Marilyn, Joe, and I rode at Granite Mountain on Sunday.
Category: Biking (page 1 of 3)
On Saturday, Joe and I did a short hike in the Competitive Track Area of McDowell Mountain Park. We came across a small group of riders who were participating in a mountain biking skills clinic. We came across them as they were learning about how to negotiate the second drop at the beginning of the Technical Loop. Below is a photo of one of the students rolling the drop.
After our Friday Hike, a number of us stopped by the visitor’s center. There, we found Ranger Amy talking to (and taking photos of) Sandy and her eclectus parrot, Chaco. Sandy rides long distances on her mountain bike with Chaco perched on her shoulder.
After taking the photos of Sandy riding with Chaco, she passed Chaco over to Linda to hold…
These were the leaders at the time that we encountered the “Marathon” mountain bike racers during our hike of the Scenic Trail on Saturday.
Marilyn, Marie, and I rode our bikes on Wednesday, June 4. (Marie’s bike was a rental from Rim Cyclery.)
Friday’s Hike started from the Wagner Trailhead. We hiked Wagner to Granite, and went right on Granite. The group split up in the large wash just past Stoneman Wash (which feeds back into Stoneman Wash). Amy finished the hike with most of the group, continuing on to Bluff, then down Bluff back to Granite and Wagner. The short hike was about five miles long. Those of us who did the long hike made our way up to Pemberton at which point we returned via the Delsie, Wagner, and Granite trails, for a total distance of ten miles.
I took this photo on Granite Trail just before the group split up. The red flowers are chuparosa. I don’t recall what the white ones are.
From left to right are Nick, Lena, Venie, Bob, Norm, Hiungi, Alan, Jill, George, Amy, Ellen, and Nancy.
A view of the McDowells in the distance.
A look back up from within a rock strewn wash.
A view of Weaver’s Needle in the distance.
Blooming Chuparosa bushes add color to the desert at this time of year.
A flat panel of varnished granite:
A panorama showing the area we visited.
The same quartz outcropping that we visited two weeks ago:
Lena:
The McDowells in the distance with quartz in the foreground.
A view of Morrell’s Wall and Tom’s Thumb in the distance.
Nick and Lena hiking down the Pemberton Trail towards Granite Tank:
Dead wood on the Delsie Trail.
We saw a lot of cyclists riding up the Delsie Trail.
Marilyn, Nick, and I did a big loop out in the Granite Mountain area on Sunday. We did a loop starting at the Granite Mountain Trailhead just off of 136th St. We rode Bootlegger to Granite Mountain Loop Trail, and turned left. From there it was Granite Mountain loop Trail to Balanced Rock Trail; Balanced Rock Trail to Chuck Wagon Trail; Chuck Wagon Trail to Powerline Road #2; turn right; Powerline Road to Vaquero Trail; turn right; Vaquero Trail to Wrangler Trail; Wrangler Trail to Cone Mtn. Trail; Cone Mountain Trail to Upper Ranch Trail; turn left; Upper Ranch Trail to Brown’s Ranch Road; turn right; Brown’s Ranch Road to Corral Trail; turn left; Corral Trail to Dry Gulch Trail; Dry Gulch to cholla Mtn Loop Trail; turn left; Cholla Mtn. Loop Trail to Branding Iron Trail; Branding Iron to Granite Mountain Loop Trail; turn left; Granite Mountain Loop Trail to Bootlegger; Bootlegger back to parking area. Total distance was somewhat over 16.5 miles.
Photos from last Sunday’s ride with Nick and Marilyn:
Marilyn and I rode with Linda at Granite Mountain last Saturday.
