the "Toilet Bowl".  It was scenic and idyllic, with some kids jumping off a rope swing and the remnants of an old dam.  I was kind of sad to notice that even in a permit area, in one of Arizona's must-see attractions, that there was still a decent amount of trash along the trail.  For comparison, at Hanging Lake Trail, a comparable in Colorado, there is nary a shred of trash even though it attracts probably 100,000 people per year.  I guess I'm beating a dead horse. 

Next I had to climb out the other side of the canyon, which was fairly arduous and hot but not excruciating.   The dirt road was well graded and smooth.  Unfortunately a cloud of biting gnats assaulted me every time I stopped, so I kept pedaling. 

After the climb, it was a smooth coast all the way down to Camp Verde, which was a tiny settlement that had a few farms supported by the nearby Verde River.  The USFS campground was hot and dusty with a smelly pit toilet in the middle.  So I pedaled on, getting a room at the Days Inn.  The proprietor looked and acted a bit like Travis Bickle.  I asked him if he was from Camp Verde, and he replied that he was from Southern California but he moved to Camp Verde "for a change of pace".  I'm pretty sure this meant that he probably was trying to escape a criminal record or a bounty on his head. 

Went to Denny's for a chef salad and slept well. 

 Friendly rangers at the Fossil Creek Road

 Headed into Fossil Creek Canyon

 A nice touch, especially if you are near death by dehydration

 The verdant Fossil Creek oasis

 Local wildlife

Stopping to filter some water.  Looks nice, but still plenty of cattle around.

Arizona - Chapter 3

My current whereabouts via satellite tracking can be found here:

https://share.delorme.com/RayDixon

Day 12 - Payson to Strawberry

This is a nice stretch of land, in the shadow of the Mogollan Rim.  Here one has gained elevation from southern Arizona, giving rise to cooler temperatures and more moisture which allows for piñon-juniper forests filled with deer and elk.  It's still dry and crispy compared with the relatively verdant Central Rockies, but it's a little less harsh than the south.

At Payson I visited Mick at Certified Bicycles, who suggested a route through Fossil Creek Canyon.  It turned out to be great info. We also talked at length about bicycling and outdoor pursuits in general.

I went out of town on the "Control Road" which turns to dirt and winds through the forest on its way to Pine.  It was almost totally deserted.  I would think there would be some more bicyclists on such a nice road, but there weren't any.  Perhaps it was because the road was pretty difficult after awhile.  It went up and down and up and down and wore me out pretty well.  I was looking for campsites as the sun was going down, but decided to press on for something better.  There was obvious evidence of camping but it was all adjacent to the road and covered in beer cans and trash.  For a state full of nature, Arizona doesn't give the impression that people care too much about keeping the place clean.  Not to sound like too much of a snob, but I couldn't help but compare it to Colorado, which is much, much cleaner.

I descended into Pine, where it started to rain.  There wasn't a campground in Pine, so I called a motel that wanted $150 for a night.  I said that was out of my price range and the lady offered to call the adjacent general store, whose proprietor had rooms out back for $75.  It turned out to be $95 but I was beat and hungry and there was a cold rain falling with nowhere else to camp, unless maybe I asked at a church or something.  It turned out to be a very nice place, although the fellow was pretty heavy-handed on gun rhetoric.  I got the "Duck Dynasty Suite", where there were creepy images of the old men from the TV show staring at me as I slept.  But it was clean and dry.  I went next door to a saloon where an all-male crowd was spending their paychecks on Budweiser.  In the corner were a couple older guys manning a table where there was a gun raffle.  Meat Loaf was on the jukebox as I came in, which was somewhat incongruous, but then that godawful "Boys Round Here" song came on and it made more sense.  I ordered a burger and left not a crumb.

