Overland Biking Southern AZ: April 21-22, 2007

[seth_js]

:wavey:

(I just like that smiley)

 

[erin]

Mark, are you still planning on camping Friday night?

 

[Clutch]

What route are you guys and gals doing down there? Inter-connecting/looping the 900 series roads?

And where are you camping? As a word of warning, don't camp to close to the old airstrip, it tends to get over run with quaders.

... And when you pass Rosemont Junction on the East side, heading South on 83....take a long hard look, it wont be like that for very long, there is a proposed OPEN pit mine going in there.

I don't know if you will have time, but, there is some decent single track on the East side of 83 in Gardner Canyon.

 

[articulate]

Cool. Link-a-roo to the map. I don't know where the air strip is that you mention. I've camped in that very location before and it sure was mighty peaceful and scenic.

Erin, I'm not planning on camping on Friday. We're going to leave Phoenix area to get to Tucson by 8:00-8:30, meet at your favorite strip bar or whatever . . . suggestions? Seth, that means you need to drink a little lighter on Friday. :violent-smiley-031:

... And when you pass Rosemont Junction on the East side, heading South on 83....take a long hard look, it wont be like that for very long, there is a proposed OPEN pit mine going in there.

I don't know if you will have time, but, there is some decent single track on the East side of 83 in Gardner Canyon.

Yikes. What are they mining there? More copper? When does the diggin-n-blastin' begin?

Thanks

 

[erin]

Cool, you'll be here 10ish, nice warm start. Let me know when and where exactly.

 

[SOAZ]

ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!
I'm not going to be able to go. My charity group has an event that weekend. Damn kids! Its always about the kids! Underprivilaged such and suches! Just kidding of course, but I'd feel guilty ditching kids and going biking!!

 

[goodtimes]

F'in, at this point, I plan to be there...but probably not on the MTB. 75% on the moto, 25% in the jeep. I need to figure out how to camp off of the moto.....this might make a good trial run.

 

[articulate]

ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!
I'm not going to be able to go. My charity group has an event that weekend. Damn kids! Its always about the kids! Underprivilaged such and suches! Just kidding of course, but I'd feel guilty ditching kids and going biking!!

Wow man, they let you close to kids? Incredible. :littlefriend:

Cool, you'll be here 10ish, nice warm start. Let me know when and where exactly.

Nah, man. We'll be in Toook-sawn 8:00-8:30am. I don't have any idea where. I ain't familiar with the place. A filling station off the highway would be ideal - ideas????

F'in, at this point, I plan to be there...but probably not on the MTB. 75% on the moto, 25% in the jeep. I need to figure out how to camp off of the moto.....this might make a good trial run.

HA! LOL. Okay, this time I p-r-o-m-i-s-e this road is much tamer than that last one. But we're going to have enough truck-like things that you could toss your excess gear into any of those. If you're able to carry it all on the bike, I believe we'll test out a new nickname for you, too: Saddlebags.




:rockon:

 

[goodtimes]

HA! LOL. Okay, this time I p-r-o-m-i-s-e this road is much tamer than that last one. But we're going to have enough truck-like things that you could toss your excess gear into any of those. If you're able to carry it all on the bike, I believe we'll test out a new nickname for you, too: Saddlebags.




:rockon:

Actually, it is quite amazing what a decent set of tires will do for a bike :roost:.

And of course, since I am trying to figure out how to camp off of the bike, it would be kinda like cheating if I tossed excess gear in a truck...buuuttttt.....since there will be extra room available, maybe I'll talk someone into carrying an extra 6-pack for me...

oh...and no "saddlebags"....those are what you put on h*rley's....all the cool kids put panniers on their bikes. :ylsmoke:

 

[goodtimes]

Nah, man. We'll be in Toook-sawn 8:00-8:30am. I don't have any idea where. I ain't familiar with the place. A filling station off the highway would be ideal - ideas????

There are a couple of good breakfast spots....if'n your up for that sort of thing (The chicken-fried heart attack at JerryBob's always hits the spot).

:chef:

 

[Clutch]

Cool. Link-a-roo to the map. I don't know where the air strip is that you mention. I've camped in that very location before and it sure was mighty peaceful and scenic.

Yikes. What are they mining there? More copper? When does the diggin-n-blastin' begin?

Thanks

The old airstrip is on your map, the little green square just below Empire Ranch. I was talking to a ranger the last time I was down there. He said the weekends were nuts with the kawds. Maybe they remedied that since last I was there.


The mine, a Canadian company owns that land just by Rosemont Junction, appartently they found a new way to extract copper. Last I heard there is a big push to keep that from happening.

Brian, that is a good place to test the bike and equipment. I think from Articulate's map, the route is a fairly easy graded road. I don't see them on his map, but, road 901 and 902 (I have dig out my maps to make sure of the numbers) head north, are a bit more challeging. Lots of baby head rocks, wash outs, sand, etc...

Edit: my maps don't go detailed enough to show the 900 series roads. They are there though, I know the area by heart, but can't recall which roads go where..I have to be on the road to tell you. I think 901 goes to an old cabin North of the ranch, which you link up powerline roads and gas line roads to end up by the air strip.

I like to run that route from Corona de Tucson, to Gardner Canyon, then Sonoita, jump on 82 east, then pick up road 910 (?11) North to the Ranch, then through a bunch of off shoots in there, then back home. A good 90-100 mile round trip.

Little report on the last run I did down there. http://www.arizonatrailtalk.com/cgi/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1159201631

 

[Clutch]

There are a couple of good breakfast spots....if'n your up for that sort of thing (The chicken-fried heart attack at JerryBob's always hits the spot).

:chef:

You gotta go to the TTT truck Stop....best apple pie ever!

...or Franks, Roberts, The Grill...are great greasy spoons.

..or a little finer place where all of the cool kids hang out, The Cup at the Congress Hotel (Eggs in Hell is one of my favorites) ...or the B Line on 4th Ave.,very good breakfast burritos.

 

[SOAZ]

You don't have to feed kids EVERY day do you?

Wow man, they let you close to kids? Incredible. :littlefriend:




Nah, man. We'll be in Toook-sawn 8:00-8:30am. I don't have any idea where. I ain't familiar with the place. A filling station off the highway would be ideal - ideas????



HA! LOL. Okay, this time I p-r-o-m-i-s-e this road is much tamer than that last one. But we're going to have enough truck-like things that you could toss your excess gear into any of those. If you're able to carry it all on the bike, I believe we'll test out a new nickname for you, too: Saddlebags.




:rockon:

 

[articulate]

Getting closer, fellas. The first post is updated with the current line up of pedestrians, drivers, and other participants.

I need to figure out decent meeting spot in Tucson.......that breakfast idea was a good one. HMMMM.

We're going to have a "supplied meal" on Saturday night. This is going to be a very mellow trip for those who are driving, and you'll have plenty of time to explore roads and ranches or toss a frisbee or something.

And to say it again: Date has changed to April 28-29

:camping:

 

[Tucson T4R]

I'm not playing on this one but I second the idea of the TTT Truckstop for breakfast/meeting place. It's just off I10, south of Tucson and it's about the last place before you leave the Tucson area heading east toward your Sonoita Area run.

Great food, easy to get to, and big enough you have to try to miss it. :chef:

Us locals use it all the time.