Overland Biking Southern AZ: April 21-22, 2007

[articulate]

Notice: Date has changed to April 28-29

Wanted: Bikers and drivers to make a small dedicated team who will bike/drive approximately 15 miles from Empire Ranch to a camp just within the Coronado National Forest boundary. The route passes through Las Cienegas Conservation Area – just north of Sonoita, Arizona - where we’ll see awesome native grasslands, distant mountains, several streams and perennial waters, and we’ll pass through riparian corridors and an impressive canyon. The Conservation Area is a high desert (4000 feet, give or take), so we’ll still be around mesquite, prickly pear, and others. We may have the chance to witness several types of big game, such as pronghorn antelope, white-tailed deer, javelina, and possibly mountain lion. Be prepared for broad vistas, clear skies, clean air, and quiet.

Other points of interest are Empire Ranch (a few Western movies were shot here, and it has several intact buildings to explore), and Ramsey Well – an old Fluid Drive is rusting away here. It’s going to be cool.

What I need are some partners. If you aren’t into unmotorized biking, don’t worry about it. We need a support team driving the vehicles - see the map I attached. We’ll drive to Empire Ranch, explore that for a while, and split into two teams. One will drive ahead to the campsite (coordinates forthcoming), and remain in contact with the biking team via 2-meter radios. The route is mainly an un-maintained dirt road that’s rarely traveled. I’ve driven the route twice, and it does have several good hills to peddle up and coast down. From Empire Ranch to camp will be approximately 15 miles.

Due to the size of the camp area I have in mind, we'll have to limit this to 7-8 vehicles. If I can manage to get some of you on a bike for the ride-a-long, this will be extra fun.

Who's interested? I'm definitely biking this, while Brooke will be driving our Frontier. She's going to be 6 months into the pregnancy at that time.
Here's a sampler photo of the trail:

Empire Ranch:

Page about Empire Ranch
Page about Las Cienegas Conservation Area
My photos from a previous trip

If you operate a HAM radio, cool. If you're into biking, cool. If you're into driving, cool. If you're into camping, very cool. I'm telling you, this will be fun.

Who's in?

Biking:
1. Mark
2. Seth
3. Greg
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Driving:
1. Brooke & Meredith
2. Erin
3. Jeff & family - ???
4. Brian (GT) on the BMW


Current plan:
Meeting Spots
Saturday April 28, 6:30am (Chandler area): Chevron at Chandler Blvd & I-10, just West of the highway

Saturday April 28, 8:30am (Tucson area: TTT Truck Stop, I-10 & Craycroft, Exit 268 Quote: "Best apple pie ever!"

 

[Brian McVickers]

Sweet Mark!

Count me in for the trip and put me down for traveling by bike with a HT Dual Band radio! :bike_rider: :bike_rider: :bike_rider: unk03: :camping:

 

[goodtimes]

To far ahead for me to make reliable plans, but I might be interested in the 2-wheeled part of the trip. It has been a long times since I stepped over my campus beater....so we'll see if I manage to get my out of shape ass on it to prepare....

 

[erin]

If you need a driver, let me know. I don't have a bike, but would love to help out.

 

[whitethaiger]

Dang, if there wasn't such a looooong approach:26_16_2:

 

[upcruiser]

I'm going to be in Park City Utah till the 20th. Was considering heading down to Moab for my annual pilgrimage to bike. Roughly how many hours from Moab would you say this is? I've only been in northern AZ around the Grand Canyon, so any excuse to see some new territory would be cool in my book.

 

[seth_js]

Flipp'n sweet. Can I be a biker?

 

[articulate]

Cool. I've updated the first post to generate a list of participants.
:jumping:

Roughly how many hours from Moab would you say this is? I've only been in northern AZ around the Grand Canyon, so any excuse to see some new territory would be cool in my book.

At least 6 hours. Can anyone else confirm or discredit my claim?

Now, we need to discuss the assortments of beer we're going to need . . .

 

[seth_js]

You're looking at 10 to 11 hours from Moab.

 

[seth_js]

Hey Mark are our cars going to be safe left at Empire Ranch?

 

[SOAZ]

Mark,
I'd love to go. Can I put a Maybe down?! I'd love to head down there and do this ride. Maybe I'll even get a chance to hit up fantasy island or 50 year while I'm down there. Tucson has all the good trails!! :clapsmile

 

[upcruiser]

You're looking at 10 to 11 hours from Moab.

Eck! Little more then I'm looking to do on that trip. Have fun guys/gals!

 

[SOAZ]

upcruiser:
I'm sure if you took that porsche you have listed in your sig it would be more like 4.5 or 5 with the speeding ticket... :safari-rig:

 

[articulate]

Hey Mark are our cars going to be safe left at Empire Ranch?

Certainly. However, if you're not into it when we get there, we'll work it out. If nothing else, you can just pedal your worried ass back to your truck at the end of the day while the rest of us eat, drink, and act foolish 'round the campfire. OR we can send a crew in a truck to retrieve the trucks.....depends on what we get for drivers and stuff.

For instance: McVickers is biking, so if he ropes someone into driving his Disco to camp that would be ideal. (just an example)

We might be re-arranging things at the last minute. Erin says he's definitely into being a driver, which rocks. Brooke, as it turns out, can't make it that weekend. So, I'm trying to find a driver for my truck and I think my brother will be into doing that. So, Seth, you and I could carpool and not worry about leaving your (or my) truck at the ranch. But it won't be a big deal to park a vehicle there.

At this point, though, we can toss everything into Erin's truck (tents, cooking gear, and all that). Those of us biking can take day packs and not have to lug everything along.

Mark,
I'd love to go. Can I put a Maybe down?! I'd love to head down there and do this ride. Maybe I'll even get a chance to hit up fantasy island or 50 year while I'm down there. Tucson has all the good trails!!

:rockon:
Of course. I hope you'll make it.

Cheers!
Mark

 

[upcruiser]

upcruiser:
I'm sure if you took that porsche you have listed in your sig it would be more like 4.5 or 5 with the speeding ticket... :safari-rig:

Ha ha, I'd love to, but the 944 is pretty much a track car only these days. No AC, no interior other then two seats. Its pretty loud, hot and uncomfortable on the highway. When I first got the car back in '95 though it made a few trips out through the Moab area. I've got a great shot of it somewhere up on the slickrock that is pretty funny, no pavement in sight. I don't think I could handle the 5,000 mile round trip in it as it sits now though. :smiley_drive: