So I cheated a little.

So one of my friends from work asks me if she could take pictures of me riding my bike a few months ago. "Why not?" says I.

Fast forward to today, where she picked me and Tri up, and we went to Locket Meadow on the side of the Peaks where we rode around, and she took pictures. It was fun, and a change of pace to my usual riding repertoire. I'm sure they came out great, except for the dork on his bike in them. >.>

After the picture taking, I hopped on Tri, and rode up the Inner Basin Trail from Locket Meadow to Waterline Road, which I followed all the way to the end in Abineau Canyon on the north side of the peaks, a place I've been wanting to go for quite some time. I figured since I was already on the mountain, why not make a ride out of the day?

Looking back down the mountain at Locket Meadow, with the cinder hills and Sunset Crater beyond.

It wasn't the first tree across the road, but it was the first big one.

And then I found some snow.

Almost there....

Abineau Canyon, with Humphrey's Peak above.

If you squint, you can almost see the Grand Canyon.

I briefly thought about heading down Abineau trail to the forest road that runs along the north side of the peaks, but being wilderness, I'd have to walk the bike a couple miles. (technically, carry.) ~15 miles of downhill, followed by a few miles of lovely swoopy singletrack along Schultz Creek sounded like much more fun.

Looks a little stormy. Fortunately it didn't rain.

Another big one across the road.

And right after I decided that I had enough pictures of blown over trees, I find several.

Not a bad day of riding. I feel like I cheated, because I'm so used to riding to the trail, riding on the trail, then riding home. (Sedona not included.) But I think I could get used to this being dropped off somewhere near where I want to ride to, then riding home.

...what? You were expecting pictures with me in them?

Mileage: 45