Area 52 East

Louis and I spent another day out on the orange rock.

First we took a few runs on the toilet tubes:

I had some fun in Photoshop on that one. I’ve always wondered how people combine multiple exposures of a moving figure.

I uncharacteristically hit a couple of drops I’d normally chicken out on. Hayes Trail Strokers and Mike’s secret V1 tires sure helped in the confidence department. I remain ambivalent as to whether my preservation / chicken instinct is one worth actively fighting.

Next we headed for the waterfall.

And found frozen water…

At the lower waterfall we surveyed the east mesa-ette. 100% new ground for me, and it had been several years since Louis had been there.

After dropping steeply away from the waterfall, exiting the main Area 52 mesa, Louis found the wash too tempting, so we rode up it for a while. I lost a little flesh, but it was an interesting journey. Temptation pulled us further up the wash, even when it shut us out with vegetation. We were searching for an “on-ramp” to the middle mesa, but none was to be found. We did, however, find an interesting piece of singletrack.

Moto-cut, seemingly fresh, and heading along the southern wall of Area 52 proper, but to destinations unknown. Exploration for another day.

We followed it away from A52, through a fence, then approached the east Mesa-ette from the south.

Here we found the death ray zone, a wide area clear of vegetation. In Arizona?!

We explored some great new areas; my eyes were opened to more potential. I didn’t see a whole world of big lines, but plenty of fun riding, clear area, lack of exposure, etc. In short, huge potential for ‘trail’, should it ever get to that stage out here.

The sun started dropping, as it always does, and we headed north through more unfamiliar terrain. Except for one scramble in the disgustingly-loose kitty litter white rock, we had a great time riding back to the truck.

Best ride I’ve had out there and probably one of the best rides of the year. I cannot wait to go back.

6.5 hours, 3800′ climbing and a jaw-dropping 12 miles.