Monday, May 14, 2012

Day 62 - IMBA can KMA

Time for a mountain bike ride.  A little research tells me there is an IMBA epic ride within 30 minute drive of the campsite.  The Kentucky Camp trail (AKA Gardner Canyon) is listed as 38 miles (or 48 miles via the GPS track provided by Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists), and described as "some of the most scenic and fun riding in this part of the world".  Who am I to resist?

GPS track from Sonoran Desert MB

The Start/Finish/Parking point (seen above) is at the northernmost point of the trail.  The campsite is south of the trail, so I decided to cut-in near the middle of the two loops of the figure 8 (rightmost point above), and spend less time driving.

I arrived at the point where I wanted to park, but no trail in sight.  While still in the truck, I followed the GPS track for a kilometer.....two.....three.....  No sign of the trail.  I remembered that some of the trail consisted of ranch roads, so maybe this was just a long section of that.  I continued up to the point where the upper loop connects to the lower loop.  More road.  Not impressed so far.  An "epic mountain bike" ride should be mostly singletrack, not gravel road.  I decide to backtrack and travel to the real start/finish.  This section surely had to be singletrack.

20 minutes later I was there.  Sure enough, it started as singletrack.  May as well take a chance and unload the bike.  The trail starts with a slow slog through a sandy wash, then climbs one of the hundreds of rolling hills in the area.  A quick descent down the back side, cross a wash, then back up again.  This continues for a couple of miles, with the climbs being much longer than the descents.

A view of the rolling landscape

Within about three miles comes the first gravel road.  It lasts for a few hundred meters, then narrows to singletrack.  Much of the trail is 'reclaimed' road, where one of the tracks is used for a trail, and the other is slowly returning to nature.  I think just about everyone can support this type of trail.

Some of the reclaimed road

But soon enough, you're onto more road.  A section of this trail is also part of the 817 mile Arizona Trail, which is primarily traveled by horseback.  Because of this, that section cannot be overly technical.  At this point I realise my camera is missing.  Must have left it where I stopped for a snack about 20 minutes previously - downhill from my current location.  I could either go back for the camera now and likely keep going back to the truck, or continue on and take my chances picking it up on the return.  I decide that the latter is not really an option, and return for the camera.

I find it's still there.  Not surprising, since I've seen no one else yet on this day.  I stop for a drink of water, then decide that the day is still moderately young.  Why not go back up the hill and continue the ride.
Arizona Trail sign.  Couldn't take a picture the first time by.

This section was road, short singletrack, road, road, road.  I eventually come out to a main road, and the 'trail' crosses it.  The other side looks to be singletrack, but I know that is likely deceiving.

One more chance.  I ride another couple hundred meters, and sure enough it turns to gravel road again.  That's it.  I call no joy, and start back towards the truck.  The scenery didn't come close to its billing, so don't blame me for lack of pictures.  I took tons.  They all looked pretty much like the first one above.

I'll leave you with what I though was the most interesting part of the ride - all the different gate latches I needed to operate in order to continue on the 'epic trail'.

old-school.  simple, but effective
 my choice for best design.  simple, easy to latch/unlatch

oh, and the best part of singletrack of the day
it lasted about 30 seconds
 this one worked well, but I thought it was overly complex
 fairly simple lever system

Rode about 20 miles that day.  Far too much on gravel roads.  Thumbs down for me.  I really hope there was far more singletrack on the rest of the trail.  If not, shame on you IMBA.

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