 The Payson-Pine "Control Road"

 My accommodation in Strawberry, AZ

Proprietor's dog eating my shoes

"Boys 'Round Here" by Blake Shelton.  Merely listening to this song will lower your IQ:

Arizona - Chapter 2

My current whereabouts via satellite tracking can be found here:

https://share.delorme.com/RayDixon

Days 9-10, Wed-Thurs April 27-28

My read end was pretty sore so I recuperate in Superior, AZ for a day.  It's in a lovely setting but the town itself is a little run-down.  Superior is tied to the fortunes of nearby copper mines.  Notably, the Magma mine is next to town and was the main producer for most of the town's history.  However, it closed some years ago leaving behind a decrepit smelter and lots of waste rock.  Now a conglomerate wants to start a new large mine just outside of town.  The ore body is very deep.  So they plan to tunnel under the ore body to a depth of 7000 feet and mine it from underneath.   As the ore is removed, the surface will subside.  Eventually, there will be a huge crater on the surface.   Currently located in that area is a nice campground and climbing and mountain biking.  So those users are mostly against the project.   Also the Apaches (very recently) claim it as a religious area.  The project will probably happen anyway. 

I walked around town and ran into Slav and Yana, the Bulgarians.  They told me tales of camping for free and eating well.  They seem to be pros at this, much more than I. 

Had a Stromboli sandwich for dinner at a local pizza place.  The server was a muscular fellow with extensive facial tattoos.  He even had a paragraph written in cursive on his shaved skull.  As he bent down to write on the ticket, I tried to see what was written on his head, but I couldn't read it.  I wanted to ask but I was hesitant.  He was really effusive and friendly and probably would have told me.  He was about the friendliest guy in town. 

The next day, Amy Smith picked me up and took me to Phoenix.   We picked her 9-year-old daughter up from school which was pretty fun.  A lot of people there about my age... being parents.  The three of us went to Target where I bought a handheld camera that should work better than my cell phone.   We also went to a bike shop where I got a new saddle that is more comfortable.   It's still not exactly a Cadillac but it is better. 

We drove around the suburbs a bit and I marveled at the big houses and endless retail stores and huge shiny cars.

"Apache Leap", where the Apaches allegedly jumped off the cliff rather than get shot by Arizona soldiers.  Soon to be turned into an enormous crater.

Some Mexican goods at the market

Friday April 29 - Day 10 -- Globe to Roosevelt Lake

Amy dropped me off in Globe, where I went to the post office to pick up some new brake pads and a sleeping bag liner I ordered.  Then I had to ride to the other end of town to await the UPS driver, who had the jacket that I ordered, because UPS doesn't play nice with the post office.  Which resulted in me sitting around in the sun waiting for the driver to return.  But I got my jacket and was very happy about that.

The next morning, I cruised around on the sleepy main street until the library opened. There I unsuccessfully tried to update my Garmin.  Also had to go to Wal Mart for a couple of items so I left my bike under the watchful care of the garden department.   Perhaps this is the most trustworthy place in a Wal Mart?  Feels OK, anyhow. 

Headed out of Globe on a wide highway that eventually went up a long grade over a small mountain range.  A tough climb but not excruciating.   On the way downhill, the skies were dark and a cold wind blew.  Putting on my new jacket, I was comfortable.  At the bottom of the hill I passed another stopped touring bicyclist who had a long climb ahead of him.  Even though I had just completed the climb, I felt a little sorry for him. 

Stopped into a remote roadside market to get a few snacks since I didn't know quite what was coming.  The ladies there were very nice and called ahead to see if I needed to pay to camp since I was on a bike.  Turns out that at this AZ state park, bicyclists get free camping and free hot showers.  Funny how you can pay a lot for something mediocre, yet sometimes pay nothing for something great.  They of course asked me what I was up to and were incredulous. I bade them farewell and pedaled another hour down the road to the state park campground.  On the way I saw numerous folks who had parked their RVs on the lake shore and were driving around on dirt bikes and ATVs.  I was happy not to share space with them since they are pretty loud. 

At the campground I drove around a closed gate and found a spot away from the RVs with generators.  Dark clouds rolled in and it rained pretty good off and on that night.  I just hung out in my tent and listened to podcasts, snug.  A lot of people bikepack with only a bivy sack for shelter but having a tent is nice in this situation.   With my new sleeping bag liner, I was warm and slept well with rain hitting the tent. 

Saturday April 30, Day 11, Roosevelt Lake to Payson

This was a pretty long and arduous day with some busy highway sections and a huge climb into Payson.  The road out of Roosevelt Lake was quiet but after awhile it turned into one of the main highways out of Phoenix.  

One highlight was stopping at a place called Joe's Corner.  It's a biker bar in the middle of nowhere.  I needed a break so I went in and got a burger.  The burger was pretty bad, but appetite is the best seasoning.  It was salty, at least.  There were some fat bikers in there that were chortling at my getup, which I ignored.  Have fun with COPD and heart failure, fellas. 

The rest of the day was pretty brutal.  It was cold in Payson I was hungry and tired, so I got a room.  At the hotel I tried to update my Garmin, but no luck getting an admin passcode from the manager.  Kinda wondering why I carry the thing and its accessories.  Having better luck with Delorme Earthmate on my phone... it lets you pre-download extensive maps for free.

The ever-receding "beach" at Roosevelt Lake.  The reservoir is only about half full and shrinking.

Roadside ammunition stand in Globe

Some truly excellent state park restrooms at Roosevelt Lake, with hot showers.

Post-rainstorm

Gues somebody got sick of listening to this guy

Arizona - Chapter 1

Please excuse the weird fonts and editing.  It's hard to do this on a phone.  

My current whereabouts via satellite tracking can be found here:

https://share.delorme.com/RayDixon

Day 1: Sierra Vista - Parker Canyon Lake

Driving into Sierra Vista, I first saw the blimp tethered about a half mile above town.  I read later that it contains a radar to detect illicit air traffic coming across the border.  Then, at a traffic light, a Predator drone fluttered above me while approaching to land.  They are serious about immigration / smuggling enforcement here.  But apparently the volume is so high that they can't stop it all.  Plus, the migrants/smugglers are ever more sophisticated.  They have all the tech -- night vision goggles, etc -- and the information on where law enforcement and sensors are located.  They probably have some inside connections as well.

The next morning I pedaled out of town. I went over some rolling hills on pavement until I got to the entrance to Coronado National Monument.  The border was a dark line of fence a couple of miles away.  But here there were ordinary ranches and American flags and smooth pavement.  I cycled into the monument where it was mostly deserted.  There was a visitors center where I stocked up my full 8 liter water capacity.  The road turned to dirt, and I headed uphill. 

I should have checked the maps first, although I don't know that I would have done anything differently.   The ride started off with a 5000 foot climb to Montezuma Pass.  This is ridiculously hard for someone who spent all winter in a sedentary job.  Sucking down water, I pedaled and pushed my bike up the switchbacks.  The sun beat down more as the day went on. After awhile, I was going from tree to tree and stopping in the meager shade.   I was totally crushed from the beginning but pushed on.  Finally I made it to the top, where I flopped down at a lookout point with shade.  There I spoke with some birdwatchers from Boise about this and that.  Mary and Chris were very nice but I don't know much about birds!  They shared with me some salami and chips which gave me much-needed salt.  

After a spell I continued down the other side of the mountain.  Near the bottom was a little dirt side road that led to the border.  My GPS said it was a 500 foot elevation drop (and return) but I figured I had to see it since I was so close.  So I turned on this little road and headed down.  

It is a little eerie, going to the border.  The place was utterly deserted, but I felt some unease all the same.  With all the hype about transient people in the neighborhood, I was jumpy.  I wasn't really worried about migrants, but the smugglers are some pretty bad dudes.  I am armed but I don't really want to be put in that situation.  So I spent a few minutes and took a picture at the border before heading back.  The border was just a barbed wire fence along a dirt two-track.  There was an anti-vehicle barrier along the bottom made of old rusty train rails.  

