I got a new position with one of the busier teams in Prescott, The Stephanie Woods Team. They sell more Prescott area real estate than just about anyone. As their buyers agents, I will be handling many of the leads they receive, along with Ken Bennett and Cindy Lee Davies. On the day before I was set to start, I was thinking maybe I was in a little over my head. I know how to sell houses and work with buyers, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to volume. Well to deal with my butterflies, I thought I should try and spend some time with Big Mama before it all hit the fan.
I wanted to just get an hour or two in before dinner. I thought Salida Gulch(trail 95) to TR94 down to and around Lynx lake then back home on TR 305. From my house in StoneRidge, it was about 15 or so miles. Perfect. I thought since the snow was getting close to a month old, that it should be all gone by now. Prescott, like all mountain towns, tend to have areas that don't allow the snow to melt quickly. Salida Gulch is no different. Right from the gate to the trail, the ice was prevalent. I almost crashed in the first 100 feet of single track.
Outside of these north lying trails and ravines, the trail was pretty darn nice. The soil was still a little damp which provided great traction. The temp was probably upper 50's and just perfect so not to over heat. Long sleeves and shorts in January, let me see you do that in Boulder!!
Finishing the climb up TR95 I turned onto TR94 toward Lynx lake and I thought the worst of it was gone. Smooth sailing down to lake.
There is a small illegal section around the north side of the lake. I always say the all purpose trail 94 ends at the damn and continues, but with no cycling signs. I haven't been caught, but I'll claim ignorance the first time and hopefully they let me off with a stern talk!! Whenever that happen when I was a kid, I thought I totally got away with it!! As I rounded one of the coves, there is a incline with a small technical section with rocks and a steep embankment right into the lake. I shifted a few gears up and started pushing hard on the pedals to keep my momentum for the rocks ahead. As my right crank arm got into position for a hard push, my rear wheel gave way sending it off the edge on the right and pulling me right toward the lake. Now I said it was in the upper 50's, fine when your dry, but it would be freezing if you were wet!! Fortunately my left pedal caught on a rock and held tight keeping me from sliding any further. Pulling my bike onto the trail I could see there was a spot of brown ice, cover in sand, that made it almost impossible to see. Realizing that the ice wouldn't be gone from the ride for good, I tried to be more aware of trail conditions so I could make it home in one piece.
From here on out, it mostly TR 305 from the S. campground and back down to the start of the trail head of Salida gulch(TR 95).
On the way in or out on Lynx Creek rd, there is an old abandoned car and it always makes me think of Bonnie and Clyde, like maybe that got in a shoot out fleeing from the coppers and abandon the car and ran for the hills. And I wonder where my kids get there crazy imaginations from. More on that in the next story!!
Comments(2)