The search for the perfect MTB ride continues

The search for mountain biking trails with limited maiming potential continues. Saturday, we hiked up from the Gerson trail head out by Starr Pass to investigate its possibilities. It's a lovely hiking trail, less sticky uppy rocks than the trail we've been hiking, but I don't see us riding it this year. However, we are pretty happy about a new, less rocky hike.

This is a little tableau at the top of the long climb.


This is cool, it's pumping water up from somewhere and flowing through so it doesn't get all green and scummy. It's for the horses.


Monday morning we set out to investigate the previously mentioned Sweetwater Preserve. But first, Jim had to pull thorns out of his tire and change the tube. It's just amazing to me that those skinny little things can work their way intact through all of that rubber. They are a bear to get out. We ended up using a sewing needle and a thimble, we'd stick it in on top of the thorn and smoosh it up.

The trail began with such promise, it lulled us into thinking maybe, this could be true love.

But no, love was not to be. As the trail went up it got narrower, more off camber and rockier. We would have been more willing to try it except for the fact that it's a hillside trail, and mistakes could result in departing the trail and going down the hillside. At one point I was hyperventilating, never a good sign. This is Jim waiting for me, I walked a lot of the rocky bits.


Isn't this housing perfection? They have a beautiful house with an unsullied view of the Sonoran Desert.
So, the search continues. One of the guys at the Ajo Bikestore gave us a few tips. One is a local ride, the other two are pretty far away. But, at least we're outside and pushing one's bike still counts as exercise.

There will be more desert pictures tomorrow - we were out today for awhile. New trails! New vistas!

It's Christmas Eve! Merry Christmas to you all.