Pine, the rim and the day things got real... LOCO Style

You know is you should probably turn around when John Schilling says 20 miles in to a 55 mile ride he dreamed up. "I am almost out of water and not really feeling it just go on without me."   Well that is not how I roll and it almost turned bad.... 

The ride started when John Schilling posted a "Hey who wants to ride in Pine?" on Facebook.  I really should know better, but being a part time LOCO Rider I was in.  For those not aware LOCO is little group of riders known as Little Off Cycling Organization. (aka LOCO) founded by John Schilling (Prez) and Shannon Villegas (formerly Marshall)  last summer.  This crew often takes on the strangest rides. Like "Who whats to climb Mt Lemmon in December and ride Oracle ridge in the snow?"  Most people never ride either of those places in the best conditions.

Needless to say John's ride attracted a small group (John and I) when he suggested riding from Pine TH to the new Bearfoot trail to Pine Canyon. From there up Donahue to forest roads and back to Arizona trail highline back to Pine. All told some 55 miles many of it forest road.  What better way to spend the day right?

Part 1 of the ride was pretty standard fare and typical riding. Took Hwy 87 from Pine a few miles to the Bearfoot trail start.  I really don't like riding the narrow shoulder, but not much choice.  Thankfully traffic was not bad at 8;15am.   Bearfoot trail is gem of a trail. Mildly rocky with some climbing to start follow by nice a descent and then another climb and descent. Nothing too steep and enough turns to keep you focused.  The last couple miles of the trail descent in lush forest that is really nice to ride in.

Bearfoot Bridge - Is this Arizona or the North Shore?

6 Miles from Hwy 87 of the Bearfoot trail.  Gem of a trial and probably best ridden from 87 to this point. 

Here comes Johnny!

Little Hot Dog action!

Pine Canyon trail is newly rerouted from nasty steep climb and traverse to a switchback climb that is entirely rideable. You climb, but not so steep it hurts and the switchbacks are open enough to easily clean them.  Good re route here.  The traverse across the edge mountain side is also cleaned and re-routed and has similar feel as does the descent back to the Pine TH.  Here the trail crosses the Highline trail and where most normal people will turn back to the TH with high fives and plans for beer at That Brewery just down the street. Well that would not be LOCO so it was just the end of part 1 for us.

Picked up a hitchhiker.  This guy landed on my brakes while riding and stayed there for bit so I had to get photo

From here John and had snack under trees and looked at what would come.  The first 50 yards of Highline from here is boulders down into and out of small drainage.  John and I both walked it since we still had some 40 miles to go.  After these rocks the trail was very rideable due to some new reroutes on this section. The climb is deceiving as it does not look that steep, but after a bit you are wondering "why am I breathing so hard?" Still good bit of trail right to the Donahue trail junction. From here the trail goes up. Straight up. Think of the steepness of the Molino HAB, but with overgrowth of Oracle ridge and you have Donahue.  I don't even think the hikers take this trail.  The next hour was pretty much a nasty hike.  1.5 miles and 1000 feet of climbing to crest the rim. It really is the best way up, but it was hard. The first half mile was 18% grade and pure pushing, dragging and sliding. Plus fighting all the bushes. After this the worst is over, but the trail is barely ridealbe despite a moderate grade.  Loose babyheads cover what appears to be path and forces you to either ride at max power and max skill or just through in the towel and walk.  The and soon as the trail looks rideable it just goes up to 12% grade and you are back to walking it.    Yeah it was nasty.

At the top the trail dumps on a old forest road track and becomes easily riding.  I stopped here and waited for John. By the time he got there he was cooked. He had run through alot of water and was not feeling it.  I had burned through some water too, but felt I was going to be ok.  Still we were 5 hrs in still had 35 miles to go.  Plenty of daylight remained.   This where John said he was going to bailout and ride the forest roads to Hwy 87 and then coast back to Pine.  I had the track on my GPS and had driven FR300 to Azt junction and knew what to expect to that point.  From there the plan was Azt down the boulders and back on The highline to Geronimo where from there the Highline got really bad so detour to the control road and back.  It did not sound bad, but the only concern  I had was water.  I brought my 100 oz camelbak and 2 bottles (46 oz), but forgot my water filter.  I had been consuming more than expected due to the dryness. John told me there should be flowing water along the way so I figured worse comes to worse I can use that and risk it.   So off I went.

FR218 and FR300 where nice easy ride. Mostly flat, but with rollers along the way and less car traffic than I expected. Great views and nice pedal.  I got to the AZT in 90 min covering 15 miles.  Good solid pace.  It was all down hill from here right?  Well... Welcome back to the Arizona Trail.  I never expect the descent off the rim to be good trail. I have seen pictures heard stories and knew it was going to be tough.  I wanted to ride most of it, but the combination of grade and the number of tire catcher rocks mean I walked alot.  I could just see myself riding all fine then getting the front tire stuck in rock and going OTB with nobody around for miles.  No I choose to wimp-out and live another day.   Finally I got to the "tunnel" switchback and conditions got much better. Rideable from here which ran into a jeep road.  I found water crossing with "fast moving stream" that look clean and clear.  I stopped to take stock of my water.  I still had 2 full bottles, but a nearly empty camelbak and 20 more miles.  I decided to transfer my bottles to my camelbak and filled both bottles.  Better to be safe just in case.  It was 3:30 when I hit the Highline trail and saw a text from John that he was back at the car.  I was in good spirits as the Highline between Washington park and Geronimo was suppose to be pretty good for Highline standards.   I started off the first miles were good, but then right from the Washington park road crossing things got steep. Turned into short,but steep switchback HAB.  Once cresting the little hill it was a mixture of rideable sections and super rocky sections that were rideable on the best of days. Today nearly 8hrs in to the ride and low on water I choose to go easy.  This next section seemed to drag on and on. Classic Arizona trail slow pace riding.

"Life Saver Spring" I don't know the real name, but I needed this water. Not sure I would have made it back without it.

The next 2 hrs were an average 2.7 mph and I was getting worried as I had covered 44 miles total, but only 5 in the last 2 hrs.  Still had 12 to go was going to have to resort to my untreated water and risk a stomach bug.  That is when I ran on to what I call "Life Saver Spring".  Just a pipe flowing out of the rocks.  This was as good a water as I was going to get. So finished the last drops in my camelbak and filled it up under the pipe.  I needed water and I was going to risk it. I drank about 1 liter and half of water over the next 20 minutes and finally started to eat again.  I had stopped eating since food needs more water and I figured I needed the water for hydration rather than to process food.  You can go days without eating, but not long without water.   Now however with an unlimited supply of water I might as well eat up.  I sat under a tree propped up against it and basically napped and drank and ate what I could.  This was about bad as I have ever felt riding. Even on the Arizona Trail Race 300 I never hit a point this low.  Still I knew water and food were the key.   By now it was 6pm and needed to get back since I did not bring lights.  So I filled the camelbak and emptied the water bottles and rode on.  From this point to Geronimo trailhead the Highline became a fun trail. Mostly descending,very rideable and bolstered by food and water I really enjoyed the next 3 miles.  From Geronimo it was a simple 9 miles of smooth dirt road back to the trailhead.   I finished about 7;30 about 11 hrs 15 from the start of the ride. Only 57 miles, but those were some tough miles.   Next time John Schilling decides to take th easy way out may I should listen.  Then again I hate to give up...    Very much in the LOCO mindset.

Strava Link to the ride

https://www.strava.com/activities/1020043281