We woke up early, picked up some coffees for now and a pastry for later and made it to the trailhead in record time. Most of our ride was on Chuckwagon. It is located in the NW corner of the area, a new part for us. This meant different vegetation, different “features” and different views.

One of the stops along the ride.

The main new feature was trees, specifically trees with trunks quite close to our handlebars. Watch out! The ride was also, in general, more technical in nature. Specifically, Chuckwagon was a whopping 40% advanced and we also rode on some of the black diamond Mescal Trail. It was nuts enough for both of us, uphill and down, to need to walk our bikes at times. Pretty crazy to think that Mme Awesome has less than a month of experience and is already tackling these trails.

Another stop, including us! Note the chain and tire color.

Speaking of trees, there are some wizened old timers here which by our reckoning are, surely, a thousand years old. Sitting near them, maybe in their shade, maybe resting against, is peaceful and rejuvenating.

Lots of clipped in riders here. Not for me; I prefer it to be as easy as possible to dab or plant my foot as needed. There is a wider range of ages out here on bikes too. By our guess, there are peeps surely a generation gap older than us and many kids too. We estimate we’re actually about the median.

Post ride we filled up our water bottles, dealt with some office work and headed onward to cool off in the creek.

We’ve been in the Sedona area about a week. We learned from the Ranger place the red is from iron oxide. Our bikes, especially the drive train and tires are then, literally, covered in what is more colloquially called rust. Unlike the downhill parks at which I’ve ridden, there are no wash off stations and I’m looking forward to giving the bikes a good cleaning over the weekend.

The campground is full! Most notably with teenage girls, which, with the wide open campsites and their interests taking them everywhere, makes changing a challenge. Our bikes make quick work of the long way to the truck, a blessing on a full day like today. A few swims later and exhausted, we retired to the tent, just after 5, to watch the nightly show of vibrant colors fading to grayscale.

A picture taken upside down from inside the tent. Don’t get dizzy please.

And then there was a cricket in the tent and it hopped on Mme Awesome’s foot. You know what she did? She did some crazy one foot out the tent yoga move and it hopped off!