Here is my write up of the southbound ride
-day 1 lonely at the Utah state line start, one hour up right away. Progressively windy on the North Rim Highway. Made canyon an hour or so before dark. Hike 6 miles down.
-day 2 woken a bit after 3am by young guys doing rim to rim to rim. Hiking around 4 or so. Ascending the South Rim was extremely physical. Grew tired of questions by every other hiker. Hot. Afternoon hit S rim., assembled bike n rode to Tusyan for food. Rode to Grandview were I slept for night. Ran into a guy around 8:30 named Scott training for tour divide. Impressive.
-day 3 excellent S Rim singletrack. Chewed up miles quickly to hit Babbit Ranch which had 40+mph winds and a heard of gigantic havalina. Hit aspen trees by late afternoon. Rocky Ridge and Lower Oldham in the dark. Flagstaff at 8:30 or 9 to hotel and Dennys.
-Day 4 Flag to Mormon Lake to Blue Ridge. Feeling like I have home court advantage. Know these trails well. Dark as I'm riding great single track into Blue Ridge Resevoir under a full moon with coyotes or wolves howling nearby. Fine moments/surrealistic, Cold. Likely below freezing.
-Day 5 Excellent riding to the Rim. Easy hike a bike down rim to a few miles of downhill smooth single track. Then hell, I mean Highline. Hours to go through this boulder and shrub choked endless uphill, downhill trail. 1st wreck broke GPS mount. 2nd wreck I fall into a Manzanita bush with my bike on top of me. Adrenaline surge, anger, frustration. Feeling like I'm wasting a precious day of life on this miserable trail. Finally finish around 9pm. Get food in Pine at bar. Thinking was loopy, exhausted. Spend a cold night feeding a fire.
-Day 6 have a nice chat with a guy that lives in some isolated homes. He has some trail magic for 750 riders. Spirits improve as day progresses. Hit Payson by 3 and get bike check up and a full meal/supplies. 1 hour 15 minute down time. Very psyched dropping down rim to warmer sleep. Cover miles quickly to Roosevelt Lake. Stay in a sleezy motel that has some strange folks in the bar.
-Day 7 starts with sunup ride following Roosevelt Lake. Very peaceful/tranquil. Get to the big drawbridge in good time and head onto and past Canyon Lake and the other lake. Lots of road traffic. Inspired by rock climbing potential S or Reavis Ranch in the Superstitions. Lots of first ascent potential. Happy and efficient riding on the west side of the Sups heading to refuel. Had the best milkshake of my life at Jack in Box. 2 hour break to let temps cool down. Stock up supplies. Scott shows up to say hello. tell him all is well. Head out toward Picketpost. Sleep around 9:30.
-Day 8 Ascent up to Gila Canyons. Have a great time riding the isolated, majestic trails thinking about the riders that past through just a few days before. See a Gila Monster in trail. Good time down to Gila River. Next 9 miles were long and torturous. never ending uphill it seemed getting to Kelvin. Very windy in Kelvin and I feel Anxiety about Ripsey. Charge on up to Ripsey. My body feels like it is consuming itself. I cannot get enough food in me. I'm feeling desperate in the afternoon and very isolated. And then I run into a women hiking the Grand Enchantment trail taking a break on a Ripsey Ridge. We talk for about 5 minutes. She has better shelter than I. I move and then run into 2 more though hikers. I finally drop down Ripsey and head to the boulders. Bivy at the turnoff of the Powerlines because exhaustion. Sleep deep.
-Day 9 cool temps, clouds and moisture. Fun riding to Freeman cache. Find a pack of instant coffee in the bowels of my pack and drink coffee. I was dancing in the desert for that caffeine. Super fun riding up to and past Antellope Peak. My the trail and routefinding are getting much better. Make Tiger Mine Rd around 2pm. See a 3 1/2 foot rattlesnake on the road chillin. Oracle for food and rest. Its Saturday so I can't get my package at the post office and the good Mexican Rest. is closed. Other options used. Circle K for supplies. Sleep real well.
-Day 10 Ascend Oracle Ridge, Hit Mtn Lemmon Highway, head down fast. Get off on dirt, singletrack, and rocky dirt roads. Drop into Tucson at dark. Head out to the store. Make it there at 10:30. Had to really push it for the last 8 miles.
-Day 11 Wake up to drink and eat. Ride the warm windy singletrack to Colossal Cave where I meet 3 Germans. Nice guys. One is Wolfgang. Refresh for a bit and then hit it hard to Kentucky Camp. Hot riding. The trail is in good shape. I have concern for water. Arrive to Kentucky Camp with a few sips of water left. Drink like a camel when I arrive
-Day 12 Fairly mellow riding into Senoita and then Patagonia. Call to arrange ride logistics for border extraction. Ride not available until Wed so I take a long break in Patagonia. Decide to break up the Cannelos. Pass E Cannelos an hour before dark, charge on up the mountain and ride down to the flats and bivy at the first fire ring. After eating in the dark my camp is invaded by grunting Javalina. Believe there are about 3 or 4. Kind of aggressive. Use some alpha maneuvers and prepare for battle. Wild bores leave, cortisol up.
-Past day 12. Heading to the border. Lee is picking me up. I'm slower than I calculated but confident of a finish. I feel excitement over having success on this adventure. Pass some border patrol workers and rip down the last 3 miles or so, running into Lee.
-Lee arranges a ride back to Flagstaff from Tucson. I am amazed how quickly we move in a car. I'm back at work 21 hours after completion for a full shift. Clients say I'm a wreck. I feel like one. My knee is trashed and I'm thoroughly exhausted but happy and content over perseverance and success.
**A wise man once told me to "Make it Happen" I found those words very inspirational. My life had a lot of turmoil going on before I left but I decided I'm not getting any younger as time moves on. Getting out of the box in life, putting it out there, and challenging yourself mentally and physically are worthwhile. As I've told a few friends, how can you not do the ride that goes right threw the town where you live? I have great admiration and respect for the fine work Dale did creating the AZT.
Brad Mattingly
