McDowell Bypasses

Decided on some chunky climbing on the McDowell Mtns for Saturday.  Also had gotten notice of a climb day on Sunday.  So I was up early, swapped the gears back on the bike and started the ride in Scottsdale at 8.  Long way around on Desert Park to Windgate Pass.  More pedal than HAB, yeah.  Down to the junction, and up to Bell Pass.  My first time and that is tough.  Actually riding a little bit a quarter mile from the top when my left pedal got tight.  Stopped and found the end cap missing, found it and reinstalled, but it came right back out, oh well, that was the end of my old style eggbeaters :(.  Over the top and bounced my way back to the truck by 10:30.

Then Sunday EARLY.  Up at 4:20, gone at 4:45, Kenny's at 5:30, loaded into Tim Reed's truck and heading for Mt Ord.  We got started on climbing up the road, ok at first, but that changed quickly.  Extruding clay/sand/rock mud thru the clearances between the tires and frames is not easy.  

So, back down we went and plan b was enacted down to the McDowell Mountain Park to find a hose and some rideable trails.  Started up the Sport Loop, then found our way over to Pemberton.  But I was feeling spunky and ambitious.  So I decided to head over the McD's again and ride back to Kenny's and my truck.  Plan C in action.  Up Dixie Mine, Up Prospector, and Up over Bell Pass again.  It started warm, then up into the cloud cover over the peaks.  At 2900' it started to sprinkle, then hard briefly, before tailing off again.  At 3100' (32XX' is the pass summit), lightning strike about a mile away, ruhroh.  Guess I need to boogie right over the top and start down, BUT the bottom dropped out right at the top.  Not much choice, so down the Bell Pass "River" and out to the Gateway Trailhead.  Looking west near the bottom cliched the decision to bail, it was DARK, all across Phoenix.  So called up Kenny who has just started into Fountain Hills for a retrieval.  That was Wild and Fun!

-Ryan