Mountain, Cross and Shuffleboard Nats
- Thread starter pixychick
- Start date
Nothing out of the ordinary happening out here. Cactus are starting to bloom 😍. My garden is looking great! Gophers still eat some flowers, but so far, it looks like a few wildflowers will make it to seed for next year. Two pairs of Oriole's are active daily. I think they live in our neighbors palm trees. My guess is that they are siblings because the two males tolerate each other.
As for riding, we have been getting out, but I have been a bit mellow, and looking around. I did go to Honeybee yesterday which is like the Allaire of Tucson as it is very popular in winter. They just built a solar farm in there and improved the road in, creating another access point and the possibility to hit the northern half without having to ride 30 miles. I like that, as I was able to ride what they call "the north 40" and "window rock" for the first time this year. I sort of have a 2 hour limit in this place, so the parking at the north end works for me. Between the dogs barking and the coyotes yipping, sleep has not been too great the last few nights. Hoping for a peaceful night tonight. Maybe that will perk me up for a ride tomorrow.
As for riding, we have been getting out, but I have been a bit mellow, and looking around. I did go to Honeybee yesterday which is like the Allaire of Tucson as it is very popular in winter. They just built a solar farm in there and improved the road in, creating another access point and the possibility to hit the northern half without having to ride 30 miles. I like that, as I was able to ride what they call "the north 40" and "window rock" for the first time this year. I sort of have a 2 hour limit in this place, so the parking at the north end works for me. Between the dogs barking and the coyotes yipping, sleep has not been too great the last few nights. Hoping for a peaceful night tonight. Maybe that will perk me up for a ride tomorrow.
This is a Pope's hat cactus. The pictures were taken a few hours apart. Some cactus bloom really fast. That should give you an idea how strong the sun is out here.
I spent most of today in the shade. At 7% humidity, 90 degrees in the shade is quite comfortable.
Pencil cholla pre-bloom.
Posse of javelinas at my friends house just hangin.
I spent most of today in the shade. At 7% humidity, 90 degrees in the shade is quite comfortable.
Pencil cholla pre-bloom.
Posse of javelinas at my friends house just hangin.
I truly love riding Sedona. Its a place that changes me every time i ride there, even if its only for the time I'm there.
First gila monster sighting of the season! ... and it was a cute little one that walked up to Art for a moment. They are venomous but fairly docile. We had a super ride on our home trails. Had to ride early because things are starting to warm up out here. It is still really nice before noon or in the shade. Today we had a nice breeze.
Almost another week gone by and down to about 3 or 4 weeks left out here. I have been busy keeping up with the garden weeding and doing any necessary fertilizing and transplanting before we head back. I always make sure to fit in some relax time and enjoy the beautiful desert, and well, just be retired.
While we took two days off the bike because of high winds causing poor air quality, we did ride the rest of the week. We got up to "CP" and "Baby Jesus" for the first time this year. It was actually better than I thought it would be. Still a tad of water running in the washes and plenty of cows out and about. There still was some hike a bike, but I suppose some things never change. It would be nice if some day forest service was interested in trail improvements. In the mean time, an annual visit to this part of the mountain is ok. Check out the big oak where Art is perched. You do not find shade like that everywhere out here.
Flowers blooming and plenty of lizards and big spiders emerging. ... Life is good.
While we took two days off the bike because of high winds causing poor air quality, we did ride the rest of the week. We got up to "CP" and "Baby Jesus" for the first time this year. It was actually better than I thought it would be. Still a tad of water running in the washes and plenty of cows out and about. There still was some hike a bike, but I suppose some things never change. It would be nice if some day forest service was interested in trail improvements. In the mean time, an annual visit to this part of the mountain is ok. Check out the big oak where Art is perched. You do not find shade like that everywhere out here.
Flowers blooming and plenty of lizards and big spiders emerging. ... Life is good.
Today Art and I rode in the Tortolita's, which is basically across the valley to the west. A good part of them burned in 2020 along with the forest behind our house. Art had been up there last year but I had not. The ride over there makes for a long ride and I have not been feeling up for it. The new solar farm road grading through Honeybee trail system allows for us to drive 5 miles in to park, cutting a few hours off the ride and making it more doable for me. Just the pass in and out and the loop took me 2.5 moving hours. The wild flowers were incredible! I should have stopped for more pictures but I only stopped on the fire road to take pictures. I went for full enjoyment on the single track part of the loop. Smiles the whole way.
I have heard that a new trail to cut out the fire road climb over the pass is in the planning stages. The road sort of sucks as it is steep, loose and eroded. It double sucks because it is still the best route in to get to the "Ridgeline/Wild Buro" loop, and we need to do it in and back. That being said, the loop up there is very nice as it wraps around the tops of several mountains and is mostly side hill and interesting visually with rocks, views and wild flowers in spring. So still worth climbing the road to get up there. I am happy to be able to get up there once again.
