Mountain biking at 38 degrees

Thirty-eight degrees. Temperature — not latitude.

Fall has arrived in northern Arizona and the leave are turning colors and, in some cases, have already fallen. We went on a mountain bike ride on one of our favorite section of the Arizona Trail the other day so that we could view the aspen trees in their autumn glory. A cold front had passed through a day earlier and it was quite cold that morning with temperatures only in the upper 30s. So we bundled up with a few extra layers, caps and gloves, and off we went.

Riding the Arizona Trail at 8000 feet elevation and 38 degrees Fahrenheit. All you have to do is bundle up!
Riding the Arizona Trail at 8000 feet elevation and 38 degrees Fahrenheit. All you have to do is bundle up!
Riding an easy stretch of the Arizona Trail. The aspen leaves have fallen and left a carpet of color on the trail.
Riding an easy stretch of the Arizona Trail. The aspen leaves have fallen and left a carpet of color on the trail.

The only problem was that the rain from a few days earlier had left the trails pretty muddy and with the cool weather they had not dried yet. Suddenly we found our tires and bikes caked with mud. Eventually it became too difficult to ride as the mud accumulated on the tires, in the brakes, derailleurs, and anywhere else mud can collect. And that’s a lot of places!

A grove of aspen trees in full autumn color on the San Francisco Peaks.
A grove of aspen trees in full autumn color on the San Francisco Peaks.

New snow on the higher elevations of the San Francisco Peaks stands in contrast to a grove of aspen in full autumn color.
New snow on the higher elevations of the San Francisco Peaks stands in contrast to a grove of aspen in full autumn color.

So we abandoned the ride to return another day. Still, it was a pleasant enough day with plenty of color to view in the aspen trees in Flagstaff at 8000 feet and 38 degrees–especially with the new snow on the San Francisco Peaks.

Mountain biking in Flagstaff. Part 2: 6500 feet

A previous post talked about mountain biking in Flagstaff along the high elevation sections of the Arizona Trail. Not too far away is another section of the Arizona Trail — this time at an elevation of about 6500 feet. The vegetation is different — and quite green because of all the rain lately — and the trail is more open.

This particular section of the Arizona Trail starts along Old Walnut Canyon Road on the north boundary of Walnut Canyon National Monument. It travels through Ponderosa Pine then moves into Pinyon-Juniper with wide open vistas. There are old homesteads along the trail with collapsed buildings and old toys in what was once someones yard.

View of the San Francisco peaks near Flagstaff from the Arizona Trail.
View of the San Francisco peaks near Flagstaff from the Arizona Trail.
Riding singletrack near Flagstaff on the Arizona Trail.
Riding singletrack near Flagstaff on the Arizona Trail.
The front wheel is all that remains from a young child's tricycle.
The front wheel is all that remains from a young child's tricycle.

Mountain biking in Flagstaff. Part 1: 9000 feet

Flagstaff has a variety of great mountain biking trails. Some of these trails start right in the city or at the city edge; others require only a short trip out of town to the trail head.

In addition to local trails, sections of the Arizona Trail pass through Flagstaff and the nearby mountains. One of the newer sections north of town has some excellent riding through groves of aspen trees.

Riding amongst the ferns and aspens -- and the occasional elk -- on the Arizona Trail.
Riding amongst the ferns and aspens -- and the occasional elk -- on the Arizona Trail.
Aspen trees in full autumn color along a section of The Arizona Trail.
Aspen trees in full autumn color along a section of The Arizona Trail.

This is an amazing ride when the leaves begin to change color in the autumn and the shadows start to get long.

It’s also a good idea to keep a sharp eye for elk wandering through the woods and along the trail. After all, it’s important to share the trail with ALL users!