NoPho: Dirt & Champagne

 My friend, Amanda, was in town for an extended desert visit, down from Colorado. We have been digital friends for a couple of years now and unknowingly met each other back in the summer of '21 at the famed Brush Mountain Lodge. I was on a whirlwind Colorado tour that summer and had stopped by for the night. A bunch of other friends were also there and we all hung out on the deck that evening. The next morning I took off for the Palisade Plunge and later saw a post by Amanda on Instagram (@dirt_and_champagne) from the Brush Mountain Lodge!! We both put 2&2 together and laughed about it.

That's Amanda, foreground left at the Brush Mtn. Lodge.

She was now hanging at Kirsten's southern home in NW Phoenix and was about to embark on a modified Fool's Loop bikepacking ride. I asked if she didn't mind some company for the beginning of the route and we met up around 7a to ride the Maricopa Trail eastbound through Spur Cross.

I warned her that I'd be slow on the hills since I would be on the singlespeed, she countered with a heavy bikepacking setup.

All friends get an obligatory hike-a-bike photo.

I had mentioned to her my last time through here was at night during my Maricopa Trail bikepack. It was nice to be able to see the area as it was only my second time riding this section of trail. It was more chunky than I recalled. Cue the hike-a-bike!!

This section was marvelous in the early morning light.

The trail eventually opens up for some fast miles before Spur Cross.

Huge Ocotillos great us on the Spur Cross trail.

I've ridden the Spur Cross Loop a bunch of times, but usually going westbound through the area. It actually rode quite well going eastbound, which surprised me a little, not sure why. Maybe the climb to the high point had received trail maintenance since my last time riding this direction, but that was a long time ago. Dunno.

Beautiful desert vistas in these parts.

We reached the trailhead in a reasonable time too!!

Amanda would continue solo from here, taking on the infamously rugged Trail #4. I'd begin to make my way back to Kirsten's place, but I wanted to do a bit of an extended loop, not just the C4 route. I could drop a bit to the south and ride some trails in the Sonoran Mountain Preserve, aka: Apache Wash.

It's Spur Cross.

Making my way through the fast trails of Apache Wash.

I exited the trails on the north side making my way through a few miles of paved neighborhood riding until I rejoined the Maricopa Trail a bit to the east of Kirsten's place.

Anthem trailhead, which I believe is the official start/end of the Maricopa Trail loop.

Some history of the ground breaking ceremony.

From here it was only a mile or so back to my car. Then it was time to hang out with Kirsten and share some stories from the past year. Always a good time.

Strava link.