Emma wasn't faring to well, so Andooke had decided to skip the extra ride and get her home as soon as possible. With Taylor and Brandon's tent packed up and the "Andoondo" ready to tow, we said our goodbyes and were off... to the bathroom just down the road.
It could be said that I like to drive fast on a dirt road. I have been known to drift an open corner or two and it wouldn't be a complete fabrication to say all four radials have left the caress of mother earth on rare occasion. But the road from Gooseberry Mesa is rough and I was pulling a trailer. So, eeking along for the most part I was quite surprised to see a white Dodge Durango coming the other way in an ever widening arc... eventually to the point of taking up our lane completely and forcing me to stop short.
"Hey Man!!! Don't be part of the problem!!! 25!!!" ... then off he went.
He was obviously very agitated, dare I say enraged with me. I assume he had judged my speed much higher than it actually was, or perhaps he had misjudged his own and swung wider than he wanted, jumping down my throat to cover up his ineptitude. Either way, I was mystified as to his aggression and wondered for the rest of the day what "the problem" was. Just another reason for my socially inept self to enforce a little more my general impression of strangers... they suck.
With Brandon and Taylor dutifully following behind, I set about missing the turn to Little Creek Mesa and having to travel a good distance to find a section of road U-turnable enough for the trailer. My faithful copilot and navigator Micki was reading the directions from a downloaded source and we began making various rights and lefts until the dirt road became less and less used. Finally in an area that appeared to match the information we had attained, we pulled over and parked. It was much colder today but not as windy. Setting up the trailer awning for the dogs, front wheels were installed and correct apparel was assessed.
Slick-Parked:
Little Creek Mesa is a far lesser and more remote area of technical riding just above Hurricane. It is in the process of being adopted by the powers that be so at this point in time there are no helpful white dots painted along the slickrock. I had loaded some tracks onto my GPS and we had picked Dale's brain to have the best chance of actually finding the trail and following it around.
The trail itself was actually far easier to find and follow than we had feared. We started with the Main or West Mesa loop which was supposed to offer some of the best views. The obstacles are mellower in this area than Gooseberry. Still technical enough to keep things interesting, but not as abrupt with more intermixed dirt singletrack sections. When slickrock was found it was vast and for the most part smooth.
Micki rolling along:
The areas low scrub without much shade could have made summer exposure brutal, but the temps today made for perfect riding. Occasionally we had to stop and locate a cairn on the horizon, but for the most part we stayed on track. Eventually the trail finds a fall line and you can really pick up speed. Just as the greenery on both sides started to blurr, the singletrack exploded out on to the very edge of the mesa and we had to stop just to take in the amazing views.
The route now basically hugs the cliff edge. It's hard to concentrate on the terrain with such magnificence off to your left. On occasion, the trail demands absolute focus as you literally roll feet from a thousand foot plus drop.
Micki paying close attention to line selection:
We stopped for a quick bite to eat. Taylor broke out the Mike and Ike's as well as Skittles, all the while sparrows repeatedly performed head high fly by's with precision that would have made Maverick blush.
Ourselves:
Lay of the land:
We started to roll again when suddenly, without warning something truly awesome revealed itself. It was a stunt! Not just any stunt, but something very unique. We had ridden countless bridges and skinnies before this one, but seeing one made from rock was entirely new. The obstacle spanned about a 4' void with a 10' plus drop below. The sandstone had split ages ago, but the addition of rock slab to allow for conquering the gap looked relatively new.
Micki assessed the situation... and then rode it with confidence.
From below:
She rode it a few times just for the sake of the BLOG. So fun to see her clean a balance move like that with control and grace. From there the trail turns away from the edge and starts to work with dirt again. West Mesa Loop eventually gives you the choice of Magic Carpet ride (shorter) or North Point Loop (longer). With three days of riding on this trip already and still a far distance to drive, we opted for the shorter choice.
Soon after this decision was made, Brandon had an issue with a stepped section and before we knew it the clunk-grind that followed resulted in a dangling useless rear derailleur. Whipping out my chain tool which I had been lugging around for many years in case such an occasion arose... I began to get to work. Within moments I realized my chain tool was useless, probably bent by a failed repair many years before. Luckily, Brandon was better prepared and provided an actual working chain tool instead of a busted relic.
Fairly quickly he was setup to run one speed, but with the chain growth of his rear suspended design, all suspended wheel travel was lost without the aid of a few pulleys and springs to accommodate the slack. With caution, he began rolling... knowing almost any bump would bind his drivetrain or even worse cause the chain to fail once more. It was slow and a shame to happen just before the fun and final sections of trail, but overall better than walking.
Magic Carpet is almost 100% slickrock. Very smooth, not to difficult, but just plain fun. This area of UT looks anything but lush. Cactus, stripped down trees and hardy bushes dominate the landscape. It was easy to notice the large patches of green tucked down in the valley below, but hard to figure out why it existed until we turned the corner and found the source.
Random oasis:
With this much water, it's deceiving how dangerous UT can be at times, and Little Creek Mesa is no exception. We lucked out with cooler weather, but for those who go in the future, be sure to be prepared for any situation and have a plan to keep the group together. Tragedy can be closer than we all like to think.
Past this pond was just a mile or so before we rejoined the start of the West Mesa Loop. You can just see how the trail is "marked" by the smaller rocks being moved aside. The scale of the place can also be seen with Micki rolling away in the mid-ground.
Lunaresque:
After the rejoin to our original route, is was just a matter of minutes before the cars were reached. Brandon had been patient enough to allow his modified drivetrain to survive. The whining and happy to see us dogs were let loose to run arout a bit. Bikes and gear was loaded for the final time and we all said our goodbyes.
The Stats:
Trail: West Mesa followed by Magic Carpet
Riders: Micki, Taylor, Brandon and myself
Distance: 9.5 miles
Elevation: 1450 foot of gain
Ride time: maybe 2.5 hours
The drive home was fairly uneventful. I was starving and patiently awaited for Fredonia to arrive where I'd surely be able to find a hamburger to appease my stomachs growls. Lets just say that did not work out very well and I curse Fredonia to the fast food heavens for their unwillingness to provide any sort of edible roadside fare! Luckily, Jacob's Lake restaurant wasn't that much further and we stopped in for some grub. Micki got a big butterscotch milkshake (with extra butterscotch) as well as some fresh baked cookies. I got a chocolate shake and cheeseburger which was pretty much a perfect fit.
We made Flag just at dusk and this was our first big trip where Prescott was our final destination. Was very strange to get out of the car once home and have it be cooler than where we just left. The norm for us is to have a great trip in the cool mountainous pines and come home to the fiery deserts of The Valley.
No complaints however... no complaints at all.
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