pine scented sunshine

Granite Basin. It's been quite some time. Probably could be measured in years, in fact, I know it can be measured in years. Ever since the discovery of The Dells, or here,  Granite Basin has taken a back seat to the new found techy-ness.

You know the story, a passing mention over coffee, a few emails, then, Friday and a quick flurry of texts. All leading up in urgency and then, it's settled. A bike ride and stellar pizza following.

A little flow, some humpty's but no dumpty's, and some great food.

  

above photo credits: Kev

 And, on the way out of town, we spy an "Estate Sale".  I think it's an ongoing, all the time garage sale. All kinds of funky stuff. So, of course, we stop. Talk to some folks, find out it's a ladies' 75th birthday. She is out shopping with her friends, and she happens to be a Barbara Streisand fan.

What a day indeed.

A hike, recently.

With summer bearing down on Phx, it was time for another northern run.

Cooler loaded with good stuffins for lunch, picnic that is.

Even a few attempts at ring counting. A stop at Method Coffee and back around the Bradshaw Mountains to home. Riders of the Purple Sage? Not quite, but fun none the less.

Dells, again.

It has been a little more than a year since the last trip here. [link] Time was due for another ride, plans were made and executed.

We met up at 600, homebrew coffee in hand and an extra thermos “just in case”. Two of us have ridden before and desired the repeat, the third, it was all new to him. Coffee was consumed, music was heard, and thoughts shared. Rusted Root, Linkin Park, Ben Howard. A few more miles went by. Arrived at the trailhead, stepped out and oh, 72 degrees feels good. We suit up and hit the trail, which starts out down the old SFP&P Railroad right of way. Santa Fe Prescott & Phoenix nicknamed the Peavine. The ROW was put in to transport ore from mines near Yarnell to the mills. But, that’s a history lesson and this is about bike riding.

So, on to the riding. Rocky stuff, slow pick and place type riding.

We ride on, stopping and playing every now and then, which really is one of the main distinctions between road and mtn biking - on the road, you never look back and say “wow, let’s do that again!”

Break for a snack, almost Christmas, what with vanilla Hammer gel and a peppermint patty that’s serious ride fuel. And super d’lish. Although, it didn’t look that great, being about 80 now in the sun and sitting in my pack, cushioning the dslr. 

Recharged, so on we go. 

The Dells encompasses Willow and Watson Lakes, which, as you are riding, are treated to a glimpse every now and then.

Great ride, although short, my fork loosing spring ability, turns out it was just that, a broken spring. Fortunately, there are good places to eat in Prescott, so eat we did. Glorious things like egg cheese chorizo burro, spinach cheese omlet with hash browns, and one of the specials, a prime rib steak burro. Crazy lots of food, kind of obscene really, but wow it was good.

No new dresses here.

A little camping trip was planned for Easter Weekend. Prescott was the destination, due to it’s temperate forecast and pine tree laden landscape. An early exit from work let us start the campfire on Friday evening.

Long exposures and moving kids make for ghosty photos. The sky colors were just right (30 minutes after sunset) and the fire added a nice glow. So, with everyone settled around the fire, conversation happening and kids playing in the fire, the weekend begins.

Dawn comes early the next morning, beginning with sunrise and coffee. I get up and start a fire, enticing the sleeping familial members to emerge from the camper. I have my beans, grinder and press ready and amply supply boiling water to the mix. A rewarding aroma emerges. M is the first to present herself, and promptly adds fuel to the fire.

Saturday is a day for action, be that sitting in a lawn chair or riding or cooking. Since I get to choose my words, each of those actions took place. We did a little bike riding along the 305 trail, a little sitting in the chair, discussing life, and some cooking. The cooking, however, is the culinary spectacularness of the camping trip. Our local Trader Joe’s had a cheese I haven’t seen before, Frying Cheese. Basically, a super low moisture mozzarella, one that when heated doesn’t run all over the place. So, take some jalapenos, de-vein and de-seed, tuck a slice of cheese in there and wrap with a slice of bacon. Grill over the coals until soft and pow! Those babies are super duper.

Now, when camping and cooking, it just seems like a dutch oven is necessary. And a Double Dutch is pretty fantastic. Someday I aspire to a Triple Dutch: Anthony Sloan post

One with dessert, a berry upside down cake the other with a bbq chicken delight. All enjoy and even M gets to celebrate her birthday. Much guffawing ensues.

Sunday dawns, Easter, a day to celebrate the resurrection. We do, with an Easter egg hunt, how’s that for mixing up traditions? Kinda like serving ham during a celebration of a Jewish boy’s birthday?

Oh well, so much for the political correctness of the situation. Although I do think it is cheating using the dog to hunt for eggs

And, as Sunday ends, so does the camping, for work calls on Monday.

another episode of, Bikes and their Rides

So, Fruita, Colorado was the plan for this weekend. Fruita Fat Fest. Ok, really it is Fruita Fat Tire Fest. Bike riding, trails, music, food, bike riding (I know, that's mentioned twice) and Colorado. Unfortuneately, spring did what spring in Colorado sometimes does. Snowed. and Rained. So, rather than drive the 9 hours and sit in a coffee shop, we decided to stay home. Rode local, sort of. Headed to Prescott, in search of new trails. Read about the Prescott Dells, otherwise known as Willow and Watson lakes, decided to try them out. Wow, oh wow.


I mean how can you beat trails that have signs like this?

I started a little sing-song "somebody's gonna bleed today, somebody's gonna bleed today"

Can I have a double portion, please? We learned early in riding Lakeshore trail, follow and trust the dots. For the Matrix fans, something kin to "follow the white rabbit". The dots on the rock sometimes lead in a way that doesn't look good, but if you follow, they lead over the edge to a rollable descent or a pre-planned crossing.

Parts of the trails came with built up obstacles, some that you came to, around a blind corner.

It was truly a fun trail. Others have ridden straight down the granite, just to camera right, we chose a little less direct approach.

And, as always, the ride comes to an end. Laughs and stories and "remember that?" around the tailgate.

Now on to lunch. Bill's Pizza, on the square. Excellent. 2 pizza's, one with pesto sauce, roasted bell peppers, fresh basil, jalapenos, tomatoes, pine nuts, onion and cheese. wow. Then, top it off with the mooseolini - chorizo, pepperoni, and sicilian sausage. Perfect end to a great ride. On to home we head. Well, after a coffee stop.

Ok, now onward, homeward bound.

Friends and food and laughs and, oh yeah, bikes.  Life is Good.

been awhile, been playin'

gettin' out and shootin', gettin' out and ridin'.

Ride in Prescott - juniper berries on the ground, in the Granite Basin area.  A little adversity as well.  Quite the things available if you stop to notice them.

Malissa and I took some time out to visit the Arizona Falls park.  An old power generating station, which I guess still generates a little electricity.  Just some fun on a sunshiny day.