FRESH FLOWERS, FLAT TIRE 03/12/08

[dirt dame 561]

I some how managed to sit in front of the computer all the live long day on Tuesday and felt like such a dough lump the next morning that I decided I better hit the trail, sore knee or not. I got a pretty late start and didn't make it to my departure point at Yaqui Wells until midday. I gotta tell ya, it was plenty darn hot out there, probably upper 80s approaching 90 degrees. Worse yet, I hopped out of the jeep and spied a flat tire on the left rear. Stupid MoFo flat. So I ended up messing around with big heavy wheel assemblies and weeny tire changing tools for at least another hour, while I got all dirty (wrong kind of dirt)pinched and cut fingers on both hands and had a bad time in general .

Finally I got finished, cleaned and geared up and was off across the desert on the Husqvarna. The air felt better at speed. I rolled along the desert valley areas for a while and then headed north to Coyote Canyon to see the wildflowers. As the pavement ended, the road began to be lined with passenger cars and SUVs, their owners out frolicking around through the pink and white blooms, snapping off pix right and left. I stopped and took a couple of shots myself.

Talk about your painted desert! It was colorful out there.

Then I continued up the canyon. After the first crossing of Coyote creek the trail got slightly rougher and there were less cars and people. After the second creek crossing, the trail deteriorated rather rapidly and there were very few other travelers out there.

When I reached the third and final crossing there was a little sign tacked to a post that read Caution: water very deep. I looked at the still muddy pool that disappeared into a green thicket of undergrowth. Rocks poked up through the calm coffee colored surface. I got off my bike and walked the little hiking trail through the greenery till I reached the upper end of the pool. At that point the water ran clear and I could see the sandy bottom.

I walked back to my bike and thought about trying the crossing. In the distance up canyon a bit, I could hear the sound of an approaching car. I knew somebody was about to make the crossing so I waited to see what they looked like in the water.

Turns out it didn't look so good. About two feet deep and really rocky and you couldn't see any of the hidden rocks. I didn't feel like chancing a snorkeling adventure to go with my tire changing adventure, so I turned back and hit some other canyon areas and saw some other flowers.

I got back to my truck(er....I mean Jeep) around 5:30. By then it was getting cooler and a nice breeze had come up. I got some miles in, but didn't get the amount of trail time I was hoping for. There will be more time this spring for another adventure before it gets broiling hot.

[Guest Hammerin Hammon]

Those are some good pictures.

Craig.

[Gery XT-225 0]

That's an awesome desert flower shots. I really like shooting blooming wild flowers out on a desert floor. Thanks for sharing...

Gery

[roostingu 0]

Nice pics looks like an overall good experience. Any riding is better than no riding

[GB007 0]

Cool! Thanks for sharing... I plan to go out at the end of the month, hopefully will have good weather...