gotdurt
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- Joined
- May 13, 2004
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- Burnet-ish, Tx
- First Name
- Casey
- Last Name
- Fry
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We actually took this trip back in April, but I have been super busy since we got back, writing this report little by little. I quit working on it for a month or so, but discovered that I was quickly forgetting the details, so I finally pushed to finish it, as well as the videos for each day... sort of. Hopefully Scott won't be far behind, but he's studying for a PE exam, so we'll forgive him if he's a while longer... stay tuned for his version though, because he has more photos
And so it begins...
So one day in January I get this message from Scott [Tourmeister], asking what I thought about another trip to Arizona in the spring... Seven years had passed since our last Arizona adventure, and I didn't even have to think about it; I'm in!
Immediately I began the route obsessing... erm, planning, despite my schedule getting busier and busier. This route would be better than before, even better than the original 2007 route (not the executed one), before circumstance had its way with us. This route would have unknowns; lots of trails and connections that I hadn't fully explored; routes to test Scott's since-accumulated experience, developed skills, and his new bike; routes that would burn in our memories and provide us with stories to tell... What's more, this route would be flexible... elastic, if you will, allowing options and flexibility in the schedule.
I was useless Wednesday afternoon, and found myself packing (or repacking) all the way up until Scott [Tourmeister] and Roger [Rsquared] pulled up in my cul de sac at around 8:30 pm. With my bike and gear loaded, we were on our way to what might be my favorite place on earth, on our way to Arizona.
Despite highways lined with deer, the drive was uneventful; good conversation filled the night, and we made good time, arriving in Superior at 11am. With plenty of time to spare before heading into Gilbert to drop the truck and trailer off, we relaxed at the motel, had lunch at a surprisingly good asian restaurant, then moved on to the valley. The evening brought last minute adjustments to the bikes, and my last night in a bed for the rest of the trip... Roger and I set our clocks for 5:30am.
When I see this scene, I consider myself having arrived.
I apologize for the lack of photos and videos for the first 2.5 days… unfortunately I used my GoPro as my primary camera, and the card that I used for those days was later damaged (story later in the report), resulting in the loss of all of the videos and photos other than those taken on my old phone. Of course, wouldn’t you know, this would have also been the most impressive and exciting media as well…
Roger and I met bright and early and headed over to Los Hermanos for their awesome omelettes, while Scott got his beauty sleep and my friend Drew made is way from Mesa for an 8am departure. Drew was right on time, and we made our way south through town to find the start of FR4, aka Telegraph Canyon road.
Ready, waiting...
I chose FR4 as an alternative to the way we entered Box Canyon last time, to save us from starting the day on pavement, plus to add some interest to the route instead of the dirt road we took last time, which I had ridden many times before. I hadn't ridden FR4 since 2000, and then it was in the opposite direction; add to that the tendency for trails to change substantially over time, usually for the "worse" (better in my mind), so I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. Once on track, I led the way. The trail was even more entertaining than I remembered it, and before long we were back on track to make another attempt at the heck I put Scott through 7 years ago. It had to work this time though, because Drew wouldn't be available to bail us out this time, since he was riding with us...
Gila monsters are a rare sight:
This time I didn't miss the casita, hidden by palo verde trees, while racing through the Box Canyon wash, although Scott did since he was leading. I was disappointed that very little remained of the old adobe structure; just a few walls, at least one of which had been braced. The many times I had passed through before, it was complete, with roof, although worse for wear. There's a fence around it now, I assume to help discourage vandalism. After poking around a bit, we were on our way, and found Scott waiting at the turn-off to Martinez Canyon. This is where the challenges step up a level, the rest of the way to the Coke Ovens...
The trail to the Coke Ovens...
