Dirt Anniversary

Mr. J and I set off on our 28th wedding anniversary for an adventure in the dirt. Sounds romantic, doesn't it? If you imagine cresting the summit of mountain tops, a landscape blooming with the last flowers of the season, miles of open desert, soaring vistas, unguarded cliffs and no one but the two of us for miles...well, it is romantic. 

If you imagine peeing in the desert (while rationing your kleenex and carrying it out), sharing from a melting bottle of ice, picking the bugs off your face shield, trying to sneak a peak at the open cliff while not riding off the edge and fighting shoulder cramps induced by freezing temps in the 60's....well, might not be everyone's idea of romance.

For me, it was the best kind of romantic.

On our way to the top!

While I have been off road exactly three times (this trip being my third), Mr. J was confident I could climb Mt. Lemmon. We were going up the back side - a winding dirt road open only for a few months in the summer. At the top I was assured of lunch in a quaint cafe, cool mountain air and a fancy dinner in Tucson that night. I'm in!

The trip up the mountain was fantastic! I'm usually pretty nervous about venturing into unknown territory, unsure of my skills and at the complete mercy (or so it seems) of my guide...who I also happen to be sleeping with that night.

I don't know if it's because I'm on the perfect bike setup for me, a lot of mountain biking translates into some decent off road skills or I've just got a knack for riding up mountains, but the ride up was really no problem. It was challenging and took a lot of concentration, but I never felt like I was in over my head. 

View from the top!

Riding to the top of a mountain (or through any challenging terrain) is extremely gratifying. I feel like I conquered nerves, maybe a little fear, and, well...a mountain. You're constantly balancing checking out the view with keeping your eye on the next rock, trying to find the best line and just going for it.

It was chilly and rained a little near the top, which was fine while I was working uphill, but I nearly froze at the top! Guess I'm becoming a true Arizonan. There's a ski resort and a little tourist town at the top, which provided hot coffee and a snack.

We spent the following day on an easy ride near Sonoita and through Box Canyon Road (Hwy 62). Beautiful terrain that is only accessible by off road vehicle or bike. That's why I've taken up this type of riding - to have access to places that are hard to get to. It's definitely worth the challenge. We saw waterfalls, gorges and washes...all dry at this time of year, of course, but you had to wonder if the building storm clouds would soon fill them up and the water sweep away anything in its path.

Back home on Sunday around the back of Mt. Lemon was another treat. Not as difficult as getting up the mountain itself, but plenty of steep inclines and descents that had me riding the rear break, scooting back on the seat and hoping I chose the right line!

Me and Mr. J, middle of nowhere.

As is often the case, that last day of riding can be tough. I started getting pretty tired about half way home, and considered skipping the last bit of our planned adventure in the dirt for an easier stretch of concrete slab. The promise of a coke in Florence and the knowledge that we accomplished our plan for three days kept me going. (It's amazing, for someone who doesn't like or drink coke, how delicious it tastes while on a motorcycle trip).

I've always wanted to see the Florence Kelvin Highway, and it was worth the extra effort. It's a beautiful stretch of dirt road, rolling hills and open desert, and not a soul around.

That's one thing about the entire trip that I found surprising. We just didn't see a lot of people. No vehicles means we weren't eating a lot of dust, and it added to the feeling of adventure to feel all alone out there.

I could make all sorts of analogies between an off road adventure and making it through 28 years of marriage, but I'll spare you. I get to feeling philosophical when I'm out in the middle of nowhere. I concluded that we make a pretty good team, Mr. J and I, no matter what kind of dirt we're tackling.