On the way back up, there were numerous beeping sounds coming from the surrounding shrubbery.  No doubt the motion detectors knew my presence and that I was being examined by some faraway (or nearby) video camera.  Apparently the authorities didn't think I was a threat and I passed on without contacting anyone.  

This was only half the journey that day.  I pedaled along a deserted dirt road for miles.  There were no more huge climbs but it was rolling country the whole way.  After awhile, all I could do was coast down the hills and walk my bike any uphill.  Even the straightaways were now so tough that I had to walk.  My butt hurt pretty badly.  After several hours and several false summits I spied Parker Canyon Lake down below.  As with every road around here, there were uphills even when it looks like it's downhill.  I couldn't even pedal the last hill into the campground -- I sat for awhile at the sign and then walked.  Eventually I rolled into the campground, which was lovely, and set up camp.  That night I was very cold but put on my pants atop my long johns and a down vest inside my sleeping bag and I was OK.  That seems to be a common theme for this trip: roasting during the day and freezing at night.

 At the border

Distance that day 

Total distance so far

Day 2: Parker Canyon Lake to somewhere in the Canelo Hills

This was a day that would live in infamy.  I thought for sure it would be an easy cruise to Patagonia, AZ -- a bit of a rest day after the beating I took the day before.  I spoke awhile at camp with a friendly birdwatcher, and it was 11am before I struck out.  This was a bad start since the sun starts really burning by about 11:30 am, as I probably should have known by now.

The trail started innocuously enough, descending into a canyon.  I played some tunes and felt really happy, hopping through rocks with views of faraway peaks.  Soon enough the trail became more technical.  I dismounted to walk down so I didn't injure myself.  The bike handled pretty well with all the gear, but it was still a bit ungainly.  The trail was rocky and sandy and not the greatest for loaded biking.  On the uphills I found myself pushing again.  Soon the uphills became really arduous and with the baking sun, I fould myself running out of energy.  

I wasn't that concerned with water since the trail was only 23 miles or something and I figured 4.5 liters would be plenty.  But with the trail becoming increasingly more difficult, coupled with the beating sun and almost zero shade, I was sucking down water like crazy.  It was so dry in those crispy sun-baked hills that I felt like I was losing a teaspoon of water every time I exhaled.  I started to worry a little about water, so I consulted my Arizona Trail guide which indicated several possible seasonal water sources.  If they existed, they would be trickling streams or stock tanks -- not the greatest but certainly usable.  Everything that the guide indicated might exist was dry as I passed it.  Bone dry.  I continued on 100 feet at a time, gasping for air and dreaming of shade.  After a time I checked my GPS and saw that I had only gone six miles.  I wasn't going to turn around, so I pressed on, thinking things would look up.  

Nothing got better as the day went on.  The searing sun was occasionally broken by the shadow of a soaring raptor.  It was completely silent and I was very much alone.  I started looking at my GPS to wonder if there was a road I could take to get out of this mess.  There were a couple of roads indicated but it's difficult to tell where they go or what shape they are in.  Sometimes a road is marked that has been abandoned long ago and only goes up to an old mine or to nowhere at all.  

Sitting under a small tree, I took stock of my situation.   I was pushing so much weight uphill.   I had bought a $200 camera for the trip that was awkward and ungainly but I figured I could mail it back to myself at the next post office.  I had 50 rounds of 9mm target ammunition that I thought would be fun to shoot in the desert.  I shot one bullet out of boredom and threw the rest in the desert, saving myself a couple of pounds.  I considered leaving my bike and walking, then coming back to get the bike after I was in better shape.  But I didn't do that either.  I ended up pushing my bike to the next indicated road crossing, which was rough and appeared to meander in an undefined direction away from where I wanted to go.  So I kept walking/pedaling.  I figured if all else failed I could camp out here but it was all thorns and rocks and perhaps also undesirable people.  