Roger and Scott opted for a different, "easier" line:
Video of Scott taking the "easy line"
It was getting warm, although not like last time. We didn't spend as much time resting this trip though, and it wasn't long before I found myself churning up the long climb that that finished-off Scott last time... Once at the top, I waited, and watched, as Roger and Scott reached the start of the steep ascent, loose with boulders, fingers crossed. It wasn't long before they both came to a stop. I waited before making my way down the long hill, a conservation effort, because this hill is more difficult to walk on than to ride. I finally started my way down, first stopping within earshot. Roger was able to get moving again, so I paused and waited to observe Scott. It became evident that he was having some sort of issue, so I continued my descent down. I discovered that Scott was having a tough time getting the KTM restarted... It finally fired though, and he was on his way up again. I watched as he disappeared over the crest that did him in 7 years ago, and began my long, exhausting struggle on foot back to the top, pausing frequently to catch my breath and let my legs recover...
Once at the top, I found Roger and Drew waiting, but Scott was long gone, apparently in an effort to keep his bike running. I re-mounted, and got moving again, only to feel a shifty, squirmy rear-end... My back tire was going flat. I caught up to Drew and Roger and told them how to get to the Coke Ovens, and my plan to head down to the river to begin my repair...
I made haste for the shade by the Gila River, riding as quickly, yet as gracefully as possible, milking all I could from what little air remained in my back tire. Tiptoeing down one of the rougher, trickier descents on the trail, doing my best not to damage my tire or rim, I passed Scott lying on his back in the trail... His bike was on the kickstand though, and his body appeared in a resting pose, so I continued to the river.
After a short rest at the infamous campsite from the last trip, I unloaded the beast and began to set up for the dreaded task of changing a tube trailside. It wasn't long before the rest of the crew arrived, and Scott entertained with stories of the site from our last visit, while I tried my best not to pinch the good tube going in.
Yay.
With the task completed, we began the portion of the loop that threw us off schedule 7 years ago: Battle Axe trail. Despite a somewhat brisk pace, it seemed like forever before we reached the point that we kept turning around at before, the off-camber climb that Scott, still suffering from fatigue and heat exhaustion at the time, refused to climb, especially not being 100% sure that it was the way out (although I was about 95% certain; good enough for me). I attacked the hill, which didn't seem so bad this time, not leaving time for second thought... Once over it, it wasn't long before we were racing through the beautiful canyon that I remembered from an exploratory ride with my friend Dan back in 2001. Before long, we pulled out onto the main Battle Axe Road, and in frustration I thought to myself, "that's it? That was what kept us camping at the river for 2 days?!"
The following are more pics that Drew took from this ride:
Teddy bear cholla, aka jumping cholla... run away!
Ajax Mine
Another (better) shot of the gila monster
The casita, or what's left of it...
I wish I had the video of this...
Roger, from when he and Drew rode to the coke ovens without me and Scott...
Once at highway 170, we bid farewell to Drew, then made our way to part 2 of the route, Devil's canyon. This was an experiment of sorts; despite countless hours digging and researching the area, I couldn't find anything about this trail, just some fragments on a couple of maps, but aerials showed it going all the way through. Studying the aerials and topography, as well as what I knew from some brief exploring in my 4x4 years ago, I knew that this short 8-9 mile trail held the possibility for some challenges, but also great reward in a surreal landscape. I left it up to the guys though, and once we reached the gate, they opted to give it a try. After a couple of miles of the winding, increasingly rough and steep climbs and descents, we reached a climb hat appeared to step things up in the challenge department... Already fatigued from our day to this point, we had a decision to make, and Roger's wisdom made it easy... So we turned around. Yes, I was disappointed, but I agreed it was the wiser thing to do.
Back on 170, we passed through Superior and made our way up 60 through the beautiful canyon to Globe, when I discovered that the guys were quite a ways behind, so I pulled over to wait, near where we would have exited Devil's Canyon. Once they arrived, we began to move again, and I suddenly realized that I had yet another flat tire... This time we patched it, and resumed our mission to save what remained of the day.
After a quick stop at Walmart, we made our way up the street to Wendy's to indulge on biggie-sized burgers, fries and drinks. As we sat in the corner stuffing our tired, dirty faces, we discussed what remained of the day, where we would camp, how long it would take to get there, etc. The site I had planned was a dramatic location, on big cliffs overlooking Roosevelt Lake. There wasn't much left of the day though, and the guys were tired. I joked about a hotel in town that my wife and I stayed at a couple of years ago that happened to have a hot tub... They didn't think it was too funny though, and pretty much insisted I take them there...
