Wednesday, December 12/2012

Chilly again this morning as I guess the Arizona "winter" has arrived.  I have to scoot into town to pick up some smokies and buns for our quad ride today.  Last night, Ray and Kay invited us for a ride and both John and I jumped at the chance to leave the work in the trailer behind and get out to enjoy the day.
We headed out to meet the rest of the riders - Ray's brother Kurt and his wife Bonnie and Ray's brother in law Duff.  I was riding Ray's Arctic Cat and Kay decided that her quad needed to have a good run so she too was riding her own.  Ray took their side by side (Henrietta) and John started out on ours.
We met and headed out to Box Canyon.  It is always a good ride to the "box" but with 6 quads, it was a bit dusty.
There was the usual amount of water running so nothing to really worry about although Duff was on a mission to splash as many people as he could.  He did manage to get Kay but actually he himself came out the wettest!!
Once through "the box" we continued to follow the Hassayamppa river bed for a few miles until we accessed a trail that climbed out of the bed and into the surrounding high lands.  It was a good, steady climb and one of the better trails we have been on in this area.
We got to one area called "the wall" where a rather large stone wall had been built at some long forgotten mining claim.  It looked to have been a large operation at one point in the past and now was on private land and abandoned.
We continued on with John and I trading machines so that I could give my tailbone a rest.  That Arctic Cat of Ray's has a very hard, unforgiving seat and was causing me some grief.  Being that this is my first ride since leaving Leoville, my shoulders were feeling the strain as well.  I forgot that Ray's machine had no power steering!!  I have even become spoiled while quadding!!  Life is good!!

Big Duff and John

Kurt

Ready to head out

First refreshment break at the Salt Cedar trees near Box Canyon

Stops along the trail

water in Box Canyon

Now this, is an awesome pic of the flowing
Hassayamppa River.

Splashing through the flowing water

miles and miles of unforgiving desert

incredible scenery

"The wall"

Abandoned mine site - this cabin had a bathtub!!

Too many to count

William's Family Ranch - these folks have opened their
land up to ATV's and include some wonderful area trails

The mountains in the distance

The Assayer's Office

Duff led us up and over several rough trails with a few "off camber" areas that could get a bit scary if one did not know how to traverse this type of terrain but all in all the trails were awesome.  We passed several mining sites (some of which John and I had visited with the jeep) and eventually ended up at the  Assayer's office.  It is here that the miners used to come to "cash in" their gold.  The office was now being used as a base for a few die hard miners who are trying their hand at a rather harsh unforgiving occupation - that of a gold miner.
It was getting late and it was time to head home.  We had traveled several miles away from Wickenburg and with the threat of the sun going down and us riding in the dark, we turned around and followed the same twisty road back to civilization.  John and I once again switched rides (as we had been doing all day) and I was back on our quad so was able to ride easier for the ride home.  At the final refreshment stop, Ray offered Henrietta to me and I was more than happy to take her on the final leg home.  It was like driving a mini jeep and my tailbone thanked him for it.   When we arrived back at the park, safe and sound  and before sunset, Ray said that he doubts if he will ever go back to riding a one up quad after having Henrietta.  He is hooked on the side by side.
Because there is a forecast for rain tomorrow, Kay and I moved all the trim wood into the trailer so that it would stay dry.  I can stain it all inside if the need should arise.   John hauled the antique desk into Ray and Kay's garage so it too would be dry.   I would hate to have saved it from the abandoned trailer then leave it for the rain to destroy.  That would be sooo not cool.
Mary Beth came by and asked if Ray could put on a set of new windshield wipers for her so he was busy doing that while the rest of us were busy getting things ready for tomorrow's impending rain.
John got a fire started and I hit the switch on the bbq.   For some reason, no one was all that hungry on the trail today so we did not bother to start a fire and cook the smokies.  It was now time to get them on the grill and us fed.
Soon, the fire was blazing and we were sitting around it warming up and eating a hastily prepared supper.  The fire was awesome and the "dogs" tasted great.
It was soon time for each of us to head into the shower and in my case, the bath tub to scrub the trail dust off.  My shoulders and neck were starting to get more stiff and sore the longer I sat, not to mention my carelessly abused tailbone!!  Oh my gosh, a good soak in the tub will make a world of difference.
By 9:00 p.m., everyone was tucked safety into their homes for a relaxing evening.  Although I had some doubts as to wether or not I would be able to move my shoulders and neck in the morning, I did so enjoy the ride today and really can not wait to have the trailer work finished and have some free time to just be able to "go" when we want. Now that, will be nice.  Soon.........