Miles 302-387 on the Arizona Trail
Superior to Phoenix
1300 back on trail. We all loaded into the car for the trail head. MJ had another hiker to pick up and since we weren’t in any rush, we went out during her pick up. We all took photos in front of the AZT sign for MJ’s yearbook.
The other two chatted with Handlebar, the guy being picked up while I hit the trail. I wanted to get about 10 miles to set up for the climb the next day. The hiking was hot and through a wash. Lots of sunflowers in this stretch.
It was quiet on the trail. Besides Boomer and Wild Child, I only saw two women on horseback that afternoon. I got water at the trickling stream mid afternoon and then again from a small but clear pool about 10.5 miles in. Since I got enough water I didn’t actually need to get all the way to the next source. Shortly before the water source, I found a camp and set up my tent. While I was getting set up inside, Wild Child passed by. She told me about a Gila monster she saw not far back then continued on in hopes for water. I had an epic dinner of avocado, cheese, bean, and jalapeño burritos. I read for a bit then sleep.
The next morning was the usual routine. I had a full day of hiking ahead. I packed, pulled my breakfast out, and headed to the water source. It was a small trickle, but I got enough to get to the next one which I’d hit around lunch time. The morning was a lot of steep climbing at about 750’ per mile grade.
On the way back down I crossed into the Superstition Wilderness. I had heard those mountains are beautiful and was looking forward to them. After a not quite as steep climb (500’/mile) I reached the next water source and my lunch spot. The top of this mountain area was lovely. I was back in the pine trees so there was shade and cooler temps. I found a nice spot to lay out my tarp and have lunch, more bean and cheese burritos. I spent a while laying under the trees reading. I wasn’t feeling very motivated and could have spent the whole afternoon doing nothing.
I mustered the motivation to get back on trail after an hour and 20 minutes. I had some more steep climbing and drops ahead. At least I had an easy two miles of meadow first. I grabbed more water at the last crossing of the stream. I didn’t have too far before the last water, but it was hot out there. The next climb was short but 800’/mile grade so it was slow going for me. I’m not a fast climber when the terrain is steep. The backside heading down was steeper and very slippery. I slid a lot today on the dusty gravely path and fell once on the earlier descent. I took it extra slow. I didn’t particularly want to fall again. I had one last steep climb to end the day of 960’/mile, then I’d be on the ridge and could camp wherever I saw fit. It was a slow day. I found a nice spot with a great view at 1830, the tail end of when I’d like to end the hiking day. The evening was the typical routine and laid down to read after dinner of a knorr rice side.
I had a great view of the sunrise with my tent doors facing east. After getting out of my tent to finish packing, I saw a tiny scorpion walking around outside my door. It was less than an inch long. I was able to snap one blurry photo of it before it hid under a rock. Glad I didn’t cowboy camp.
The morning was cold and windy. A nice change. The views were as stunning as always. I had one steep descent and climb (similar grades as the day before, over 800’/mile) before the more gradual (550’/mile) downhill to Roosevelt Lake Marina where I would stop for lunch. The whole morning was beautiful. The first half with mountain views and second half along a wash which was both pretty and annoying since it stood between me and food.
Eventually I was on a slippery forest road heading down to the marina. I left the trail for the easy quarter mile walk in. The marina had a small shop and restaurant. I went into the restaurant. Inside a woman asked me some questions about hiking before I grabbed a table to order food and charge my phone. I got the burger with sweet potato fries and an ice tea. It was decent. Nothing to write home about, but better than ramen. Boomer and Wild Child had gotten there a little before me and joined me at my table shortly before my food arrived. We had a nice lunch together.
I hung out inside a while after to charge up and they went to the hiker area outside. I wasn’t far behind. I grabbed a strawberry milk and ice cream cone and sat at the picnic tables with them. None of us were in a rush to leave. I only really needed to get 6 more miles. One my last trip inside, I saw Firefly. I thought he had passed me, but he took a double zero and I got ahead again. That won’t last long with my plan to double zero coming up. Wild Child, Boomer, and I left around 1420, hiking together yet separate for the first bit. We were all a little surprised by the road walk on the highway. We had to cross some of the lake on a large bridge.
After the bridge began the climb. We all went our separate paces since we weren’t really hiking together. I haven’t seen Wild Child since. I caught up to Boomer around 1745. The climb was supposed to get harder from here and there was a huge space for camping. We both called it good since neither of us needed to get to the water cache that night. The ground was too hard for my tent stakes so I ended up cowboy camping. Boomer did as well. We mostly kept to ourselves, both of us reading before bed.