I have heard that a new trail to cut out the fire road climb over the pass is in the planning stages. The road sort of sucks as it is steep, loose and eroded. It double sucks because it is still the best route in to get to the "Ridgeline/Wild Buro" loop, and we need to do it in and back. That being said, the loop up there is very nice as it wraps around the tops of several mountains and is mostly side hill and interesting visually with rocks, views and wild flowers in spring. So still worth climbing the road to get up there. I am happy to be able to get up there once again.
Last week Marianne and Dar were out to visit. It was AWESOME to ride and laugh together once again. I have missed them over the winter, so the visit was perfect. We did four days of riding and ended up on the Ridge Trail on the last day for the big ride. This time we went counter clockwise and rode some extra in Honeybee. Wow .... what a day!
Today was rise and shine by 5:30. With temps going up into the 90's, I wanted to get in an early ride. Art had an early appointment to have some work done on his truck and took his road bike to ride the loop. The loop has various sections, one of which passes the sprinter repair place. I however planned to ride my mountain bike locally. I tend to fill in the back when riding with other people, but today being solo, I got to be in front, and see all the lizards running down the trail in front of me. ...Pretty cool this time of year. Small ones, medium ones, they all seem to run out into the trail and then run down the trail in front of you. I even had a cow do that today. All in all, temps were perfect and I was back by 9:30 to have the rest of the day. Anything outside, I did first before the day got hot.
Our plan is to head back east in about 10 more days. We have no solid date set in stone, but starting to feel the urge to get back to trail work, riding Sterling/Ringwood and spending time with friends. As much as I love it out here, after about five months, I miss it back east. When things start to get really hot and dry, I am ready for a change. Well for now, I am going to enjoy the heck out of these last few warm dry days.
Our plan is to head back east in about 10 more days. We have no solid date set in stone, but starting to feel the urge to get back to trail work, riding Sterling/Ringwood and spending time with friends. As much as I love it out here, after about five months, I miss it back east. When things start to get really hot and dry, I am ready for a change. Well for now, I am going to enjoy the heck out of these last few warm dry days.
Right now the palo verde trees are blooming. They seem to be blooming extra this year, and the hillsides and neighborhoods are filled with yellow. Sometimes the wind blows the petals fall off and the ground is covered in yellow. It is a welcome wash of color in the desert. In the meantime Mrs oriole is busy building a nest under our ramada. I think she likes being close to the sugar feeder and our new shade curtains. 
I'll get some progress pictures in the next few days.
I'll get some progress pictures in the next few days.
On today's ride the western coral bean was blooming. We have only witnessed it bloom once before. There is a section of rocky terrain just below cowboy slick rock where it grows. We were there last Friday and did not notice any blooms. Today it was jumping out at our eyes: bright red flowers between the rocks. We took our time and looked around as probably our last ride up there before we head back east. It is a special place.
Mrs Oriole has been moving along with building her nest. She still seems to be working and not sitting on any eggs. We hope to head back east this weekend, so the timing is pretty good to give Mrs Oriole some peace and not have humans walking by all the time. Did I mention that the nest is by the back door and near our outdoor shade eating spot. A few more days and she will have some privacy. I'm sure our friends who check on th e place while we are gone will have some stories about the orioles.
It looks like Dirty Thursdays at Ringwood will start this week. While we will not be back by then, we should be back for the following Thursday. When I mentioned to Art about trail work starting, I saw that little sparkle in eye. I am sure he is as excited to get back, as I am.
Mrs Oriole has been moving along with building her nest. She still seems to be working and not sitting on any eggs. We hope to head back east this weekend, so the timing is pretty good to give Mrs Oriole some peace and not have humans walking by all the time. Did I mention that the nest is by the back door and near our outdoor shade eating spot. A few more days and she will have some privacy. I'm sure our friends who check on th e place while we are gone will have some stories about the orioles.
It looks like Dirty Thursdays at Ringwood will start this week. While we will not be back by then, we should be back for the following Thursday. When I mentioned to Art about trail work starting, I saw that little sparkle in eye. I am sure he is as excited to get back, as I am.
We started our drive back to NY last Sunday and arrived back on Wednesday. The weather was great other than some wind in New Mexico and Oklahoma. The check engine light came on the morning of our departure, but we decide to keep going and just limit the amount of times we turned on the engine. The truck had just been serviced and we were assuming they missed a sensor reset, and it would reset along the way, but it did not. So we limited starts because some engine issues will only allow so many restarts until it shuts down. We swapped drivers to eat or rest but kept engine on all day until we decided to stop and sleep for the night.
