Sun. Sept. 18, 2016
Grants to Grants ?!!?
Start - ~6425'
High pt ~8100'
Lo pt. ~6425'
End Elv ~6425'
Climbing ~1800'??
Miles ~98
Total time ~11:10
Ride time 8:30
Day with BOB 43
Divide crossings - 2
Net elevation change - Zero feet
Net Gps coordinate change - North by 20 feet
Total miles today- Nearly 100
Yes, I rode almost 100 miles to get back where I started today, and I can assure you that neither the milage nor the destination was the plan.
From Grants there are 2 options; a 40 miles paved alternative on the east side of the El Malpais National Monument, and the designated dirt route up Zuni Canyon and then through the west side of El Malpais via the Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway. My goal was to do the backcountry route, which I did. I also did the paved alternative back to Grants.
By necessity.
The planned day was long at 66 miles, and I got out earlier into the chill air. As I enter Zuni Canyon, the rock rises to meet me as I follow an old logging railroad line. As I climb up the canyon, the surrounding walls climb as well, though faster than I. Soon the canyon bottom was more shadow than sun, but I was staying warm by the climb, admiring the brightly lit canyon walls above me. Eventually I reached rolling ponderosa mesa country that kept climbing until I cross the Continental Divide at around 20 miles.
A fast downhill gets me to the National Monument and the backcountry byway, as well as another Continental Divide crossing. Fortunately it has been dry and I love muddy roads, when they are not muddy that is. I make really good time on the roads, with long stretches of dry smooth clay, interrupted by ridges of lava breaking the surface. I had been thinking of making an earlier campsite, given the milage but it was clear that the original site at 66 miles was eminently doable.
That is until .........
I get thorned.
I am 53 miles into the ride and just a few miles from rejoining the paved route when the trailer tire went flat. Bummer.
I take off the tire and it has 3 leaks from thorns. Spend some time patching the tube and inspecting and extracting thorns from the tire. I go to put the wheel back on and notice that the shock on the trailer is jacked up bad. A bolt holding the shock came loose and is lost, and the shock and wheel has been flopping around over who knows how many rock lava ridges. The mounting section of the frame is bent and broken.
There is no field repair, there are missing special bolts, and the frames mounting is both bent and welds are broke. This must get fixed before I can ride much of any dirt milage again, or the trip is over.
I am hosed, big time.
Ponder, ponder, ponder. What to do
I could drop the trailer... and ride ..... to where?
After playing with the trailer, I think I can probably ride pavement without catastrophic damage, and decide to head back to Grants, with the hope I can find a shop to weld this together, and procure replacement HW - bolts, spacers, washers, etc.
I tie wrap some things together, and
pick up the bike to start, and notice the back tire of the bike is flat and also has been thorned.
SHHHHHHHH - oot !!! It is almost 4 pm and I am over 40 miles from Grants. The sun goes down about 7:30. I have no headlight, but do have rear blinky light.
I disconnect the trailer, remove the rear wheel. Inspect. There are three obvious goat heads. I am about to remove the tire to patch when I remember that this is a slime tube. I'll try just removing the thorns and pump it up, hoping that the slime will slow the leaks enough.
I work at re attaching the trailer, which is hard when there is nothing to lean the bike against. I notice my watch is loose and then on the ground, and the strap has broken its latch. This is not my afternoon. I gather up the pieces of the watch and stow them. I start riding and baby it out the 3 miles to the highway, wincing at every lava ridge I ride over. I stop and check, tires seems to still good enough. The shock is doing ok, but clearly not happy.
.
I get to the highway and ride the 1.5 miles to the turn south to Pie Town, tomorrows destination, if things had gone more pleasantly. I stop and top off the rear tire, for better rolling resistance as I have a race on my hands. It is 4:40 and I have about 38 miles to go.
Did I mention the sun goes down at 7 :30 and I have 70 lbs of gear to haul back too?
I do have a CG alternative about 23 miles in, but I really want to get to town so I have a full day to get work done on the bike.
Off to the races. Fortunately, after some small gradual climbs, I lose 600' feet or so over the remaining 30 miles. I am making good time. The scenery is actually incredible as I am riding on the the west side of a north south escarpment called the Narrows, squeezed between the escarpment and the lava fields. I pass through an section called the Narrows, and the sun is lighting up the sandstone cliffs, pillars, and outcroppngs brilliantly. The sun is painting magicly while I am panting methodically, pushing to be in town be fore dark. After about 10 miles, I stop briefly to eat and move some bars to pockets. I also dump the extra water I have been carrying for this evenings meal and tomorrow's breakfast. I guess I have decided no campground.
Back in the saddle, counting down the miles and milestones. Eventually, the freeway can be heard, I am about 6 miles to town, though not much sun is left, and not much left in me either. It is a little hilly and I realize my legs are tired when I struggle to crest the bridge over the railroad a few miles from the main drag. I have over 90 miles in, and am losing light. The blinkly light must be working, as the occasional cars are giving me wide berth.
I hit the main drag on the far edge of dusk, and check into the same motel I left close to 12 hours ago. I get the room next to my previous room. Next door is Koen, a Dutch rider I met yesterday, he is surprised to see me, and offers a beer to help me recover. We chat, and I hear his story. It is a good to me and I enjoy it.
I made it back, 38 miles in less than 3 hours, my most sustained push I have done yet.
Life is not all bad
I am back, have a place to stay.
I have an agenda for tomorrow, though not the one I had anticipated.
I got to know Koen better.
I saw some incredible scenery to day, not the least was the bluffs by late day light.
Got to see Zuni Canyon
While my trailer is horked, I could make it back. There are many, many miles where both the trailer and I would have been horked.
I set a new personal record for distance on bike and with trailer.
Speaking of milestones, I broke 2000 mile mark whilst in Zuni Canyon.
Epilogue Monday 9/19
Trailer is welded back together, parts procured, along with a crescent wrench.
Rear tire is de thorned and replaced. It is now my back up
Slime tube is patched
Many bolts are checked
New patch kits.procured.
Slime tube for trailer is procured
Ready to be back on the trail tomorrow
.......
