Mountain Biking in Flagstaff

Byron, Charlie, Dave, Heather, Jeff, Jens, Kim, Laura, Lisa, Mark, Saeid, Steele, Sue, and Todd

Well, Tour de Leaf III featured the coldest weather we've had for this ride. It wasn't as windy as last year, but it was cloudy and thundery with intermittent rain. The colors were a bit off this year as well; lots of leaves were already off the trees above 9000', perhaps because of the storm that went through the week before. Mostly because of the thunder, we only pushed it as far as the cabins this year.

First, this just in: thanks to Charlie for a cool GPS record of our ride.

Todd rode with me from Mars Hill, and here we're out at the Elden Lookout / Schultz Y, with Charlie and Heather suiting up in the background.

Here Heather, Charlie, Mark, and Laura roll up Schultz Pass Road.

Several others met us at Schultz Tank. Here we are, in typical disarray, getting ready for the long roll up the Waterline road.

The early part of the ride was the only part where there was some sunshine to light up the photos. This is early on, before the gate on the Waterline road. Left to right: Dave, Saeid, Heather, Mark, Charlie.

Our youngest Lowell Rider ever joined us for this ride: Jens (7) and his mom Kim. Jens didn't quite make it all the way to the cabins, but hammered his way along with everyone for about three miles on his smart-looking Kona Makena. Good job, Jens! Come along with us next year!

I think Kim and Jens also brought our first four-legged Lowell Rider.

Steele got a great shot of us at our usual rally point at the tunnel. It started to rain just as we got to the shelter of the tunnel...

...but, in the usual fashion of Flagstaff's psychotic weather, the Sun was out a few minutes later, so I got one of the few classic aspen pictures I managed to find on this ride.

About three miles past the tunnel, we were approaching 9000' and the weather was closing in. Here Lisa and Todd arrive at a rally point.

Then the clouds broke again (briefly) and I found a few cool aspens looking nicely golden.

This was the typical view for the ride: heavy clouds with rain showers and virga around the horizons. Here we're looking back toward Mount Elden from about 8800'.

Steele and Charlie roll through the beautiful stretch below the cabins (with a thumbs-up from Charlie)...

...as did Byron and Sue a little farther along.

Well, here's proof we at least made it to the cabins. We pondered the weather for a while, but some obliging booms of thunder helped convince us to turn back.

If you like fall colors, you can also check out the photojournals for Tour de Leaf I and Tour de Leaf II. And note: we had two riders for ride I, seven for ride II, and 13 today. Next year let's go for 20!

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