Roads through the wilderness

A lot of people would be too frightened to take the trip we did yesterday.  In a truck that is too large for the back roads we took off on Forest Service road 49.  The road is a dead end at a couple of tanks.  Around here ranchers call the small stock ponds tanks.   Up until a couple weeks ago the road was impossible for even the motorcycle, but the Forest Service road crew used the bulldozer to make a passable road.  After a few rains the road will be back to the state of useless.  It is amazing how big the wilderness is when you can actually get back into it on some of these Forest Service Roads. 

Matt and Winky had never made the trip from the visitor center over the mountains to Apache Lake so Kadizzle showed them the trip he has made on the motorcycle many times.  Again the road is not for the weak.  If Kadizzle had to choose the most treacherous road in the Tonto National Forest the part of the road that goes down to Lake Apache might be the winner.  The road crew made it passable for a pickup, but prior to their work it was treacherous.  About a week ago before the road was fixed Kadizzle went down it on the motorcycle.  He was with another rider and we feared we might get down away and be able to go either up or down.  We made it down, but it did involve a minor crash for Kadizzle.  The problem is the road is extremely steep.  Now imaging sprinkling tiny bb like pebbles on a very steep road.  Now you have a steep downhill road that does not allow you to stop even if you put the brakes on.  This also creates another problem with a motorcycle.  If the engine is in a low gear the back wheel will lock up and that is even more fun.   Matt was driving for the first time down the gravel covered sliding board.  Although the bulldozer had fixed the road Matt's exhaust was puckering going down.  Well we made it.  Winky says she does not need to make the trip again. 

The road is a great test of motorcycle skill.  If you make the entire trip on the motorcycle without going down once you get an A.   Kadizzle has made it a couple times, but the majority of the trips involved going down.  A lesson Kadizzle has had a hard time learning is don't make the trip alone.  The biggest problem traveling along is having the motorcycle fall to the downhill side.  Getting the cycle upright on a steep hill in this condition is not for a 70 year old goat. 

There are a whole lot more roads to explore.  If you have a good dirt bike and want to give it a try, come on down.  Young men preferred who can do the lifting.  Kadizzle did come up with a plan.  Al is younger than Kadizzle.  On a trip up in the mountains Kadizzle just stopped and had Al ride his Yamaha across the tuff part.  That worked pretty well.