Disappointment in New Mexico, Redemption in Arizona

On my route map New Mexico wasn't even a destination, but the section of New Mexico off I-10 isn't much of an improvement from old Mexico. This piqued my curiosity, so I stopped at the welcome center to what  NM had to offer. Turns out there are Indian cave dwellings not too far north. In the same area there is also the Signal Peak Trail. Unfortunately what they don't tell you at the travel center is the Indian dwellings are 2 hours each way from the closest city, the park closes at 4pm, and the roads aren't plowed on weekends. I arrived too late to make it to the dwellings on time, but I did have some daylight left to explore the Signal Peak Trail. The trailhead is 5 miles up a snow covered fire road. My attempt in the VW ended about half a mile up when the car slid into the water channel on the inside of a steep hairpin turn. Turns out there was a thick layer of ice under that thin layer of snow. Luckily with a little finesse and the aid of gravity I was able to get unstuck. I parked at the bottom of the road and broke out the mountain bike. The parking lot at the bottom of the fire road is at 7400' and the trail head is up at 8900'. Fun! Luckily I didn't have too much trouble with the altitude, but when I got to the trailhead it became obvious that the deep snow, grade of the trail, and dwindling daylight meant a ride was not going to be possible. Coming back down I had my first fall, which was more of bail as I slid on a patch of ice. Lucky for everyone I was testing a new perspective with the GoPro and managed to get footage. You're welcome.

When Shane falls in the forest, it doesn't count unless there's video evidence.

There were some cool views on the way down. From a clearing you could see through the snow covered pines all the way down into the dry and baron desert. 

I decided the best thing to do would be to head back into the desert for the night and try again first thing the next morning. This at least allowed me to check out the City of Rocks, which is a collection of large rocks in the middle of a field: a natural Stonehenge. 

Arriving early, I had the whole place to myself

From here I made another attempt up to the dwellings. Of course, it was lightly snowing on the mountain. I got within 10 miles before the car started having trouble pulling the hill in the snow covered ice. Sliding into a drainage wash out is one thing, sliding off the side of the mountain is another. Time to find something else to do. 

From here it was a 3 hour drive to Tucson. I've always had a soft spot for Arizona. The modern and clean cities, the inexpensive top-notch universities, the way the constant sweat and hazardous UV exposure levels give everyone a healthy glow. Cool place. The trip through the state has more than made up for the disappointment of New Mexico. After checking out Tuscon for awhile, I headed out to the trails in Casa Grande. Getting a half hour outside of Tucson, the only real evidence of civilization is the plethora of radio stations. The Casa Grande Trails are built on the side of a small and isolated mountain, and were a good mix of tricky rock sections, steep climbs, and flow.

Dark shadows and bright desert make for tough photography

From here, it was a short drive to Phoenix. I had been planning on hitting the Schultz Creek Trails in Flagstaff, but the weather forecasts were showing a high of 40 degrees. The Black Canyon Trails were at a lower altitude and looked like a good substitute. 

Arizona: Ride the Terrarium 

Actually, I'm surprised these trails aren't considered an epic. Bench cut flow trails that still maintain the unique qualities of the area with steep climbs and awe-inspiring views. Riding here is just plain fun, and with 70+ miles of trail should be on everyone's to-do list if they're in the area.

From here, I took Route 89A to Sedona. Route 89A from Prescott Valley goes up a mountain and has some pretty spectacular views.

Despite having spent more time than I anticipated at Black Canyon and the detour to take the scenic route, I arrived in Sedona with enough time to get a quick ride in. The Cathedral Rock trails are definitely not indicative of riding in the Sedona area. These are multi-use trails that are setup more for hiking. With that said, there were some singletrack offshoots that had fun banked turns, rock features, and dry creek crossings. Also, the views.

So much to look at

Leaving at sunset, I continued up Route 89A and could still make out some of the features of Oak Canyon. Today was outstanding.

4,300 miles down, and its only getting harder with sunrise/sunset times varying by up to an hour depending upon where I am in the time zone. Also, altitude affects temperatures by up to 30 degrees. Its all a little disorienting. Tomorrows agenda includes monument valley and the grand canyon. Weather looks sketchy, we'll see how it goes.