I Claim This Trail in the Name of...

 Sundays are for discovery, or at least this past Sunday was. Able to get some distance and speed work in on Saturday, I was free to slow and go as I pleased the following day. But first...

as I was riding up Mills, crossing Baseline, someone called out "Hi Michael!" Looking back over my shoulder I could only make out a group of cyclists, and not able to pick out any single one in that instant, I hoped that raising my hand in a wave would be noticed. Hi back at you!

Anyway, a few minutes later I was heading into the Spreading Grounds, and a few miles later came to the spot I had noticed last week - a faint suggestion of a trail, an offshoot from one of the "main" roads. One thing led to another and the suggestion turned into a trail, made by what or who I don't know. I saw no indication it had been trod in a long time so, in longstanding Imperialist tradition (and lacking a suitable flag), I laid tracks on it to claim it for the nation of two-wheelers.

with the road just off to the left you have to get down that rocky levee bank; I left my bike there at first, but came back to ride the trail...

there is a short stretch of trail between the rocky bank and the levee bank on the other side...

finally you get to a lengthy stretch of trail; it links two roads but does require two dismounts to get up and down the levees, and because of that is not a very useful trail

found some low growing penstemon

and some rusting piece of metal

photo just doesn't do justice to how red that stuff is in the morning light

Later, and further down the wash, I came across another old water control feature, another concrete and steel gate dated to 1938. Any wood that might have existed at one time was long since gone, but everything else will be much more long lasting. By now you know there is a reason that all the water control features date to 1938, the year of the last major flood to devastate the area. Also in the area I discovered another piece of the old motor vehicle; at this rate I may find the whole thing in another fifty years.