With all the rain paranoia, I left Friday AM to catch the Bug up on Mt. Lemmon. I was so impressed / enthralled by the descent of Bug Springs last weekend that I had to go back.
Meet my shuttle,
Nothing like the good old inclined plane to gain some quick elevation. 3200′ to be exact, and that took about 1:20. Pace was quickened by attacking roadies, and slowed by vicious head winds.
Two roadies, in particular, caught and dropped me without much effort. I held on for a bit, then uttered, “too rich for my blood.”
I saw them about a mile later, getting jackets from a vehicle. They laughed, “we’ve got a SAG wagon… we’ll try to catch you again.” I turned on the afterburners to roll out the last mile to Bug Springs so I could turn off unseen. They’d be chasing a ghost for the next few miles.
The pump was primed, so the leg/lung burning climb on Bugs flowed well. Good lord this is a steep trail, and I’ve whined enough about it in the past, now it was time to shut up and ride it.
I tried, and I cleaned a lot more than last time, but I simply do not have the strength to ride it all. That’s a good thing.
I dropped in and found the creek dry — for the first 300 yards. I read that Mt. Lemmon received almost 5 inches of rain in last weekend’s storm, so it’s not too surprising to see water still running.
I portaged the pour-off and generally fumbled my way down the wash, happy to ride a few more rocks moves than last time. Then I spied a bench cut above me. I bushwacked up and began climbing – right back to where I’d been 10 minutes ago. More steep trail, but it beats the heck out of the portage. You have to know it’s there, though, because they have yet to connect the last ~20 feet at the top.
I was disappointed to see that trail ‘construction’ has continued further down the canyon, turning a narrow almost-trail into a two foot wide, bumpy scar. Still, it’s a pristine little canyon, and I’ll not complain any time I’m privileged to ramble down it.
If you liked the feel of the ‘old’ Bugs, catch it while you can – they are making rapid progress on trail building.
Descending from the Hoodoo’s was even better than I remembered it – unlike any other Tucson area trail. They did a great job here. I found another new tidbit of trail that connects Bugs directly to Prison Camp.
More descending bliss on Prison Camp, where I started to become unglued, yet again. Food was the answer, and the climb over Molino went very, very well. They rerouted a section of that trail that used to get (and frustrate) me every time. Now it’s this perfect little gradual grade.
I met three hikers whose burning question was, “what if you crash or get a mechanical out here by yourself, what’s your contingency for that?”
“My contingency is hope.”
(that none of that happens)
I told them I have two tubes, tools, pump, other spare parts (pads, der. hanger) and first aid supplies, but, over a lifetime of mountain biking, I’ve learned (fairly well) how to be self-sufficient and minimize the risks.
That’s the theory, anyway. They then made the point that life is full of dangers, and better to take chances living it than living in fear of it.
How refreshing.
The thought of crashing does come to mind, often, while descending towards Milagrosa and beyond. So I walked a few spots, and I rode a whole slew of others. The Leviathan was making a strong case against the Behemoth for downhill prowess, and I came away quite impressed.
I rode much further down ‘the Gauntlet’ than I thought I would. When you’re hitting lines spot on, it’s kinda hard to stop.
Ah, Milagrosa. A better end for a ride, there is none.
By the end, even on the Lev, I was feeling pretty beat up, and I longed for the ‘moth. Next time.
30 miles
6400’ climbing (somehow the downhill manages to gain just as much as the uphill, despite losing 3000’+ as it goes)
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