...
We actually took this trip back in April, but I have been super busy since we got back, writing this report little by little. I quit working on it for a month or so, but discovered that I was quickly forgetting the details, so I finally pushed to finish it, as well as the videos for each day... sort of. Hopefully Scott won't be far behind, but he's studying for a PE exam, so we'll forgive him if he's a while longer... stay tuned for his version though, because he has more photos
And so it begins...
So one day in January I get this message from Scott [Tourmeister], asking what I thought about another trip to Arizona in the spring... Seven years had passed since our last Arizona adventure, and I didn't even have to think about it; I'm in!
Immediately I began the route obsessing... erm, planning, despite my schedule getting busier and busier. This route would be better than before, even better than the original 2007 route (not the executed one), before circumstance had its way with us. This route would have unknowns; lots of trails and connections that I hadn't fully explored; routes to test Scott's since-accumulated experience, developed skills, and his new bike; routes that would burn in our memories and provide us with stories to tell... What's more, this route would be flexible... elastic, if you will, allowing options and flexibility in the schedule.
I was useless Wednesday afternoon, and found myself packing (or repacking) all the way up until Scott [Tourmeister] and Roger [Rsquared] pulled up in my cul de sac at around 8:30 pm. With my bike and gear loaded, we were on our way to what might be my favorite place on earth, on our way to Arizona.
Despite highways lined with deer, the drive was uneventful; good conversation filled the night, and we made good time, arriving in Superior at 11am. With plenty of time to spare before heading into Gilbert to drop the truck and trailer off, we relaxed at the motel, had lunch at a surprisingly good asian restaurant, then moved on to the valley. The evening brought last minute adjustments to the bikes, and my last night in a bed for the rest of the trip... Roger and I set our clocks for 5:30am.
When I see this scene, I consider myself having arrived.
Day 1: Superior to Globe
A grudge match
A grudge match
I apologize for the lack of photos and videos for the first 2.5 days… unfortunately I used my GoPro as my primary camera, and the card that I used for those days was later damaged (story later in the report), resulting in the loss of all of the videos and photos other than those taken on my old phone. Of course, wouldn’t you know, this would have also been the most impressive and exciting media as well…
Roger and I met bright and early and headed over to Los Hermanos for their awesome omelettes, while Scott got his beauty sleep and my friend Drew made is way from Mesa for an 8am departure. Drew was right on time, and we made our way south through town to find the start of FR4, aka Telegraph Canyon road.
Ready, waiting...
I chose FR4 as an alternative to the way we entered Box Canyon last time, to save us from starting the day on pavement, plus to add some interest to the route instead of the dirt road we took last time, which I had ridden many times before. I hadn't ridden FR4 since 2000, and then it was in the opposite direction; add to that the tendency for trails to change substantially over time, usually for the "worse" (better in my mind), so I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. Once on track, I led the way. The trail was even more entertaining than I remembered it, and before long we were back on track to make another attempt at the heck I put Scott through 7 years ago. It had to work this time though, because Drew wouldn't be available to bail us out this time, since he was riding with us...
Gila monsters are a rare sight:
This time I didn't miss the casita, hidden by palo verde trees, while racing through the Box Canyon wash, although Scott did since he was leading. I was disappointed that very little remained of the old adobe structure; just a few walls, at least one of which had been braced. The many times I had passed through before, it was complete, with roof, although worse for wear. There's a fence around it now, I assume to help discourage vandalism. After poking around a bit, we were on our way, and found Scott waiting at the turn-off to Martinez Canyon. This is where the challenges step up a level, the rest of the way to the Coke Ovens...
The trail to the Coke Ovens...
Roger and Scott opted for a different, "easier" line:
Video of Scott taking the "easy line"
It was getting warm, although not like last time. We didn't spend as much time resting this trip though, and it wasn't long before I found myself churning up the long climb that that finished-off Scott last time... Once at the top, I waited, and watched, as Roger and Scott reached the start of the steep ascent, loose with boulders, fingers crossed. It wasn't long before they both came to a stop. I waited before making my way down the long hill, a conservation effort, because this hill is more difficult to walk on than to ride. I finally started my way down, first stopping within earshot. Roger was able to get moving again, so I paused and waited to observe Scott. It became evident that he was having some sort of issue, so I continued my descent down. I discovered that Scott was having a tough time getting the KTM restarted... It finally fired though, and he was on his way up again. I watched as he disappeared over the crest that did him in 7 years ago, and began my long, exhausting struggle on foot back to the top, pausing frequently to catch my breath and let my legs recover...
