Agua Caliente Pastures

Alan and I spent another superb evening of challenge out at the Agua Caliente trail. I rode my other bike this time but an still unsure which one is “better.” My lungs burned throughout the climb, a function of my tired state as well as the springtime pollen that is continually causing me greif.

At 90 degrees and sunny it was a bit warm but a large and ominous cloud quickly parked itself above the Catalinas, providing us with infinite shade. But I still couldn’t breathe. On one of the few flat sections of the route a large Gila Monster slithered across the trail. I scooted around and left him be. It was fairly obvious that he didn’t like our presence. Beautiful patterns, though.

I fared well on many of the challenges, yet struggled on others that I surely should have ridden. Alan lost his confidence fairly early, though he was out riding me on the downhills.

This time we shouldered our bikes for the walk to the saddle where we found the new “Agua Caliente Pastures.” The rancher in charge of this area has done some serious damage. The saddle is nothing like it was the last time I was here. Why ranching is allowed anywhere near this beautiful area is a mystery to me.

The downhill into Agua Caliente canyon is difficult but not all that interesting, until it gets impossible near the bottom. The cliffs on either side are awesome. This time we found the correct trail in the canyon that saves some boulder hopping in the wash. We were quickly hiking our bikes up onto La Milagrosa ridge.

The traverses and some of the climbs here are nicely rideable, but my energy stores were running low. The trails joins Milagrosa just in time for the ‘best part’ of the downhill. Slick rock and ledges galore. We both cleaned it to the wash crossing / climb out of the wash. It seemed easier, but I seem to think that every time I ride it.

There are still a few sections at the very bottom that I have never mustered the guts to ride. Nothing changed for this run. But it was highly enjoyable, as Milagrosa descents always are. Typical of Tucson riding, we saw no one on the trail.

On the return road ride I noticed a roadie running his bike on the side of Soldier trail. We stopped to help him fix his flat (he had no tools, no tube, no pump and was ~10 miles from home). My patch job wasn’t the best of my life, but I guess he had someone coming to pick him up anyway. He was amazed at our skill in changing flats. It’s a part of life when you ride off road in Tucson. No flats today, though.