xjblue
Member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2012
- Messages
- 370
The Red Rock Desert Rampage that is, a mountain bike race in it's 20th year in which I have participated in the past.
And The Santa Clara River Reserve that is, an area I introduced myself to during a short hike.
I don't really need an excuse because Utah's Dixie fills pages of to do list items, besides this time of year, well, it is warm and sunny St George! Sometimes though just a little motivation helps the long drive happen, and a bike race proved motivational this time. Last time I had participated was close to the races beginnings when many bikes were still rigid and made of chromoly. The race was fun, dual episodes of fixing flats and not finishing aside, and I was fairly worn out from the exercise. Something about being in a race, even as non competitively as I ride, makes me ride harder and use more skills I forgot I even had. Afterword I cleaned up, grabbed an early dinner, then headed out to Santa Clara to scope out one of those bucket list items, Anasazi Ridge.
Started hiking up the Upper Graveyard trail with some nice views of the Beaver Dam Mountains to the west.
Then followed Lower Graveyard to a slight vantage point looking northerly toward Pine Valley Mountain.
That trail was taking me the wrong direction so I backtracked a little and continued west.
With days still wintery short I was running out of time, but the light was great.
A cliche' Cholla somewhere near the Cholla trail junction.
Continued by following the Tempi'-po'-op trail ("rock writing" in Paiute) hoping to see some. But loosing sunlight and only half way to a marked location on a digital map serving as a goal, I randomly decided to step over to a nearby rim and enjoy the scenery for a few minutes before returning to the car. As I carefully stepped up to the very edge, behold there was some tempi'-po'-op immediately below me at the base of the cliff!
It turned out to be a beautiful cool evening, a great way to stretch out sore legs and stay off of a sore saddle.
March 7th 2015
Featured image for home page:
And The Santa Clara River Reserve that is, an area I introduced myself to during a short hike.
I don't really need an excuse because Utah's Dixie fills pages of to do list items, besides this time of year, well, it is warm and sunny St George! Sometimes though just a little motivation helps the long drive happen, and a bike race proved motivational this time. Last time I had participated was close to the races beginnings when many bikes were still rigid and made of chromoly. The race was fun, dual episodes of fixing flats and not finishing aside, and I was fairly worn out from the exercise. Something about being in a race, even as non competitively as I ride, makes me ride harder and use more skills I forgot I even had. Afterword I cleaned up, grabbed an early dinner, then headed out to Santa Clara to scope out one of those bucket list items, Anasazi Ridge.
Started hiking up the Upper Graveyard trail with some nice views of the Beaver Dam Mountains to the west.
Then followed Lower Graveyard to a slight vantage point looking northerly toward Pine Valley Mountain.
That trail was taking me the wrong direction so I backtracked a little and continued west.
With days still wintery short I was running out of time, but the light was great.
A cliche' Cholla somewhere near the Cholla trail junction.
Continued by following the Tempi'-po'-op trail ("rock writing" in Paiute) hoping to see some. But loosing sunlight and only half way to a marked location on a digital map serving as a goal, I randomly decided to step over to a nearby rim and enjoy the scenery for a few minutes before returning to the car. As I carefully stepped up to the very edge, behold there was some tempi'-po'-op immediately below me at the base of the cliff!
It turned out to be a beautiful cool evening, a great way to stretch out sore legs and stay off of a sore saddle.
March 7th 2015
Featured image for home page:
