Tue. Sept. 20, 2016
Grants to Armijo Canyon
HAPPY Equinox
Start - ~6425'
High pt ~7200'
Lo pt. ~6425'
End Elv ~7200'
Climbing ~1000'??
Miles ~44
Total time 5:30
Ride time 4:26
Day with BOB 44
Yep, still gonna try to keep moving forward with reworked trailer and patched tubes and all.
Days are getting shorter, and today is lightly overcast with the sun managing to weakly struggle through often in the morning. I am riding the paved route again, though heading south toward Pie Town this time, and not racing to beat the sun. Though not lit up a brilliantly as before, it is still a very pretty route, I think it is more scenic than the backcountry section I did 2 days ago.
There are several trailheads I pass along the way; Sandstone Bluffs, the Narrows, Lava Falls, Zuni Acoma trail. All awaiting another trip down this way to explore more. Perhaps on the way back.
The route is almost all pavement today. I get to the dirt turn off to Pie Town, and do not hesitste. I have made good time. Perhaps I should push on through to PT. the road is pretty solid if wsshboardy, at least for the first mole. Then I run into road repair. It is so soft and sandy in spot o am struggling to keep moving at times. Ahh, "improvements". This dissuade me from pushing on, and I turn up y g E recommended campsite at arm I jo canyon - BLM camping there is nothing by the road but I know the trailhead is just a mile or so at the edge of the tree so I head up. I am trying to n stay in the track and away from the nasty,thorny flora, and it is also very sandy in spots. I get to the trail head and pick a slightly less.wmpty area to camp. While unpacking, I see my front tire has been thorned!!! Well it is a slime tube so I remove some thorns and will see how it is in the morning. Hopefully the slime will get me to Pie Town where I have water to help find leaks and clean up the messy slime.
I am at camp early, with a smattering of juniper and Pinon trees. I wander over to the nearest pinon, and yes, it has cones with nice dark nuts in many. I collect a handful, and.wander into the Cevolla wilderness to look for more. It is hit or miss if a tree in this dry basin has cones, and then hit or miss if the cones have good pinon nuts, or just husks of nuts hidden inside. I find 2 or 3 good trees and get a cup to cup and a half of nice dark pono n nuts. I have been hoping for this. I will look more on my trip.
