I love this AZT sign!
After Scott posted I had to go there to see and smell for myself...our spring break bikepack destination was sealed. The new that bypasses the gas line and sections needed my tracks. Click on the links for photos because Scott's pics are far, far better than any of mine.
We parked at Picket Post, rode 65 miles on the road to the trailhead at Tiger Mine Road, then 100 miles of sweet AZT back to the car. We took 4 days - very casual pace :-)
I was lucky to have my fave ride partner DH come along too. The flowers were wowzers!
Carpets of flowers.
We camped at Freeman Rd water cache and were treated to a spectacular Sonoran sunset
Riding the Boulders section the next day I had intense flashbacks to racing through there at sunrise/moon-set in the AZT300 race last year. It is such a flowy section.
Then onto Ripsey. Thumbs up from DH as we both had a perfect score on the big hill switchbacks.
The flowers were busting out on Ripsey too.
We camped that night near Kelvin Bridge. Unfortunately DH's rear tire was in the process of decomposing and he made the wise but disappointing decision to bail on the AZT and ride the road back to Picket Post. He nicely took my sleep kit and I got to ride the Gila River Canyons section from Kelvin Bridge to Picket Post only partially loaded.
The first thing I ran into was a trail crew turning a jeep road into a trail - how cool is that ?!?!
Brand new trail made from a jeep road
Trail slightly more mature trail with a few landscaping touches. It was like a bike path for a while!
The section along the Gila river on the "bike path" was fast and fun. Then the trail heads north and climbs skirting the border of the spectacular White Canyon wilderness area. So beautiful.
I was back at Picket Post before I knew it and before I was ready to be over with my ride. I'm hungry for more bikepack adventures now.