Sagebrush, Saguaro, and Sweat

A fall jaunt deep into the Sonoran and Mojave deserts

3,015 kilometers (1,873.43 miles) over 52 days from October 10, 2017 to November 30, 2017

Table of Contents
Sagebrush, Saguaro, and Sweat: Introduction 1
Phoenix to Lake Pleasant: Ouch, been a while 2
Lake Pleasant to Trilby Wash: All of the above 3
Trilby Wash to Alamo Road: Into the Mojave 4
Alamo Road to Alamo Lake: can't get across 5
Alamo Lake to Wenden: into the wind 6
Wenden to La Posa Road: a massive breakfast followed by trucks and wind 7
La Posa Road to Vidal Junction: into California 8
Vidal Junction to Needles: wind in my face 9
Needles to Mojave Road: out for a walk in the sand (with a heavily loaded bike) 10
Cycling Mojave National Preserve: Mojave Road to Fort Piute 11
Cycling Mojave National Preserve: Fort Piute to Rock Springs 1 12
Cycling Mojave National Preserve: Fort Piute to Rock Springs 2 13
Cycling Mojave National Preserve: Rock Springs to Aiken Mine Road 14
Aiken Mine Road to Field Road: Return to civilization 15
Field Road to Barstow Road: 16
Barstow Road to Apple Valley: an oasis in the desert 17
Apple Valley to Landers: no bed tonight 18
Landers to Ryan Campground: Joshua Tree National Park 19
Joshua Tree to Salton Sea: up, down, up, down, down, down 20
Salton Sea: Day off (sort of) 21
Cycling the Bradshaw Trail: Day 1, Bradshaw Road 22
Cycling the Bradshaw Trail: Day 2, to Chuckwalla Well 23
Cycling the Bradshaw Trail day 3: to Blythe 24
Blythe to near Parker: chores, ride, more chores 25
Cycling Alamo Lake Day 1: to Arizona Peace Trail 26
Cycling Alamo Lake Day 1: to Arizona Peace Trail part 2 27
Cycling Alamo Lake Day 2: arrival 28
Cycling Alamo Lake Day 2: arrival part 2 29
Cycling Alamo Lake Day 3: around the lake to Wickenburg Road 30
Cycling Alamo Lake Day 4: Wickenburg Road to Vulture Mine Road 31
Vulture Mine Road to Old US 80: minimal dirt today 32
Old US 80 to Gila Bend: clean up 33
Gila Bend to near Casa Grande: get me off these highways! 34
Near Casa Grande to West Silverbell Road: rough morning 35
West Silverbell Road to Tucson Mountain Park: 36
Sort-of day off: of motorcycles, bunny-boilers, and the New Testament 37
Tucson Mountain Park to Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge: 38
Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge to Arivaca Lake: 4 deuces 39
Arivaca Lake to Nogales: Ruby Road 40
Nogales to San Rafael Ranch: 41
San Rafael Ranch to Parker Canyon Lake: a day at the zoo 42
Parker Canyon Lake to Huachuca: the dreaded double flat 43
Huachuca to Tombstone: a German Thanksgiving 44
Tombstone to Cochise Stronghold: Cochise Trail hike-a-bike 45
Cochise Stronghold to Willcox: a taste of New Orleans 46
Willcox to San Pedro River: 47
San Pedro River to Willow Road: Javelinas and chilaquiles 48
Willow Road to Apache Junction: one wrong turn makes for a very long day 49
Apache Junction to North Phoenix: last ride 50
Epilogue: Operation Rescue Motorcycle 51