There was talk of rain all day, but it was just the usual paranoia. 48 and patchy sun as I left the house at 8a.
Nice crisp morning for pedaling through the university. Lee, Zach and I met up with the TMP trail crew in the parking lot. We left on bike, they left on foot.
It’s been a while since I’ve ridden with Senor Blackwell. Too long. I miss his sense of humor and willingness to dream big. Zach peeled off after acupuncture trail having already logged enough miles for the day. Lee and I continued on to a roundabout loop around Golden Gate. Prospector was a treat, and climbing Golden Gate itself was interesting — probably the hardest climb in the park. I made a few of the staircases on the Lev, but a couple seemed just out of reach both on that bike, and on any bike. I was stuck in Behemoth (my longer travel bike) mode, and I really felt the limitation of the smaller bike today.
Lee launched down the frontside of Golden Gate and warp 9. I followed significantly slower. We made our way over to the Krein trail for some cactus lined techy climbing. There are numerous places on that trail that scare me (climbing). I’ve had some close calls unclipping into a saguaro or cholla.
Beautiful day. Wrapped it up meeting Lee at La Heradura on the way back through town. He told me of some mountain bikers who are riding Alaska->Chile and had just hiked/biked across the canyon as they traveled parallel to the AZT. Emphasis on the biked part — and showing very bad form at that. While the trail may be flat and rideable for a long portion, and I agree that it’s a free world and the land doesn’t “belong” to the US government, I would very much hate to see them ban bikes completely from the canyon, simply because some people think they are above the rules. If enough people “carry” their bikes across instead of actually carrying them, I don’t see any reason they wouldn’t ban them completely. Leaving miles of tire tracks in the snow and posting pictures of themselves RIDING in the canyon is, in my opinion, very bad form.
Still, I’m very much enjoying reading about their trip and hope to meet them as they pass near Tucson. It’s quite the trip.
Bad form, indeed. Though, I’ve always believed that there needs to be a full spectrum of action towards change. Whether civil rights, or mountain bike politics, sometimes there needs to be the radical element to contrast the more legitimate realm. And it is all right for those two worlds to disagree.
Crossing in the winter with a fully loaded Xtracycle on your back is a bit different than a speed-loaded short bike. And ohh those vices, you above most, must understand the temptation.
Good work on your website. I’m always stoked to see it updated.