Tucson Day 6 - The Grand Finale - La Milagrosa (the miracle)

If your following this blog, I added to all the old post for this trip so be sure to go back and read about all six days.

 

Local Tucsonian Duncan was our trusty guide today. We started at the hike-a-bike trailhead for Bugs Springs. Burrrr! it was a cold start at 8:00 AM. Bugs is a fast ripping trail down to Prison Camp - another fast ripping trail! After a breather, we went up Molino Basin over a saddle then down the AZ Trail to the Miligrosa turn-off. What a trail! Tough climbing followed by even tougher descending! Duncan showed us a few moves on the "Waterfall" - yikes! Greg biffed it on a cactus - "Ouch" All and all, a great wrap to an epic week of riding in the brutal but beautiful Sonoran desert!!!

 

 a big hike-a-bike to warm us up

Still hiking..

Duncan ripping it up!

view from the top

The Waterfall!!

Greg ripping it up!

 Tom Ripping it!

yikes!  A snake.. I almost made it out of the desert without seeing one..

 

Fantasy Island Pictures..

 



Tucson, AZ. Day 5 - an easy day...Right!

 Two for one deal. Tom and Greg rode the Arizona Trail from Pistol Hill Road to the Three Bridges and back. About 19 miles in total. After a short recovery, we headed over to Fantasy Island and rode all of the main loops. 12 miles in total. Fast, twisty turny trails with some opportunities to catch air!! This was supposed to be an easy day, but we are feeling the accumulated effects of the trip!!

 Greg on the AZ Trail

Tom on the AZ Trail...

 

Day 4 data...

Tucson Day 4...Robles Tour

Wednesday already! Met our tour guide - Tim (AZTripper)- at the Star Pass trailhead in Tucson Mountain Park. Tim helped build the trails in Robles - our main destination today. Getting into Robles, we had to ride through a 4 foot high culvert under Ajo Way. A freaky experience! Robles features an assortment of rocky and fairly technical trails, although not in the league of Brown Mountain. Like many a day in Tucson, the riders had their share of tire issues. Greg sliced a sidewall and while he was fixing that, Tim discovered that he had a flat as well. The Camaro Loop featured an old Camaro body in a dry wash. We rode back under a six foot culvert - roomier but still messed with your head. Then, we rode a newish trail that skirts Cat Mountain - pretty danged technical, but fun!
 

 Twig and berries?

I look fresh....(not for long)

Camaro trail head..

Our guide for today, Tim (Thanks Tim!)

Tucson Day 3 data...

Sometimes you have to pay the price to ride here...ha, ha

Tucson Mountain Biking Trip - Day 3......

Today we rode The 50 Year Trail - a definite favorite among the Tucson fat tire sect. This trail system is located on the far northwest part of Tucson. Heck, it's not really Tucson, but close enough. Tom and Greg started from Catalina State Park, and rode the 50 year trail all the way North to the Chutes.  After the chutes, we grinded up the climb to the Upper 50 and turned left to blast down the Gem Trail and retraced our steps South to Catelina State Park. About 26 miles!

Another great day in the saddle!

 Greg entering the "Chutes"

 The Chutes feature eroded half pipes and smooth humps that beg you to catch air. Mucho fun!!

Greg rolling a big rock..

  

Tucson Trip, Day 2 - Part II

The second ride of the day was a fun little zone called Sweetwater Preserve.  The preserve is located in the eastern foothills of the Tucson Mountains of Southern Arizona, west of Tucson.  This park was laid out specific for mountain biking, although it's shared by hikers and equestrians too.  Ripping loops that are short but fun with not a lot of climbing.

The trails are well marked and signed

Yours truly among the giant saguaro's

desert (Mule) deer!  We saw six..

Greg's Notes:

 Our second ride of the day featured a tour of Sweetwater Preserve. This is a relatively new trail system on the west side of Tucson. Not a real big area, but the trail builders have done an outstanding job of sprinkling the area with a nice assortment of single-track trails. No big elevation changes here, but the trails are rocky and demand your attention. Tom and Greg saw a herd of six deer. Deer in the middle of the desert

- pretty cool!

 

Tucson Trip Day 2 - Part 1

Today we rode in the Pima County Tucson Mountain Park.  What a beautiful place, just spectacular view's everywhere you look.  We rode cougar trail up and over to Ringtail trail to Brown Mountain loop.  Huge climbing effort was needed to reach the top of Brown mountain.  Loose jagged rock techy climb.  Once at the top we were rewarded with grand views and a killer down hill.  Massive steps, loose rocks, tight switchbacks.  All while trying to avoid the prickly pear, giant saguaro cactus, hedgehog, teddy bear, and other assortment of cacti that are trying to reach out and stab you with twenty or more spines! 

Giant Saguaro Cactus

Greg attempting a tough left hand switchback turn

Nice hair!

Greg's notes:  The first part of our day featured a tour of the northwest part of Tucson Mountain Park, which is on the west side of the big city. Starting from the K16 parking area, Tom and Greg ventured up Couger Trail and descended down to Kinney Rd, before skirting the lower flanks of Browm Mountain. The trail around Brown starts off mellow enough, but then it sprouts teeth in the form of super-tough technical climbs that send your heart rate through the ceiling! After some scenic ridge line riding, the trail turns down and features rocks, drops, super-tight switchbacks and severe penalties for failure including potential undesirable encounters with a variety of cacti and countless sharp, pointy rocks!! In short, the kind of conditions some mountain bikers can't get enough of.