At the next intersection there were a couple of roads which split off into different directions.  With rapidly depleting water and heat exhaustion, I was done with the hills and wanted just to get back down to a paved road that led to civilization.  I clicked on my Garmin to figure out where to go, and... nothing.  I tried it again and again and was met with a black screen.  I smacked it and tapped and changed the batteries, nothing.  So my only choice was the trail (indicated by a narrow map on my phone app -- with no outside information) or some road that led... anywhere.  I elected to stay on the trail because there was a potential water source ahead.  I descended into another canyon and into a clump of dark trees where the alleged water source was.  But there was nothing but sand.

Stumbling and pushing my bike, I headed out of the canyon on the other side.  At this point, I finally decided to pull out the stops.  At the risk of terrifying my mother, I sent her a text on my Delorme Earthmate satellite tracker (a five-star piece of equipment, by the way) and asked her to find me a way out on Google Earth.   She soon determined where I was and found a road that would lead me out.  After many satellite texts and several wrong turns (it's a 10 minute interval for tracking points), I was on a road that would lead me somewhere.  A ghost town, actually, but with the possibility of water.  Along the way, I passed a stock tank that has some brownish water covered in algae and flies.  Since I was still about 9 miles from the ghost town which may or may not have water (and didn't, in the end), I decided to fill a two liter bag of the stuff, not wanting to look at it.  Later I would filter this and add some chemical treatment for good measure.  It turned out clear and palatable.

The sun was setting just as I got on the new road.  It became apparent that I would be camping out somewhere soon.  I eventually found a spot off the road, with a commanding view.  It was really nice just to stop.  Keeping an eye out for snakes in the gloom, I set about making a camp and then rehydrating some food with my newly acquired water.  I slurped my envelope of chicken and rice in the dark and then crawled into bed.  I can't say that it was the most restful night, since I was jumping at any noise.  The Border Patrol helicopters flying overhead gave me scant relief.

 Yeah, I had to drink this

Day 3 - Canelo Hills to Sonoita

After the sun rose enough to take away the morning chill, I emerged from my tent in my dusty camp. I made a cup of coffee that was composed of the previous day's cattle water which was also mixed with berry electrolyte powder. It was the worst cup of coffee I have ever had. But I drank most of it anyway.

I pedaled/pushed my bike up the rocky road until I found some pavement. It was a wide and smooth road which allowed me to zoom 26 miles into Sonoita. It couldn't have come sooner because my butt was pretty sore.

At the little general store, I bought a drink and some chips and sat down to nosh. A tall and beautiful woman walked in, wearing western-style bedazzled jeans and a cowboy shirt. She was also wearing a modern full-frame polymer pistol in a hip holster. Open carry is legal in Arizona, and there are some rough characters in these parts. But everyone sees you wearing it, which might bring some other issues.

Across the street was the post office, where I went to mail back some things I no longer wanted to carry. My camera is boxy and awkward and doesn't fit in a backpack well. So they sold me a box for that and also a roll of tape for $3.99 so I could tape the box. The clerk assured me that I would need the tape in my travels. I was there trying to get rid of things, not acquire them! My bike has absolutely no space for anything non-essential. So I left the tape on the counter as I walked out. "Don't you want your tape?!" she cried.

Outside the post office I sat on a bench to think about what to do next. I wanted to make it to Tucson but the trail was very difficult and it was another 40 miles without services on the highway. As I was pondering in the midday heat, I talked to no less than three people who came up and asked me about my travels. Some offered advice and one woman said that what I was doing was impossible and that I should give up. Umm, thanks for that.

I opted to stay in Sonoita because the other options were uncomfortably difficult. So I got a room, scrubbed off my accumulated grime, and slept.

Day 4 - Sonoita to Tucson

This was a long day with varied experiences. I pedaled down the highway out of town. A glace at the rugged mountains which contained the Arizona Trail convinced me to take the road -- I wanted to move on out of the Sonoran Desert. Along the road there was lots of trash and empty water bottles and backpacks, presumably left by migrants who get picked up along the road after hiking along the washes. There were also lots of antennae and towers with cameras that the Border Patrol uses to surveil the area. Apparently the area from Tucson to the border is watched extensively using such electronic means, because once people make it to Tucson they assimilate and disappear.

