Socializing

I commute by bike more often than not. I ride a number of different routes throughout the year, which keeps things from getting too monotonous. A couple of weeks ago, while riding to and from work through an area north of home, I spied what looked like a narrow, sinuous trail snaking off into the desert. In another place, I noticed a sign at a gap between some mesquites that says that the route is primitive and unmaintained. I typically commute on a road bike, so I can't really take off into the dirt and, of course, I have to arrive at work somewhat timely or get home before dark. Last weekend, I recruited BeanSS and we rode to one of these potential trailheads with mountain bikes. What we found were Social Trails.

One seems like a partially-abandoned service road, another is tracked with horseshoes, indicating it's an informal bridle trail, and yet others are power or gas line rights-of-way. And damn if some of what I found on a solo excursion this afternoon isn't genuine singletrack. Two other segments (that I already knew about) are just hilly, unpaved streets with enough rocks and ruts to keep things at least a little bit interesting. Linking it all together makes for a nice little ride.

I won't say where these trails are, because despite the complete absence of "No Trespassing" signs and barbed wire, the whole thing kinda' feels like a poach. Also, I sort of like the idea (though it's more than likely not the reality) that BeanSS and I are the only mountain bikers that know about them. All I'm willing to share are the names I've given them and which appear on no map: Wash (it traverses an ephemeral channel), Cairn Terrier (not the dog breed - someone built a rock cairn along the route and there are some angry little terriers of uncertain ancestry in an adjacent yard), Big Valley (self explanatory), and Low Line (there's a telephone line strung so low that I could jump up and grab it).

I'm also aware that I need to go somewhere other than where I can pedal to from home and ride real trails with actual names. Until then, I'll just be social.

More photography

Posting and captioning photos is way easier than trying to be witty in paragraph after paragraph.

Here's BeanSS making the ascent into the trail system - such as it is - at the west campus of Pima Community College. Notice the long shadows just before sunset.

BeanSS again, looking radiant in the still-setting sun.

Not one minute later - where the hell did the sun go? I suppose we knew this was going to happen, because we at least had the sense to leave the dark sunglasses at home.

The concern over the dwindling daylight was due to the fact that all we had were these tiny little lights. Look closely, and you can see one on my bars. There's a similar one with a red lens on the seatpost. A pair of dinky LEDs powered by watch batteries the size of as nickel were going to have to get us through the ride, including dicing it up with cars on the pavement sections on the way back home.

 

Well, screw the little lights and the oncoming twilight, we had a ride to finish.

 

It all ended up OK, but next time we set out for what we think is going to become a night ride, we're bringing our real bike lights.

Photographic records

This is the short story of a recent ride, told with photos.

Singlespeeds aired up and ready to roll.

Bartlett wouldn't get far this way because the nearby trail spur is a dead end.
 

BeanSS!

 

Stonehenge-esque arrangement of rocks. This was a lot of work for somebody (or something?), especially since there are no rocks of this size in the vicinity.

 

Out of the saddle on what looks like flat ground but is actually a hill. It certainly felt steep at the time.

Full suspension? Gears? How did that get in here? For what it's worth, this transgression resulted in two flat tires in just over a dozen miles of riding.

 

Now, back to the story. This is my ridiculous, cruelty-free, recyclable, post-ride footwear choice.

 

One beard, two beers - a recovery drink that may somehow be related to the recent return of my beer gut.