Boomer was up early since he makes breakfast and coffee. I’m typically ready to go in 25-30 minutes so I ended up leaving only about 5 minutes behind him. Again, the morning had a lot of climbing in store with parts of the climb being as steep as the previous days (800’/mile). I took a random break late morning near the top on a saddle to eat the rest of my chips and read for 20 minutes. Lunch at the next water source was soon after. It was a pretty spot next to a small pool in the shade. I put down my tarp, took off my shoes, and enjoyed the afternoon.
Once I was hiking again, the afternoon felt slow. I stopped for water at the last spring for 10 miles and entered a road walk section. Only the first mile was semi busy. It was a weekend. The walking was fast though until I turned off onto a much less used dirt road that would require a high clearance vehicle to get through. The walking was slower, but I was still moving well. When it got close to quitting time, I kept an eye out for camping along the road. I found a lovely spot up a little and behind some rocks and trees that still had a little bit of a view to the east. The evening routine was much the same: tent up, dinner, set up the inside for bed, journal, read, sleep. The only difference this evening was trying to figure out what a loud humming noise was. It was a hummingbird.
During the night the wind picked up fiercely. I usually sleep with my tent doors open for a nice breeze but I needed to shut them to help with all the flapping, plus the wind was chilly. I put in some earplugs as well and then back to sleep. In the morning I had a figurative ton of dust in my tent from the wind, but the sunrise was lovely.
I was tired from not sleeping well, but it was the day I would meet up with friends! I had texted the day before with my goal time to get into Sunflower. I only had 12 miles and most of them downhill. I made good time and the cold windy morning (55F) was enjoyable. I texted when I got into service range that I should be in Sunflower by 1100. I went through the underpass below HWY 87. It looked like it might be easier to get to the road from the far side. It wasn’t too difficult, but did require a little bush whacking. I crossed the highway again to a road that was easy to turn off onto and laid down in the dirt to wait. I talked to my husband on the phone while I hung out. It didn’t take long before my friends arrived. I’m so glad I reached out to them. We had met on a tour group in Costa Rica a couple months before and exchanged contacts when I said I’ll be in Arizona much of the spring. Back at their house in Phoenix, I got a shower and some clothes to wear and we headed out for lunch. I had a delicious Korean style poke bowl with scallops and ahi and a tasty mint lime drink.
We relaxed for a few hours at the house before they took me to REI. I needed new shoes, a new sports bra, and a sawyer coupler. I broke mine. I found two of the items as well as a sticker and AZT necklace. We wandered around Costco after. Back at the house Steve made us a delicious dinner of chicken and roasted veggies with corn on the cob and bread; it was so good. Left over gelato from a party the weekend before followed. We all turned in for bed by 2000. What a great day.
I woke up at my usual 0500. I tried to sleep a bit more but ended up just reading for an hour in bed before heading out to start my day. Steve left for work before I got up. Carrie was still around. We chatted for a bit before I headed out to the desert botanical gardens. You’d think I’d have had enough of all the cacti, but no. I love them. I stopped at a cafe on the way for a delicious coffee and danish.
At the gardens I wandered around for hours looking at all the cacti I’ve seen in the wild. It was fun putting names to the ones I didn’t know.
Eventually I walked the entire gardens then drove back to the house for a lunch of leftovers. My afternoon involved laying out by the pool and hopping in to cool off, followed by a yoga class at 1630. It was good to do some stretching. Apparently my hips are very tight. We had a delicious burrito/taco dinner followed by fresh chocolate chip cookies. So good. The evening was nice and relaxed. Perfect end to a great zero day.
I started the day off with a great yoga session at Black Swan Yoga with Carrie. Really cool place and the instructor was great. They keep the room dark and 90 degrees. I don’t think I’ve ever been that sweaty doing yoga before.
Back at the house I took a shower and put on a fun sundress to head out to the grocery store for my resupply. I drove to a Sprouts down the road. This was probably one of my heaviest resupplies and it’s only for 3 full days. Worth it. I got a lot of fresh foods and walking tamales. None of that is light, but it tastes great. Fresh food on trail is a treat. I also grabbed a sushi to eat right away and an iced mocha at the coffee shop.
Carrie got back to the house not too long after I did and we went to the Heard museum together. The museum was great. It focuses on the indigenous tribes of Arizona. I enjoyed learning by about the people and areas I’ll be traveling through.
We grabbed lunch at the museum’s cafe which ended up being tasty salads. We had a relaxed late afternoon/evening reading and eating leftover burrito items for dinner. I headed to my room around 2030 to pack and for bed.
After a third night of really good sleep in a row, it was time to head back to trail.