There was a Border Patrol checkpoint along the highway and the officers (four of them, relaxed and chatting) waved me through with a smile. I pedaled on up to Tucson on the highway which mostly had a good shoulder and went downhill almost 2000 feet. As I reached the Tucson city limits, it got noticeably hotter and less comfortable. I decided to go to the Pima Air Museum since I had some extra time. It was further than I expected and I was suffering as I pulled in. They had a large collection of mostly military aircraft from all eras. I especially liked the Cold War machines.

Since it was now roasting hot and I was exhausted from the 50 mile ride already, I decided to take the city bus to the northern part of the city. At the bus stop I befriended a young man who just got to town from Miami and was living at a shelter. He told me some harrowing stories about getting robbed at homeless shelters and then gave me a day bus pass. He said they handed them out at the shelter all the time. He looked pretty clean-cut, had a job, and was trying to get his life in order.

On the two-hour bus journey I saw all manner of society, mostly down-and-out folks. I helped an old lady push her shopping cart onto the bus. It was loaded to the gills with food and clothes and blankets and whatnot. She had a sack of potatoes on top. She and I made conversation for awhile but it was sort of hard to understand where she was coming from. Worlds collide.

That night I stayed up in retail-land since I needed a couple of things at the REI. All the chain stores one could want.

Day 5 - Tucson to Oracle

I got back on the road out of Tucson into the hinterlands. It was shadeless and hot once more. I sucked down water and didn't feel too badly, but my butt was sore. I might need a new seat or a saddle pad. Along the way I stopped at a housing development named SaddleBrooke where someone had planted a small patch of green grass and some trees. There I took a siesta and pondered the name "SaddleBrooke", with the -e to make it sound more fancy. I suppose one could find a saddle around these parts, but not too many bubbling brooks.

I cruised into Oracle and stopped at the Circle K.  As I was walking in, a young tattooed man was yelling at his beat-up looking girlfriend to "get the fuck over here".  Another irradiated-looking guy stared at me and spat in the dust.  OK, then.  I had always wondered where "The Hills Have Eyes" was filmed. 

After inquiring about camping or a market, I left buying nothing.  I went down the road and saw a pizza place that was open, so I went in and got some pizza.  I shared the restaurant with a group of overweight and balding Harley riders with chain wallets and t-shirts with airbrushed skulls that proclaimed "Live to Ride" and "True Honor".  As silly as they look, I'll say that motorcycle riders are always really courteous to me on the roads. 

That night I pedaled on down the road to a campground at the foot of Mt Lemmon, which is an enormous climb.  I didn't know whether I would do it yet.  My confidence is usually much higher in the morning, so I figured I would wait until then to make a decision.

When I rolled into the campground, a drunk guy chased after me to ask about what I was doing and if I wanted to join their party.  He said I could pitch a tent with them.  I thanked him and demurred.  At about 10pm, a pickup truck slowly drove around the campground with its brights on and death metal blasting out the windows.  That must have been the welcoming committee.  But I managed to sleep eventually.

Day 6 - Mt Lemmon

This was an all-day, arduous climb.  Mt Lemmon rises about 5000 feet above Tucson, and road bikers use the paved road to train for races.  There is a bumpy dirt road that goes up the backside, which is the one I took.  I started strong, and then flagged at the end, conserving my energy by taking frequent breaks.  At the top was a pine forest of piñon and juniper, and winds howled.  It was significantly colder than the valley and getting colder as the sun went down.   I pedaled to a store where a tourist-weary clerk told me generally where the campground was.  Turns out it was a fairly difficult, sore butt ride to get there.  It was getting really cold by now but luckily I had a jacket that I hadn't worn yet.  I stopped to dig it out of my things and couldn't find it.  I looked everywhere, but it wasn't there.  Cursing and demoralized, I pedaled on into the cold headwind which was tearing through my lightweight cycling gear.  