Getting back on Wednesday allowed for a quick ride on Thursday and made it to Dirty Thursday at Ringwood. Ringwood trail crew and volunteers got a shit ton done last fall on Ringwood-Ramapo Trail Re-route. It actually is really nice to come back to some finish work after much heavy work is done. I think we both will have to ease back into heavy work. In addition to Ringwood, we got over to Sterling on Friday to ride and added on the new loop that is under construction. The amount of work that has happened over there is INCREDIBLE !!! Just the machine work on Redback alone is an accomplishment for the winter. Much of agusta mine trail is complete too. Great things happening there for sure. If you like riding there, I highly recommend that you try to volunteer some time over there.
I am wiped out from unpacking and just a few rides. The trip across the country does drain me a bit, but I can report that we are almost done unpacking and getting settled back into NY life.
Our bath remodel looks great and I have already taken a bath in my new tub and can report that it is super nice and comfy. I love the additional sky light in the room. It seems so much brighter. The skylight opens and has a rain sensor, so options for fresh air in the bathroom where there was no operating window previously. Condos require an exact swap for windows so the big windows remain not opening type. Art is loving the heated floor. I have a before ( old lady wallpaper ) and after picture down below.
new tub
old bath compared to new
Getting back on Wednesday allowed for a quick ride on Thursday and made it to Dirty Thursday at Ringwood. Ringwood trail crew and volunteers got a shit ton done last fall on Ringwood-Ramapo Trail Re-route. It actually is really nice to come back to some finish work after much heavy work is done. I think we both will have to ease back into heavy work. In addition to Ringwood, we got over to Sterling on Friday to ride and added on the new loop that is under construction. The amount of work that has happened over there is INCREDIBLE !!! Just the machine work on Redback alone is an accomplishment for the winter. Much of agusta mine trail is complete too. Great things happening there for sure. If you like riding there, I highly recommend that you try to volunteer some time over there.
I am wiped out from unpacking and just a few rides. The trip across the country does drain me a bit, but I can report that we are almost done unpacking and getting settled back into NY life.
Our bath remodel looks great and I have already taken a bath in my new tub and can report that it is super nice and comfy. I love the additional sky light in the room. It seems so much brighter. The skylight opens and has a rain sensor, so options for fresh air in the bathroom where there was no operating window previously. Condos require an exact swap for windows so the big windows remain not opening type. Art is loving the heated floor. I have a before ( old lady wallpaper ) and after picture down below.
new tub
old bath compared to new
So I have been back east for over a week now and the weather has been pretty good. I am guessing that we got back just in time for spring. Trail conditions have been pretty good and we got a taste of summer this past weekend just in time for all to get stoked for the up coming Memorial day weekend.
While my bike was in the shop, I had the chance to take out my old bike which I have set up with 130mm DVO Sapphire fork and a dropper post. I can not comment on the dropper as I never use it. People swear by them and, well, I just don't get it. It feels weird to me to not have the saddle between my legs and at 5'2' on a 29er, I do not feel like I am ever too high. The post can only go down a few inches anyway. My sapphire fork was totally awesome! It offers a tad more suspension than my other bike and handles what ever I throw at it. My eyesight is not so great anymore and sometimes I take harder hits than I should, so the fork was a welcome up grade for that bike. I have an eye appointment next month and I am considering getting a pair of prescription glasses for riding and trail work. I just feel like I am missing things and my sight is starting to hold me back.
Anyhow, it has been great to be back east!
While my bike was in the shop, I had the chance to take out my old bike which I have set up with 130mm DVO Sapphire fork and a dropper post. I can not comment on the dropper as I never use it. People swear by them and, well, I just don't get it. It feels weird to me to not have the saddle between my legs and at 5'2' on a 29er, I do not feel like I am ever too high. The post can only go down a few inches anyway. My sapphire fork was totally awesome! It offers a tad more suspension than my other bike and handles what ever I throw at it. My eyesight is not so great anymore and sometimes I take harder hits than I should, so the fork was a welcome up grade for that bike. I have an eye appointment next month and I am considering getting a pair of prescription glasses for riding and trail work. I just feel like I am missing things and my sight is starting to hold me back.
Anyhow, it has been great to be back east!
Wildlife in the pond behind our house was quiet the first week that we got back, but now things are happening. A blue heron visits frequently, however no sign of any green heron yet. Plenty of wood ducks both male and female and a few days ago we spotted the first wood duck family: 13 babies! There most likely will be more families out on the pond soon. No swan this year. According to the locals here, both swans have been killed over the last year. The beavers all seem to be over in the pond across the street, however there may be what looks like a muscrat in our pond.
Nice to see the rain this morning. Spring flowers will be popping! It looks like things may be drying out soon so not a total wash out for memorial day weekend. Maybe a ride for me tomorrow or Monday.
Nice to see the rain this morning. Spring flowers will be popping! It looks like things may be drying out soon so not a total wash out for memorial day weekend. Maybe a ride for me tomorrow or Monday.