My right brain was having hard time getting my left foot to do the job.
 |
| Yup. That'd be the NR canyon up ahead! |
You have to understand that in these situations, I am unable to take photographs to illustrate just what a predicament I can get myself into. I can only stop on ground where I can get the kick stand down and dismount.
The kicker is high up and even on level ground I usually put the kick stand down and perch myself on the left peg, standing, to kick.
Impossible where I now sat.
Getting started here was going to require a contortionist act, and even on my best days, I ain't no Bart Conner.
You have to give the k/s a good firm sharp prod to turn the engine over fast enough to fire. Good thing the XT has an automatic De-compressor built into the cylinder head. It took a few tries before I had the "right combination" of balance, throttle and muscle power to get the engine running.
Once back in the saddle again, I sat there balancing with my right foot on the uneven hillside, my left dangling with about a foot of air under it, surveying the route I would take once I got the transmission in gear and I could move forward.
I decided to start in 2nd to minimize wheel-spin on the loose surface. It would mean slipping the clutch somewhat, but I thought it was better than spitting me off as the clutch engaged the rear tire in low, and abruptly spinning the wheel.
 |
| Beautiful scenery, dead silent, not a single decibel of any sound whatsoever. |
We had a momentary 'bog' as I got the revs sorted and quickly putting my right foot on the peg, I stood up for balance immediately to lower my center of gravity. It's a tall bike for a guy that's 150 lbs and 5'4" short! On pavement, I only have a toe nail on the ground to balance me!
I almost stalled as my momentum built against the force of gravity on the steep incline. To make things even more interesting, I was only about 20' away from a right hand curve that effectively blinded me as to what lay ahead. Throttle control is everything here.
As it turned out, once past the corner, the trail straightened and leveled out about 200 yards past my initial stopping point. It was still very rough and loose but at least I could see well ahead and no immediate hazards confronted me.
The New River Canyon follows the dry riverbed and alternately crosses it in the valleys and affords a great view of it on the hill tops. I wasn't particularly high up at around 4000' but the trail being so narrow and steep most places, didn't allow me to build up a lot of continual momentum, and momentum is the key.
 |
| On anything questionable, I stop and go for a walk-about. |
 |
| A lot steeper than it looks! |
Even if it looks impassable, it's astonishing what the bike will climb as long as you are in the right gear and keep moving!
 |
| Steep, sandy, rutted with wash-outs and big rocks! |
The track began to level out as I came upon an abandoned home stead. Wasn't much left except for some rusted steel and a concrete foundation. I parked under some shade, had an apple and washed it down with lukewarm water. From here on out, the going was mostly easy stuff, just the odd wash out and of course loose terrain to contend with. The trail criss-crossed the riverbed, the only real difficulty being the rather deep sand and gravel dry bottom.
 |
| Another abandoned dream in the desert.... |
Eventually I came across an upturned rusted relic of a Cadillac, no idea how it came to be there, but certainly had for some decades. It was shot full of holes! I wasn't sure if that happened after it was left... or before. Could have been some Mafia thing, with a dead body inside! I wasn't stopping to find out.
 |
| Only relics left now. |
Soon I came to a T intersection where FSR 41 met FSR 37. For the next couple of miles, I climbed over a mountain range and had a great view in the distance of where I had left the New River Canyon behind. The trail became a road that pretty much any high clearance vehicle (certainly on dry days) could have negotiated. As I rode farther to the SE, I even began seeing some civilization. Road signs, a 4X4 pick up truck with an old couple in the front seat, and pretty soon, arrived at FSR 24 (N. Seven Springs Rd). From here it would be easy going...
 |
| Beats me... ?! I didn't check for bones. |
Just after I entered Cave Creek campground, I met a couple of guys that were around my age (we ain't getting any younger) and has a visit. They were on KTM's and had just done a short trip up FSR 24. They were loading their bikes on a pick-up truck and learning, I had just come across the Table Mesa (FSR 41) trail, were very interested in how that was, was it difficult, suitable for their bikes, etc. I assured them that with those bikes, if they were experienced, they would have no problem in doing the route I'd just completed.
 |
| FSR 37, meet... |
With a farewell, I was off and riding. The route out was a piece of cake, I was able to ride at 50 mph for the first time since leaving the Black Canyon freeway 3 hours before. Only trouble now was darkness coming up on me very quickly. I knew I would be riding the last hour under the glow of my rather anemic headlight!
 |
| FSR 41. |
Before long I was in the outskirts of the city and once across I-17, back on familiar turf. A short stint on the Carefree highway and on into Peoria, by this time the light was gone.
 |
| Almost a superhighway compared to where I had come from! |
Heavy traffic made me tense, I always feel a little vulnerable after riding all day in country where no Mercedes treads.
 |
| Down there... |
It had been a long two days. I had re-visited Crown King, made it to Prescott and having done at least part of the Senator highway, some of it in freezing temps and snow, and to top it off, the challenge of the New River Canyon, I was beaming from ear to ear. I'd even met a fellow Hungarian!
In days I would be prepping the digs for another long shut-down and packing my carry on bags for home.
No comments:
Post a Comment