Traildog

Java and I went out early Friday morning (6:40am), from Aspen Creek trailhead, up trail 48, shortcut to Sierra Prieta, and then down the singletrack and back to the trailhead. Around 12 miles. I like trail 48 because it is deep woods, lots of oak and shade in the summer.

Our early start meant we didn’t see any other people out there, though we surely weren’t alone. Java had some interest in this “stick.” Small, so probably a fawn mule deer, though too big to be a newborn.

This was just before the tight switchback with the log waterbars–the one I walk up.

After seeing that, we went again this morning, Sunday, at 7am. I was surprised that we were the only ones at the trailhead again, on the weekend. Same route as Friday. This time we saw this, just before the green gate, and then we went from a sunny, open section into the woods. I had the song from the recent Disney musical in my head, Into the Woods.

Perhaps the same fawn, maybe 1/4 – 1/2 mile away from what we saw Friday. I kept Java close this morning. Both mornings he gave a sniff, clearly noticing what was beside the trail, and then moved on. No need to tell him to leave it–he got that memo on his own.

I’ve convinced myself that I’m not going to see a mountain lion that doesn’t want to be seen. I pedaled along and noticed everything around me that is tannish-orange in color. That would include much of the dirt, many rocks, the underside of fallen trees that isn’t bleached by the sun, fallen leaves, dead needles/leaves on  junipers, and enough other things to convince me that mountain lions picked a great color for stealth.

Java is not very stealth, with the white on his coat and his red “dog suit.” He’s enjoying his training for summer. Hopefully he can go on the group ride from Kennebec Pass on the Colorado Trail and we won’t have any incidents with a group like he and I did alone last summer. (Have you heard the story about him getting jumped on the Colorado Trail last summer? I didn’t see whatever it was. It was just me and Java that day, hours from anybody.)

Overall, I’ve been riding that trail most weekends for 6 summers now. I always thought that remote area probably has mountain lions. I still haven’t seen one. Now I can say I’ve seen a kill, likely mountain lion, along with the impressively huge footprint I saw a few years ago.

Just below Sierra Prieta. Despite the chilly and rainy start to our early Friday ride, I called Prescott Dispatch about a fire just past where the trail starts from the lookout area. Saw a cigarette butt just a bit further out the trail–really???

Happy TrailDog on the Ranch Trail.

Chilly clouds over distant Thumb Butte as the amateurs raced.

A dog lollipop from Whiskers Barkery in Prescott. He loved it, and it only lasted 2 minutes.

This was an amazing and awe-inspiring stretch of trail. We started from the top of Junction Creek Road, which was about an hour’s drive in the Jeep. From there, it’s almost 20 miles, almost 6000′ descent, but with 2000′ of climbing tossed into the middle of the ride.

Gorgeous wildflowers near the top

Selfie near top

Waterfall, Java’s below the switchback at bottom of image

Bridge

Java ran mostly down the Colorado Trail from the top of Junction Creek Road. Beautiful area! About 20 miles, and we finished before the afternoon thunderstorms.

A few days ago, Java hiked to the base of Engineer Mountain. We were on a fixed schedule so we didn’t have time to see if we could climb to the actual top or if it was too steep to be ‘dog-able’.

Java is on vacation in Durango this week. Today he went for a long bike run. We rode the Jones Creek/Pinkerton-Flagstaff/Dutch Creek/Hermosa loop. Here is a picture near the top of the Dutch Creek trail.

Java likes to start early, and he’s quite enthusiastic about helping me wake early, like just before the sun is quite up. Since Az doesn’t observe daylight savings time and yesterday was the summer solstice, let’s just say that 5am is sleeping in when Java knows a bike ride is in the works.

We hit the trail by 6:20, but we opted out of 326, my new favorite route up Thumb Butte, because we saw so many other cars already parked as we got to our quiet starting spot. Up Garden Grove, over to the road, leash on for a quick descent to the new social trail, known as Skid Trail at our house. Back across the road and down the newly single tracked 332 to circle Spence Canyon. Then up 332 again and a piece of 318 to the jeep.

Java was happy to rest in the shade while I unpacked our gear: pack, helmet, gloves, load bike onto rack. Car said it was 79 degrees after we quit, but it was plenty sunny.

Sometimes a bar dug out of the bottom of a pack is good, like ambrosia. Even if it is over a year expired and quite extra chewy.
This might relate to getting a little carried away on ride length today. Wanted to try all of the newly built Ranch Trail. Decided to start by going up Copper Basin, across the top, and down Wolverine. Then out past Goldwater Lakes and then largely up the Ranch Trail.
Let’s just say it would have been wise to plan snacks better. An extra water bottle could have been handy. I know better, but who wants to plan all the time?
(Java didn’t come; he took the earlier ride shift.)
About 4 hrs. Almost 90 in the shade on the porch when I got home. Most of the ride was in the sun.