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| Big Bike Loop with BOB, AZ | | -
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| | Big Bike Loop with BOB, AZ | | | |
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Big Bike Loop with BOB, AZ
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| Mtn Biking | 70.09 Miles |
2,836 AEG |
| | Mtn Biking | 70.09 Miles | 2 Days 5 Hrs 7 Mns | | |
| 2,836 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | This was a 3-day/2 night 70+ mile bike loop, towing a BOB trailer. It was mostly on dirt, from my friend's house in SW Flagstaff, to Fort Tuthill, Woody Mountain Road, FR 526, FR 530, and on, getting close to White Horse Lake on the first day. (Note that I forgot to turn on my GPS at my friend's house. I was over a mile in when I turned it on at Fort Tuthill Park.)
DAY ONE: Along the way, I passed Roger's Lake, which is back to being a marsh again, after having been full in the spring. I had a nice paddle there in May. Other sights the first day: a cute chipmunk posed for me. I saw a big herd of elk cows and calves while on FR 526. Also of note, 526 became unrideable at one point, going down a very steep hill with nothing but giant rocks. I had to walk the bike down that and many other smaller inclines, with heavy trailer pushing me from behind, working the brakes. It was a Tuesday, and there was no one around. Good thing I didn't get hurt.
I opted out of going to W.H. Lake because when I got to the area nearby, I realized I'd have to go downhill, and then come back up again the next day. I continued on my loop, and camped near Scholz Lake instead, for a 34+ mile day.
DAY TWO found me riding across Garland Prairie, retracing part of yesterday's ride, heading for Parks. The road changes from dirt to pavement, back to dirt again, and finally is pavement on the steep pull up to Parks.
Highlight of day two was lunch at the Parks General Store and Deli, which makes a wonderful hamburger. An old boater friend and his wife, who live in Parks, joined me for the lunch. I was pretty exhausted by this point, and had developed a saddle sore, so after lunch I headed east on Route 66 out of Parks, and made camp not far from the edge of that settlement. I got some good rest, hidden in the woods, despite the freeway and train noises! I didn't know if I could continue the next day, but it turned out I was fine, after making some clothing adjustments. (If you REALLY want to know, I took the advice of seasoned bike tourers, and went commando. With padded bike shorts, you don't really need undies, it turns out.) Had I needed rescuing, a friend in Flag was available to pick me up. I'm glad I didn't need to be.
DAY THREE, I left my camp at 6 a.m., and rode east on Rt. 66, which becomes Brannigan Park Road. Some of this was so steep and gravelly I had to walk up the hills, but it wasn't far. Once I was up into Brannigan Park, it levels out and opens up into some of the prettiest scenery in Northern Arizona. I stopped to take some photos, and then headed for breakfast at the McDonald's in Bellemont.
From Bellemont, most cyclists will get on the freeway. This is the official bike route recommended by the Adventure Cycling Assn., the mapmakers for bike touring. However, I knew another way to go, which I had done before. I crossed the bridge at Bellemont to the south side of I-40, and turned east on Rt. 66. This ends after a couple miles, and then I hopped on the railroad right-of-way, a small two-track which is generally pretty easy to ride. I followed this until it gets near Naval Observatory Road. I'm glad I had scouted this out before, because otherwise it might have been difficult to figure out how to get on that road. Naval Observatory Road took me right to Rt. 66 on the west side of Flagstaff. I made my way through town, back to my car at my friend's house. 22 miles that third day, and not too exhausted, despite the heat. I was feeling good, had more days off, and thought about continuing on down Lake Mary Road, but decided to leave that for another day.
WRAPUP: I learned a lot about dirt touring with a BOB trailer on this trip. It is way too easy to overload the trailer, which I did, but I managed somehow. Next tour will be on my new touring bike, and mostly will be on pavement, with racks and panniers, no trailer. I will use the trailer again sometime, for a dirt tour, using the mountain bike, but will try to not overload it, and to put as much water on the actual bike as I can, instead of in the trailer, which makes it too heavy, and tippy (even with the Dromedary bag on bottom of the load.) |
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There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life. |
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