Sonorasaur

Louis and I rolled up to Cherry Tank environs, the stomping grounds of the legendary Sonorasaurus.

Louis, about to roll down the back of the Sonorasaur (real dinosaur, but also the biggest patch ‘o solid rock I’ve seen in Southern AZ).

We gorged like a ‘saur on other free ride tasties in the area.

Look at all that rock! *Dreamy Eyes*

I followed Louis’ line of incredulousity between ocotillo, dodging bramble, down pucker steep rock. Seat to the chest and already losing my grip on reality, there was at once a oak tree at chest level. Tire tracks led right under it!? Now I see what all the whooping was about. Freeride mojo supreme.

Then the light exploded.

You wouldn’t think you could ride 90% of what we rode. Trust in the Louis neural map. And, in your ability to ride a bicycle, steep and on the cusp of chaos.

There wasn’t much time to spare. I knew we’d be rolling out in the dark, but didn’t care.

The Louis shaped blur finally became focused and stationary here:

“Alright, Are You Ready For This?”

Confidence waning as quickly as the ambient light, my answer was unspoken and should have been “hell no.” Follow and imitate, pull up and hope. Umpphfff..

“I guess you are. You’re a rock star!”

Above the Chasm of Doom I again found myself in the air and the darkness, unsure of how much to yank the handlebars. A little faith went a long way.

I didn’t know what we were doing, but gradually noticed we were coming off the Northwest Passage and were going to tie into the High 50. I flipped on the light and scared myself stupid on the first High Jinx steep. Louis rode them without lights.

We rolled out Mid Gate, where Louis peeled off for home.

Weak cirrus formations were just enough to diffuse but not obscure the reflected sunlight. Alone with the silence and the solitude, the sounds of the coyotes and my tires. Watching boulders appear and disappear in the periphery. My sleeves were white and glowing, giving the unmistakable sensation of watching myself, out-of-body.

Night riding is rarely this good, with perfection in moonlight, temperature and mental state. I rode it for all it was worth, and then some.