Once at the top, I found Roger and Drew waiting, but Scott was long gone, apparently in an effort to keep his bike running. I re-mounted, and got moving again, only to feel a shifty, squirmy rear-end... My back tire was going flat. I caught up to Drew and Roger and told them how to get to the Coke Ovens, and my plan to head down to the river to begin my repair...
I made haste for the shade by the Gila River, riding as quickly, yet as gracefully as possible, milking all I could from what little air remained in my back tire. Tiptoeing down one of the rougher, trickier descents on the trail, doing my best not to damage my tire or rim, I passed Scott lying on his back in the trail... His bike was on the kickstand though, and his body appeared in a resting pose, so I continued to the river.
After a short rest at the infamous campsite from the last trip, I unloaded the beast and began to set up for the dreaded task of changing a tube trailside. It wasn't long before the rest of the crew arrived, and Scott entertained with stories of the site from our last visit, while I tried my best not to pinch the good tube going in.
Yay.
With the task completed, we began the portion of the loop that threw us off schedule 7 years ago: Battle Axe trail. Despite a somewhat brisk pace, it seemed like forever before we reached the point that we kept turning around at before, the off-camber climb that Scott, still suffering from fatigue and heat exhaustion at the time, refused to climb, especially not being 100% sure that it was the way out (although I was about 95% certain; good enough for me). I attacked the hill, which didn't seem so bad this time, not leaving time for second thought... Once over it, it wasn't long before we were racing through the beautiful canyon that I remembered from an exploratory ride with my friend Dan back in 2001. Before long, we pulled out onto the main Battle Axe Road, and in frustration I thought to myself, "that's it? That was what kept us camping at the river for 2 days?!"
The following are more pics that Drew took from this ride:
Teddy bear cholla, aka jumping cholla... run away!
Ajax Mine
Another (better) shot of the gila monster
The casita, or what's left of it...
I wish I had the video of this...
Roger, from when he and Drew rode to the coke ovens without me and Scott...
Once at highway 170, we bid farewell to Drew, then made our way to part 2 of the route, Devil's canyon. This was an experiment of sorts; despite countless hours digging and researching the area, I couldn't find anything about this trail, just some fragments on a couple of maps, but aerials showed it going all the way through. Studying the aerials and topography, as well as what I knew from some brief exploring in my 4x4 years ago, I knew that this short 8-9 mile trail held the possibility for some challenges, but also great reward in a surreal landscape. I left it up to the guys though, and once we reached the gate, they opted to give it a try. After a couple of miles of the winding, increasingly rough and steep climbs and descents, we reached a climb hat appeared to step things up in the challenge department... Already fatigued from our day to this point, we had a decision to make, and Roger's wisdom made it easy... So we turned around. Yes, I was disappointed, but I agreed it was the wiser thing to do.
Back on 170, we passed through Superior and made our way up 60 through the beautiful canyon to Globe, when I discovered that the guys were quite a ways behind, so I pulled over to wait, near where we would have exited Devil's Canyon. Once they arrived, we began to move again, and I suddenly realized that I had yet another flat tire... This time we patched it, and resumed our mission to save what remained of the day.
After a quick stop at Walmart, we made our way up the street to Wendy's to indulge on biggie-sized burgers, fries and drinks. As we sat in the corner stuffing our tired, dirty faces, we discussed what remained of the day, where we would camp, how long it would take to get there, etc. The site I had planned was a dramatic location, on big cliffs overlooking Roosevelt Lake. There wasn't much left of the day though, and the guys were tired. I joked about a hotel in town that my wife and I stayed at a couple of years ago that happened to have a hot tub... They didn't think it was too funny though, and pretty much insisted I take them there...
...
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