Newness...I'm surrounded by it. Springtime in the fall.
The blog silence is a good sign in this case...I've been deep into my own version of a 16 day stage race. What's that mean? Well, it's part of the grand plan for that upcoming desert rumble...and given the foot status I was a bit limited to what I could do and when. 'Tis fine cause I like playing catch up ;)
Rides have been like this: stick my head out the door and see what chunk of unexplored horizon fascinates, consult the maps, plan a route, toss the filter and a prayer in the pack, head out for 60-80 miles of dirt. Repeat. Sometimes it's great training, sometimes it's just good for the psyche. Most routes include a 3 hour climb - the low point is usually about 2500' and the high point about 7k. Lots of volcanic rock in the region means every other new route I explore is riddled with black rubble on the edge of unrideable. Luck of the draw.
There is so much big ride potential around here it boggles my mind. South is the AZ strip, public lands stretching to the GC. To the west is the Beaver Mtns and tons of singletrack then big mountain climbs. N and E is more singletrack and Pine Valley mtn, the highest point in the county - about 7k' higher than StG.
A visual sampling.
A climb I'm quite fond of on the slopes of Pine Valley Mtn. Grades of 25% make it a challenge. The goal for popping over this climb is a spigot controlled spring...nirvana in the desert.
A fork in the road? I couldn't decide so did them both. The author wasn't kidding about the boldervard part!
Cedar Pockets overlook. Pine Valley Mtn is the horizon line on the right; the big slanted uplift in the center is Blakes Lambing grounds, the location of 2 of my favorite climbs in the area. I may as well sell my road bike cause it's become redundant.
I've developed a real fondness for domestic critters. They mean water is close by.
Others have been to these places before me...
Another day begins in the land of golden horizons.
