I rode an out and back taste of the Walnut Canyon section of the AZT (https://www.trailforks.com/trails/azt-walnut-canyon/). That’s starting at the Walnut Canyon parking lot and going pretty much NE, turning around at the freeway.

Beautiful area and fun ride and nearly always above 6500′ without trying. Being real, it was super hard coming back even with the minuscule total elevation change. I was surprised I made it up all the rock steps, especially as most of the way back I was most definitely panting like an asthmatic rhino (Bill Starr).

Plus it’s hot. Low 80s hot. I know, dry heat and the thermometer goes plenty higher. Still, I wore a backpack and all in all it felt plenty hot. As in I ran the shower in the parking lot when I came back. Thank goodness for that.

The drive to camp is maybe 2 miles on the same dirt road, the trailhead lot on one side of the bisecting paved road and where to camp on the other. Some rutted sections and one with sharp rocks yikes.

By the time I’d arrived and parked my stomach had calmed down which was nice. I prepared and then snarfed a chicken, avocado, pepper, cuke, jarlsburg, carrot salad with olive oil and apple cider dressing. Plus salted corn chips and some kombucha. Exquisite darlings.

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As lame as it is having to step over the spare tire every other minute and that I’ve hit my head a couple of times on the ceiling plus wondering when it’ll explode it feels better than when it was under the bus with the current dubious spare tire mount.

The welder said I need a winch specific to the bus and a couple of blocks to eliminate any play. Between you and me, that’s what the welder back home suggested too and I’m the playa who bought the incorrect part. Anyway, sounds plenty do able.

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There are some camps here which may be over the 14 days max. One up the road has like 4 vehicles and I’ve been listening to a generator for the last half hour. Dogs are the norm. Flagstaff Mall’s clean and well stocked bathrooms by the food court appear to be more populated with fellow transients than genuine eaters.