Now the entire Coconino NF is Class ll which among effected uses: no fire works, campfires, chainsaws, or shooting air rifles. Last week’s rain wetted the vegetation temporarily but the air took it back quickly.
I rode Fri and yesterday. The showers on Thurs could have captured trail users as depressions from their foot steps left shallow cast in marks. Friday was Steve’s route for Chuck wagon and Mescal by parking where COF and OK Trail cross road. I was first to park at trail crossing. Ride took OK to AZ Cypress then climbing out of Dry Creek bottom on Snake which climbs mostly hence not having to reclimb the gained elevation. Connect to top end of Girdner, cross Dry Creek rd on Chuck Wagon. This trail gets lots of foot traffic as hikers are working their way to Devil’s Bridge to which I have never ventured as bikes are not allowed. Trail has several flat spots that create gloppy mud with the addition of water. The depth of the mud must be directly related to the amount of moisture added to a point, it never becomes quick sand. I did encounter several small puddles that I rode thru. I now have red dirt splatters on my bike. Not many visitors.
Chuck wagon ends at Long canyon road crossing becoming Mescal. It’s highlight is the traverse of the mountain on a wide ledge on slickrock. Pretty cool. Mescal dumps down onto Deadman cyn which is like a worn double track or just widened over years of users seeking to avoid rock. Gentle grade with several small lips to lift off. Bike is so stable and so nimble. I drop the seat and find the sweet spot on my big Catalyst flat pedals then let gravity pull me to center earth. Keep eyes peeled well down the trail to avoid poor interactions with other users. Cross the TH then Dry Creek rd again on Aerie, this piece is almost all rolled hard dirt. There is a high point where the dirt changes back to Sedona usual and a nice shallow grade carving turns to intersect Cockscomb. Aerie continues, maybe 12 riders started up as I arrived. Good for them, I have already paid sweat equity. Cockscomb uses an old power line with long dips and rises. Gravity for propulsion, muscle fire for uphill that gravity fails on. Turn left on Dawa which drops back down to Dry Creek. There are several fun moments on short downhills. Mixed in are several short climbs. Remember the uphill user is accorded the right away and all tread on the tread. A string of 3 women riders encountered me as I was pedaling up and they were letting gravity pull them. The first woman lessened her speed by riding about 4′ off trail on back slope. The other 2 slowed but still held the trail. I kept pedaling the outside edge of the trail as a statement. And they did not smile, 3rd infraction of Trail Love.
Back at the van several rigs had crammed their rigs almost jig locking me. It took a 2 point turn to clear them.
A shower at Snap, pick up new book: Hellfire Club, bought a piece of salmon for dinner, then headed back down to VOC driving out to Beaverhead where 2 rigs dropped anchor at closest spots leaving the far out 1 which I prefer empty. Wheel ruts were cast in the dried mud. Full on sun. I parked the van such that the passenger side was in the shade. The refrigerator is on that side. I sat outside reading the book. I did expose my naked skin to more natural tanning rays. Listening to Mariners home announcers calling the game and reading requires multitasking which I do not do well. Mariners lost to the A’s and I turned many pages.
Forecast predicted increasing temps like upper 80s to low 90s. Ride before heat of the day. I drove into VOC. I smeared a blob of sun screen on my nose and chap stick on my lips. Topped off my water bladder. I was not motivated, as a result I less aggressively challenged climbs.
The FS trail care crews added rock armoring or replaced existing. What i have learned is the armor needs to be usable to keep users on the armor. Plates and pitches, flat or on edge. And tight. Plates are longer but are slippery from tracked on sand. Pitches are rocks stood on edge to to speak which create traction cleats to overcome the slippery plates. When done correctly, but maybe lining trail edges to make travel there less desirable. This is a reworked piece on Llama. To me well done. I want to see how the armoring is affected by monsoons (if they happen late summer early fall). The trail wore below grade prior to correcting the armor.
The go around on Llama was still being used. As I finished the climb on the armor 2 older women hikers descended walking the go around. I didn’t say anything, I just stewed. Then I started putting rocks down on the exit off the armor. Robert, a local, arrived and pitched in. What we put down will prolly be gone today. We rode together for rest of the ride. I lengthened my route as he pumped up my desire. He is must faster than me. He would stop to let me catch up then usually visited creating a rest spot. Temp reached the 90s.
I filled the solar shower and topped off water at the Bean, bought groceries, then drove out to MP4 spot. same 2 rigs still there. Continued reading Hellfire Club while listening to the Mariners game again. Exciting game and the same for the book. warm night allowing me to leave the side door open blocked by netting. I was in bed reading when I smelled skunk juice. First thought was did one climb into my van and this is what a skunk smells like. My bed overlaps the cabinet underneath it creating a blind spot. I peered underneath checking for that visitor which was not there. I grabbed my headlamp and switched the bean choice to high the swept my area with light: again all alone. The smell was short lived leading me to believe that a skunk carries its own odor.
I rode 6 days straight. Today, Sunday, I decided to rest. I made my scratch pancakes. I stopped at Oak Creek Espresso local coffee roaster to buy beans. An owner (?) turned me onto his special beans. recognition. Last night I brewed cold brew coffee which requires 10 to 14 hours of steeping in water to leach out the beans’ essence. Because cold water does not solve the acids and oils hot water does as a result the created concentrate is sweet and light. I mix concentrate to water 1 to 3. I made a 2nd cup which is unusual.
Rain has tested the van roof seam where I glopped sealant on. However rain was blown in around the door seal on the passenger door.