Round-trip bicycle ride from Piute Gorge to Hackberry Spring via Rattlesnake Mine: Day 5
Another sunny day, almost warm, I ride across Lanfair Valley to Hackberry Spring and back. It's a dark and chilly ride back to camp; I get home just before 9 p.m. 36.5 dirt-road bicycle miles and approximately 1500 feet elevation gain.
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Date: November 22, 2012, 12h00
Size: 45 items
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A bright and sunny morning overlooking Piute Gorge
Morning sunshine overheats my tent and I wake up at 8h30. Didn't sleep well. It hit 70F yesterday, but dropped into the mid 30s overnight. Wind has picked up, so I put large rocks in the corners of my tent to keep it from blowing away.
Date: November 22, 2012, 12h00
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I take a look down into the canyon at an old discarded truck before heading out on today's bicycle ride
Apparently there used to be a road down there! I have the usual breakfast of granola, nuts, dried apricots, vitamin C drink, and coffee (3 cups this morning: I may need it).
Date: November 22, 2012, 11h15
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Shortly after I start today's bike ride, I ride past an old circular corral
I wasn't going to stop for a photo break so soon!
Date: November 22, 2012, 12h07
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Inside the corral is a fire ring
Nice place for an overnight camp!
Date: November 22, 2012, 12h09
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Just before I start riding up the pipeline road here, I run into Bryan and his sons in their pickup, and we have a great chat
The first people I've seen in almost three days! Bryan explains that the drive up from Hwy 95 is pretty rough. I haven't been that way yet. I tell them about the hike down to Piute Spring and they did it. I hope they liked all the crazy rocks down there!
Date: November 22, 2012, 12h57
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I have to walk the bike across several sandy wash crossings on the pipeline road
... but the ride is going well so far.
Date: November 22, 2012, 13h06
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I ride west on the pipeline road toward the old Rattlesnake Mine area
It's much easier than expected, after all the rough roads I rode the past two days. Also, I'm not riding with all my camping gear, so I feel ultra-light.
Date: November 22, 2012, 12h56
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I turn on the road to the old Rattlesnake Mine site
For a road that's not used all that much, this one is quite ridable, so far at least. It's a bit under a mile to the mine site, with a slight uphill grade.
Date: November 22, 2012, 13h22
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A few yellow flowers (Encelia farinosa perhaps) bloom at the old Rattlesnake Mine site
It appears that these flowers are only found in an area of disturbed soil (on the edge of where old mine installations were removed?)
Date: November 22, 2012, 13h32
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This part of the old Rattlesnake Mine site has great views over to both the Castle Peaks and the Castle Mountains
Castle Peaks are the sharp spikes at left (I've camped over there before) and Castle Mountains near Hart are the larger hills at right. I rode across some of that area during the last two days.
Date: November 22, 2012, 12h33
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From the Rattlesnake Mine site, I have a clear view across the valley to my Piute Gorge campsite, that slot in the distant hills
The area in the foreground is rather sparse. I'm guessing it's reclamation land from the mine that hasn't completely grown back yet. It can take many decades for a desert landscape to slowly recover from human uses.
Date: November 22, 2012, 13h33
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A little further up Rattlesnake Mine Road, I decide to go for a short walk up to the top of the rooster-comb ahead
Date: November 22, 2012, 13h41
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This unusual metal grate over a mine hole is apparently intended to keep the mine shaft open to bats
Date: November 22, 2012, 13h46
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The views from the Rattlesnake Mine rooster-comb extend all the way across the Lanfair Valley to the New York Mountains
Hey, I was over there a few days ago! The bicycle sits quietly at the junction of the roads below me. Can you see it?
Date: November 22, 2012, 13h49
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From the Rattlesnake Mine site, I still have views across the valley to my Piute Gorge campsite, that slot in the distant hills
Date: November 22, 2012, 14h05
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