A Dog's Prayer

Please, please, please, please, please....take me for an afternoon ride!

Pronghorn

We saw this Pronghorn on the side of Outer Loop Rd last Friday. Before we could see the carcass, I spotted 6 or 7 turkey vultures circling high up in the air. Once we got a little closer, there were 6 or 7 down in there snacking away. Unfortunately as we drove close enough to get a good picture, the movement of the car and it's sound scared them all away. I just got that one sitting there waiting to go back to the feast. They are ugly birds, aren't they? (Mom and Dad - Click on the picture to get a larger view of it)

You can read more about them here. I discovered this website while doing a little research for Jen and Dave's visit with Amanda and Nathan. I know Dave can not wait to go to the zoo. It's not a huge facility, but they have some neat animals which you can read about under the animals menu. I personally can't wait to go see these guys.

Bang

Went the left kneecap on the big boulder.




Darnit, I very much dislike injuries. It was such a nice ride too. Did the 347 again but went a little farther today. Out onto 332 which Zach and I did on Sunday. On the way back I took 345 to the lot instead of staying on 347. 345 takes you closer to Granite Mt and it has lots of rocks and boulders compared to the mostly smooth 347. Here's a coupla pictures from Sunday and today. Mike inspired me to try the timer function on the camera. I had to pull out the manual to remind myself how to do it.

LOVE IT

I was on my way to Granite Mt this afternoon around 2. The cruiser read 93 degrees outside. I was a little irritated with myself...I thought, Why, oh why, don't I ride right after I take Grace for a walk? Leave at 7am when it's 70 degrees outside? Oh yeah, I have to feed her. Then let her out. Then I have to have some breakfast and finish the coffee. While I'm finishing the coffee I might as well do a thing or two. Send some emails, make a few phone calls, try and understand what the heck net unrealized appreciation and cost basis both mean. And then the paperwork starts. Opening the mail, signing the forms, calling the old phone company who still has not disconnected our old phone line. Then it hit me. It's The Paperwork....The Paperwork is bringing me down!!!

After a 15 minute drive I arrive at the Williamson Valley Trailhead and settle down a little. Head out on 347 on the singlespeed (for the first time out here) and realize I forgot the wrench on the front seat. I think I'll be okay because we just replaced the rear tube with a slime tube. So if I do get a flat it will probably be the front. It is pretty hot on the climb out. I make it up all the hills, which on this ride is not too big a deal, but I was still happy with myself. I got to the gate at 346 in about 40 minutes. Turned around and headed back down. After riding for a little and feeling the cool breeze (yes, at 92 the breeze can actually feel cool) I had the best idea.

I retired from Molex, why can't I just retire from the paperwork? It's just too time-consuming.

I wonder what Zach will think of that idea.

The lot

All is not yet lost...Should know more on Friday.

The locals

Haven't seen anything too scary yet...although I am glad that critter over the nickel was dead. I am still trying to get a closer shot of a roadrunner. They are fast little suckers.

It puts the lotion on it

House hunting is something else. There are alot of crazy, quirky houses out here. One thing I do not understand is the lawn with the manicured section of green grass. We're in the middle of the desert people...there is a constant water shortage and it's really expensive (we will likely have a $40-$60 water bill per month). Why, oh why would you plant grass that requires so much water to be dumped on it to have it look nice? I prefer the rock lawn. It fits better. Another popular...or maybe not so popular alternative is Astroturf. Yes, you can still have green grass in your yard that requires zero maintenance.


This house that we looked at had Astroturf and a strange concrete hole in the backyard. The selling agent asked our real estate agent to ask us if we knew what it was (I think the house was a foreclosure so he had no contact with the previous owners).

To me the hole looked like they were trying to make one of those lap pools where the water jets out at you so you just kind of swim in place. But there were no electrical or water connections. It reminded Zach of Silence of the Lambs....some sort of strange torture chamber.

We took a pass on that house.

Ahhhh, the 305

Saturday August 11th. Zach wanted to try once again to scout out a route off of Perkinsville Rd that would take him all the way to Prescott Valley. There are a ton of fire roads that might get him there, but it seems that many of them take you into private property. He could be much more efficient at that type of ride without me (I like to take pictures every few minutes and need to stop to catch my breath every now and then too), so I ventured off to try the 305, another recommendation from Pete at Ironclad. The 305 is part of the Lynx Lake Recreation Area, which is in between Prescott and PV, south of 69.

Although there are many, many trails we have not ridden yet, I think I found my favorite. It starts in a low brush area with rocky/sandy soil. Quick ups and downs and twists and turns. You cross through a gate (like the kind at Kettle, except tighter) on either side of Walker Rd and head down towards the Lynx Creek Ruin. Take a short ride up the 301 to the ruins for some excellent views. Continue on the 305 and pass by a few campgrounds to find some of the greatest singletrack ever. The smell of the pines is intoxicating. It's another out and back... and you don't realize as you are heading out until the last mile or so when the trail really heads up, but you are climbing most of the way...with fun ups and downs as you go. Ugh...I wish I could write better...my description does not do it justice. Zach and I have since been back together, and his favorite is still the 347. There both super fun but I just die for the pine trees and the views on the 305.

Back to Aug 5, Peavine

I almost forgot about the Peavine Trail. The Peavine starts at Watson Lake and heads north for about 3.5mi. At mile 2.5, it connects with the Iron King Trail that heads east to Prescott Valley. It dumps you out at Santa Fe Loop Rd and Glassford Hill which is very close to Zach's school.

Peavine is just a plain ole prairie path. Nothing too exciting until to start winding through Granite Dells. Kinda looks like you're on the moon. Reminds me alot of Slickrock in Moab, just not as vast...by any means. We rode all the way to Zach's school so he could learn the route just in case we do discover a secret path from Chino that connects up with it.


This is what the sky looked like as we headed back to Watson Lake. When it storms here, the sky really opens up and let's us have it.

Aug 10, Friday morning walk

Yes, that is Zach and Grace out for a walk on a Friday morning. One of the perks of his job is a 4 day school week. He will end up working only 1 or two Fridays of each month. The days he is teaching though are a bit longer compared to a traditional school day. So far he likes the schedule. We are heading back to the Williamson Valley trailhead on the 308.