Paula and I met Fred and Susan out at the Old Pueblo course. Couldn’t postulate any particular reason that Fred would want to ride here, can you?
I rarely get out to ride the course. I did the race (on teams) years ago, but the bonus lap on the Antelope Peak Challenge last year was my first time on the course in ~5 years. Why? It is a bit of a drive, sure, but I’m also just a “ride in circles” snob.
The course is “new” to me, and quite fun to ride.
June clued us into some of the SAMBO [sic] trails off the OP course, and straightaway we went looking. We spun up ‘Painter Boy’ for a bit before deciding it wasn’t going to tie in well for our purposes. Little did we know.
So we continued rounding out one “circle.”
I love the multi-color cholla forests out there!
That’s one smart barrel cactus, brain bursting out of its head.
“His / Hers” trail has ridden in well. One of the best parts of the course, I’d say.
Fred and I continued out for another lap, this time looking in more detail for the eastern end of Painter Boy. June’s directions were right on, and we soon found ourselves on faint but followable trail, heading north.
Who’s head is that? (Note the tusk)
We followed the trail to just below the “blinky” tower, which conveniently has a dirt road that ties into Willow Springs Road. I think it’s going into this year’s APC course and should serve to break up the monotony of dirt road. Trail sense required.
Antelope Peak is in the distance there, near where we turned around. We took the western fork on the way back, guessing it would take us back to the boneyard where Paula modeled the mask. It looked doubtful for a bit, and we saw other trails branching off to destinations unknown. But sure enough, I watched the stem of our GPS track on my little screen get closer and closer.
We rounded out the half lap by returning on His / Hers.
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