Coyote Mountain Range--Part 1

I was unsure if my car could make the 8 mile drive (after 30 of paved roads) over dirt/sand roads but it did.  The final 3 miles was on soft sand but no problem  In the distance, the Coyote Mountain range.

For whatever reason, there was an abundance of huge jackrabbits running around.  They were the size of small deer.

Wow, very remote.  Mine was the only car in the single car "parking lot" which was nothing more than a dead end in a dry wash.  Lots of Ocotillo plants around as I begin the ascent toward a ridge that stops about a mile below Coyote Peak.

Check out the Saguaro on the left and of course the view. You know me, I try to buck up the mood of my Ohio friends whenever I can so about here I called a good friend and described what I was seeing.  It gets me kind of emotional, seeing this and wishing I could share it with so many. Like always, the images just don't do it justice.

Higher I go and still so many Ocotillo.  Their pink flowers are beautiful but so too are..

...many....

....other plants, of which there are thousands.

Above, the green line represents the drive in and the red line roughly represents my trek.  Many decades ago, a rancher constructed a trail to the peak so his wife could ride her horse there.  How nice.  The trail is still here but disappears frequently and I am forced to consult the gpx track.  Pretty rugged is the route.

And I continue to climb and love the fantastic view to the northeast but the prize will be later.

The route drops into a gorge and parallels the above wall.  You know how much I enjoy this stuff.

Oh boy!  Could this be it?  The ridge?  Well, actually no, not even close and Part 2 tomorrow.  So glad to see a bunch of you got out to ride Sunday and some of you raced successfully too!