Hoping that the campground would offer something good, I turned into the entrance.  It was in a canyon filled with widely-spaced trees.  There was barely any shelter from the wind.  I knew it was going to be a cold one, so I looked for any sort of shelter.  After a search, I found a boulder in a depression that looked like it would block the wind.  So I set up my tent there and got on to the process of making some food.  I dug out a packet of some dehydrated chicken and rice and some energy bars.  Shivering, I waited in the dark awhile for it to be ready.  Then I spooned it into my mouth, but I hadn't waited long enough for it to get soft, so I was crunching down the rice.  It wasn't very good anyway, so I folded the package and put it into the nearby bear box so I wouldn't attract visitors.  Then I retreated to my tent, wearing all the clothes I had.  It actually wasn't so bad, but I felt pretty forlorn. 

Day 7 - Mt Lemmon to Mammoth

In the morning I was happy to leave that campground behind.  It was beautiful and calm after the sun rose, and I pedaled with good energy back the way I came.  At the top of the dirt "back road" off the mountain, I met two touring cyclists named Slav and Yana who were from Bulgaria.  Their bikes were fully decked out with panniers and memorabilia.  They had traveled 10,000 miles so far, on a meandering tour from Alaska to Argentina. We talked a bit before I went on ahead.  I bounced down the road with aplomb on my mountain bike, feeling sorry for them behind me on touring bikes.  Turns out I would see them again a few days later.

The road back down the mountain was about 30 miles of bumps before I hit pavement again.  By that time, the afternoon winds had picked up.  Soon I was pushing into a stiff gusty headwind.  My eyeballs were coated with grit as I pedaled back into Oracle.  Looking for any sort of temporary respite, I stopped into a roadside steakhouse that seemed empty.  The proprietor was very cheerful and happy to see me.  I had a slice of strawberry pie with ice cream and some coffee and cheered right up.  As we talked, he said the road to Mammoth was a sustained downhill, only about 12 miles away.  I thanked him and paid and left with renewed confidence.  

He turned out to be right; the road was indeed flat and downhill all the way into the town of Mammoth, where I stopped at a mom and pop motel.  I walked down the street to get a burrito at a tiny shop and ate it outside on the porch.  As the sun set, I munched away until a guy with a big pickup truck parked directly in front of me.  He left his headlights on and his motor running as he left his vehicle and walked away.  Feeling a little weird with the bright lights trained on me in the dark as I sat at a table eating, I finished up and left.  Slept decently enough in my dusty room with a 15" television, which I briefly turned to a FOX news debate about which people are allowed to use which bathroom.  Weighty stuff.

Day 8 - Mammoth to Superior

This was a road ride through the Copper Valley, where I passed several vast copper mines.  The  largest one was at Ray, AZ.  You could see it from many miles away.  As I approached I realized that it was a series of mountains that had been shaved away.  I stopped at an overlook and stared down into the pit which was miles across.  Huge dump trucks and bulldozers looked like ants far below.  It was impressive.  After that I had to cross a small but steep mountain range along a narrow road.  Most drivers were courteous but I got buzzed pretty close by a PT Cruiser.  Once I was rear-ended in my car by a PT Cruiser, so I am now convinced that PT Cruiser drivers are the worst in all the lands.  Apologies to anyone reading this who drives one.  But let's just admit that you're a terrible driver too. 

The town of Superior sits at the foot of Apache Leap, a large rock palisade where the Apaches allegedly lept from rather than getting captured by US forces.  It is also the site of a proposed copper mine that will alter the area significantly.  More on that later. 

I got a room at a little motel that offers a discount for Arizona Trail users.  It had all the basics and was clean, but the neighbors were a little iffy.  Shirtless guy walking around with full body tats, yelling obscenities and driving in and out in his truck with stereo blasting.  But my butt was developing a sore and I needed to get off the bike for a day.  So I figured I'd stay and walk around town a bit while giving my butt a chance to heal.

 Abandoned rails near Hayden mine

 Several townspeople said not to drink the water, so I didnt. 

 AZ 177

Winkleman, AZ