The sun woke me early after a great night's sleep so by 06:30 I was walking around the campsite bathing in the sun, albeit in an insulated jacket! Chuck and John were busy cooking up a fantastic breakfast spread. French Toast- my favourite!
By 9am we were on our bikes at the Trailhead of the Arizona Trail- an out and back today with a potential 30 miles if we make it. It was singletrack all the way and rolling along but the altitude here was still taking its toll on lungs. After 2 miles we had a stony steep switchback descent which put a big grin on my face (although I was already fearing climbing it on the return leg).
We rolled on through meadows surrounded by Ponderosa and Aspen trees and I took the front position again with Julian hot on my heals (chased by a 68 year old- he's amazing!). We had a great descent down another swicthback trail and ducked under a fallen Aspen, I just clipped it with my camelback even though my backside was on my rear wheel. But apparently Vicki got hooked by her Camelbak and was suspended in the air until someone rescued her!
At the bottom we lunched in “The Pleasant Little Meadow” and indeed it was true to its name. But the Sun disappeared behind big black clouds and it all turned cold again. Fearing a hail storm the Guides advised we head home and just do this 18 mile loop and not go for the 30. I had to battle with myself and go along with it.
On the return leg we just kept on motoring as the storm was chasing us. I stopped at the bottom of the big climb and refueled with a Powerbar Berry Blast and 500ml of Gatorade, then went for it. It was a killer but I made it round all but one switchback- stopping a few times between them to catch my heart and put it back in my chest. This air is so thin my HR is hitting its max!
The guides outclimbed me but behind me 8 weary pairs of legs hiked on up but as Andy truthfully claimed - he only got off his bike once on the way up- less than me!
We arrived back at camp just in the nick of time as the hail storm started. (Dan already sheltering from it under the great big red umbrella). How right those guides were to turn us back. Jim gave us all a little scare, having turned back early and not yet arrived back at camp. (Apparently he was sheltering in a Latrine from the hail after negotiating some mudholes on the 611). Soon he turned up and we all 11 huddled under the gazebo while Andy tried to keep the campfire going and wood dry and the guides prepped food for dinner inside the trailer.
Eventually the hail subsided and the sun came out, dried us up as we hovered around the fire, watched the movie show called "Many Shades of a Canyon" and ate our awesome dinner- Chicken and Steak Fajitas cooked to perfection followed by succulent fresh baked warm brownies (2 for me)- mmm mmm!
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