New River Canyon

SHORTLY after passing through the ranch gate, I came across a Honda Element, which oddly, seemed way out of its element.  It was parked off the trail just short of a well muddied section that disappeared over the knoll I was climbing.  I didn't see anyone in the vehicle but assumed it could be a hiker or maybe lovers, who knows.

Mud pies anyone?

The next 1/4 mile was rough and very muddy.  To say I slithered down the hill would not be overstating my case.  The track rounded a corner and I came to a narrow trail that wandered down amongst some rocks with high peaks on either side.  Here I came across a middle aged man with a camera around his neck and an automatic complete with spare clips, on his belt.  I didn't particularly want to stop but he stood on the right tire track and I was trying not to fall.

For all I knew, he could have been a whacko or worse, an Obama supporter!

You take the shade when you can get it.

Turns it he was neither, just a guy out for a walk and looking for a photo op.  He told me he came across three rattlesnakes up the wash he'd just descended, and that he was the owner of the van.  I asked what the gun was for and he answered that you could never be too sure when you're out here alone.  I'm certain a smile crossed my lips.  Here I was, back in the hills on a road too rough and muddy for vehicles to transit and I come across a guy wearing shorts and a pistol!


We actually had a nice little chat.  He told me two guys on dirt bikes had gone through about an hour before me.  He knew something about bikes because he mentioned that they were 'real' dirt bikes not like what I was riding.  He asked about my bike and then said he would like to get one sometime, so he could go farther back without having to walk so much.

After farewells were exchanged I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't just the wee bit apprehensive as I made my way very slowly down into the gulley.  It wasn't until I had gone about a half mile that I came to a shaded spot and decided I needed to have a drink (of water) and strip some clothes, it was getting hotter and in these tight confined spaces, heat could build up quickly amongst the rocks with no shade.  Since leaving I-17, I'd been riding mostly in first or second gear at low speeds, not much chance to cool off.



I didn't know this route at all, only from what my guidebook told me ans as I had found out many times this trip, a book written 2 years ago may not be accurate much less one written n 1999!

Tremendous tough uphill climb, got way steeper right after this!

Around the base of this mountain and another 1/2 mile of loose steep trail!

Having ridden the Crown King Trail, one of my top three hardest off road rides ever, my trek over the mountains of the New River Canyon, would ultimately prove to be very nearly the same if not harder.

Desolate, tremendous rocky climbs and descents, switchbacks so tight a Jeep would have been hard pressed to make it around corners that dropped hundreds of feet into the canyons below, and... far more rugged than the CK.  Although CKT was a long climb, this trail I was now on would prove to be steeper by far and would tax not only my physical strength but also my resolve.

This was more open country, no trees at all, but the trail was hot, tight and demanding.

I spent much of my time climbing such inclines with loose rocks, major wash-outs, going around corners, that with each success, I would stop and take a break to catch my breath.  Drinking water, I'd sit on the ground next to the bike for some shade.

 


Huge boulders dotted the scene, rocky cliffs, with blind exits, and totally unpredictable terrain under the tires, made for a thrilling ride.  On one terrific uphill, with a sheer cliff face only feet to my right and another just feet to my left with a drop off that would have swallowed my XT whole, I was dodging rocks, trying to keep the tire from spinning out and riding over and through two foot deep gulleys.  About what proved to be half way up, I lost traction, squirted over a ditch and nearly went over the bank, only coming to a stop as the engine stalled!

Most definitely, an easy part.

I came within a quarter inch of tipping over to the left on this boulder strewn mountainside and had to bail off to the right as I laid the bike over.  No damage was done, I was able to gently let it down, but I found myself now in a major predicament.  Here I am trapped on an incline that you would have found difficult to hike, with terrible footing, deep cuts zigzagging up and down, No where to turn the bike around and with a dead engine.

Steep and rocky with very tight switchbacks.

Struggling to drag the bike a couple of feet on such loose terrain, I managed to re mount and holding myself with the front brake, which kept the bike from sliding right off the cliff, I had to fold out the high mount kick-starter and try and restart.  Honestly, it was all I could do do keep the XT upright and before I managed to start the engine, I slid a couple more feet, closer to the abyss!  My heart was pounding in my chest, I thought for a moment that this, would not be a good time to repeat my heart event from 2005!

Cliffs both up and down.

The bike with gear weighs about 300 pounds or so, probably more so, even on level ground I can't flat foot even one leg, much less two.  I'm cross ways on an incline on a trail about 6 feet wide at best, with deep washouts crossing everywhere, on loose rocks many the size of bowling balls, on maybe a 25 degree incline and a dead engine.  Only having it in low gear and with a brake on, kept me from sliding off the face.

Again take your shade where you find it.

Panting hard, my breath coming in spurts, I tried to calm myself down enough to catch my breath.  No way I could turn around and go back, it had been hard going for more than a quarter mile just on this climb alone.  My prime objective was to figure a way I could start the engine and maintain control.  Then of course, there was the problem of getting myself pointed uphill again and trying to gain traction in a place there was little.

Oh how I wished at this moment for an electric leg!  A push of a button would have been a hell ova lot simpler than balancing like a stork in this hell hole I'd found myself in.