Fresh tracks on Bug Spring Trail
Our adventure today took us back up the Catalina Highway. I needed to do a few intervals and the trek up the road was perfect for that. Nick also had his eyes on another chunk of single track called Bug Springs trail. I was game, but had no clue how far up the road we would be going. We met fellow COS resident Russell F in the climb and Nick chatted with him while I was doing my intervals. He was on his road bike with a few team mates, but sounded like he was dying to take a run down Milagrosa.
After 12 or so miles of climbing, we finally turned off the road onto single track. And about three inches of snow! There were a few more sections of hike a bike with a steep trail and big water bars. I was pretty tired from the long climb, but gamely pushed my bike though the snow. In Arizona, fresh track on a new trail! Awesome. After the first climb, the trail descended through a creek. There was plenty of snow and no evidence of other users. It was such a fun rolling ride throught trees and up and down along the creek. Then another long climb with a few hike a bike sections. My feet were soaked from the snow and I was a little cold. But at the top, we could see the trail dropping away from us. It reminded me of Columbine, a fast drop with tight switchbacks and lots of rocks. There were two sections I walked, but otherwise a lot of self talking got me down and around the switchbacks.
After the drop back down to the highway, we meandered through the Gordon Hirobachyi campground and got in the Molino Basin trail. I was getting tired, but that aaas a fun, rolling trail along the creek. Up and down, though rock gardens and scrub bush. It was a good trail and much better then riding down the road then whole way! But we were forced to blacktop for the last eight miles. It was a good ride, about 35 miles total with plenty of single track. And amazingly, snow! We came to Tucson for sun and dry trails and still ended up with snow! No photos - Nick just wanted to rice and I couldn't take pictures and try to keep up. Tommorow we head to 24 hour town and get ready to race...
After 12 or so miles of climbing, we finally turned off the road onto single track. And about three inches of snow! There were a few more sections of hike a bike with a steep trail and big water bars. I was pretty tired from the long climb, but gamely pushed my bike though the snow. In Arizona, fresh track on a new trail! Awesome. After the first climb, the trail descended through a creek. There was plenty of snow and no evidence of other users. It was such a fun rolling ride throught trees and up and down along the creek. Then another long climb with a few hike a bike sections. My feet were soaked from the snow and I was a little cold. But at the top, we could see the trail dropping away from us. It reminded me of Columbine, a fast drop with tight switchbacks and lots of rocks. There were two sections I walked, but otherwise a lot of self talking got me down and around the switchbacks.
After the drop back down to the highway, we meandered through the Gordon Hirobachyi campground and got in the Molino Basin trail. I was getting tired, but that aaas a fun, rolling trail along the creek. Up and down, though rock gardens and scrub bush. It was a good trail and much better then riding down the road then whole way! But we were forced to blacktop for the last eight miles. It was a good ride, about 35 miles total with plenty of single track. And amazingly, snow! We came to Tucson for sun and dry trails and still ended up with snow! No photos - Nick just wanted to rice and I couldn't take pictures and try to keep up. Tommorow we head to 24 hour town and get ready to race...
Good luck Team Thelen!!!!
ReplyDeleteLooks like the weather is going to hold out this year.