Saturday, November 22/2014

The sun is shining this morning and it looks like it is going to be another great day. This is the second time we have not needed the heater running to stay warm. Life is good!!  Since there is no restaurant close by, I guess I will actually have to think about cooking breakfast. Kay and I have gotten into a real nice habit of going out for breakfast but I guess that stops today!!
John got busy changing the oil on the quads and I started cooking breakfast. Kay was busy being the "go for" for John while he was lying on the ground.
The oil got changed and we all enjoyed breakfast.
Then, it was on to the quads and we headed for the nearby Cerbat Mountains where we accessed an trail that took us up along the upper ridge of the mountain. Much of the trail was "shelf" trail with a million feet below and I spent most of the time looking at the wall next to us.
Kay was driving, I was in the passenger seat so it really made no difference when I closed my eyes!!
The wind was blowing like crazy for most of the day and at an elevation of at least 6000 feet, there was a bit of a chill to it as well.
We stopped along the trail at one point where there was a U.S. Fee Area where one could pitch a tent and camp if they wished. I am not sure who would want to camp way up here in all this wind!!  I am sure it must blow all the time.
We carried on down the trail, passed a rather well preserved mining site and eventually came down the mountain and into the Murals of Chloride.
They looked to be painted again as the colours seemed to be much brighter than when we saw them two years ago. There was another couple there looking at the murals as well. Apparently they were riding a Harley and had left it at the start of the trail. They were told that they could easily hike to the murals and they did...... all 1 1/2 miles of trail that they could had ridden.
They didn't look like they were looking forward to the walk back so I offered to drive them back down to their bike.

On the  Rim trail in the Cerbat mountains

It is a long way down

Lots of switchbacks

Shelf trail - my favourite!!

Beverage stop.  I think I need two after all this lousy shelf trail.

Cactus - must be in Arizona!!

U.S. Fee Area.

Recreation area way up in the mountains.  Nice spot but for small campers
(very small campers) and tents.

Not sure what kind of tree this was but the bark was an
awesome colour.

Kay and Marie under a pinyon pine tree at the
recreation area.

The trail ahead

At one of the many old mine sites.  This one was particularly
well preserved.

Further down the trail.  Some sort of  mineral
deposit on the face of the rock.   Calcium perhaps?

The Murals of Chloride

Sunset starting

The trail home.

More sunset

There was lots of room on the quad for the three of us and they were very happy with the ride.
Once I got back to the murals, we decided to take the trail back to the camper so we started our ascent up the mountain and back along the same trail we had just travelled.
We managed to get a few nice shots of the sunset and before too long, we were back at the camper.  It was a good day on the trails and Kay enjoyed riding my new quad.  She loved the power steering and the quietness of the machine.
Hogan was glad to see us back too.