Nightrider Well, with the normal heat down here in the southwest I tend to shift my pleasure rides to the evening. Last night was no different. Couldn't find anything on TV, the discussions here were quiet, didn't feel like reading a book, so gear up and go for a spin. When ever I do this, I just pick a direction and go that way and wonder around. Basically I literally try to get lost. Last night I thought, OK let's try South West from here and see if I can find some cold air to get out of the heat. Actually going South West is a bit boring, straight roads, farms, dairies, desert. After awhile, I ended up on State Highway 238, cruising along listening to my MP3's towards Gila Bend. Nice quiet two lane road, raced a train or two (railway runs parallel to the road). Really fascinating on how bright the head lights are on a locomotive. Somewhat envious of their setup. After awhile, I realized what was up ahead. The old Butterfield stage coach trail. The Butterfield trail was a trail that ran from Missouri to San Francisco from 1857-1858. The Arizona section was used up to 1861. But was moved north during the Civil War. I had ridden the trail before, during the day. It is roughly a 12 mile loop of twisty, bumpy, wash riddled, Saguaro cactus, sage brush, rocky, Sanoran desert of fun. Last night, I don't know why, but I thought "Fuck it. I always wanted to do some desert night riding". So I did. WOW!! I have never had so much fun in my life! Talk about testing your riding skills and seeing how big ones balls are! Especially doing it without a riding partner, and being out of range of any cell phone service. I found the entrance of the trail of highway 238, stopped had a smoke and think about what I am about to do. Decided to stop thinking and just enjoy the moment. Sat on the bike and gazed up at the night sky, noticing that I could see the milky way for the first time in a long time. Although it is weird to only see half of it, because of orange glow of the lights from the Phoenix Metro area. Still fascinates and bugs me how much light there is from the city. I Carefully put out my cigarette, making sure to bury properly (it is awfully dry out there). Hopped on the bike, making sure the ABS was turn off, and the high beam was operational. Off I went in the darkness of the desert, armed with only the stock lights of my GS and my wits. The last time I rode this trail, it had rained a couple days prior. It was nice because the trail was firm. It hasn't rained in some time down here, and I didn't realize how soft the trial would be because of all the other people using it with their ATV's, bikes, and 4WD vehicles. But that was my first surprise. Several times in the beginning I would be going along, and all the sudden I could feel the front tire start to wash out from under the bike. With a foot plant and some added power I was able to keep the bike upright. But talk about an adrenaline rush! The thought of going down and trying to lift 600 lbs of bike upright is never a pleasant thought. Not to mention all the rocks and cactus that line the trail. But keeping calm, and trying to read the terrain and try to kept the washouts to a minimum I kept going. Now trying to read the trail with just the stock headlights was an adventure in it's self. With the trail winding left, right, up and down, you really don't have time to think ahead, just react to what shows up. Hate to say it, but that was best part! Just thinking that I don't know what is really ahead, there could be huge rock, or a deep sandy wash or a fallen plant across the trail and knowing that you have to think fast to deal with it. After the first 2 miles, I gave up thinking and just relied on instinct. Let the bike do what it wants to do and keep ones balance. After the first 4.5 miles of the trail (north bound), there is a T intersection that puts you on the actual east west Butterfield trail. I stopped for a second and thought "Do I really want to continue with this madness? Should I turn around and go back, or go left and continue the trail. I know that there is a difficult section up ahead that can be daunting in the day time, let alone at night." I didn't think long... Fuck it! Left turn and onward! The trail is roughly 6.5 miles of non maintained two wheeled ruts, before you end up on a semi-maintained graded road that takes you back to the highway. One part if this trail was really interesting at night. There is a nice straight gentle climb in elevation but it is really "dippy". It was neat looking ahead into the darkness and watching the head light of the bike rise and dip to reveal all the Saguaro cactus that line the trail. It was somewhat ominous with their ghostly silhouettes coming and going like giant sentries guarding the trail with their arms up warning one not to go on. But on I went, because I knew there was no going back. After awhile, I remembered that there is the difficult part of the trail coming up. A somewhat steep rock strewn grade that when you see it in the day on the GS you stop for second and think "Do I really want to go on?". But you goose it anyway and have the rear tire bounce left, right and over the rocks and up the grade. When you get to the top, you think "Wow! I made it!" I knew it was coming, and was really starting to think that this was a really bad idea. But just as I thought that, there was the grade. It didn't really dawn on me at the moment where I was. Just that I couldn't see anything in the lights but dirt and rocks that seemed to be going vertical in front of me. Don't think, just GO! was racing through my mind cause this is not the spot to stop and try to find the space to turn around. Twisting on the gas, I went up, and up, and up. It seemed like forever for the incline, a second of rocky flat flashing in the beam of light and more climbing. All the sudden in my view is nothing but blackness and the sinking feel of bike going down. I had crested the grade and forgot that it goes down for a bit. Nothing like seeing nothing and thinking "Oh, shit. I lost the trail and am going over cliff. It was fun while it lasted." But the beam of light from my headlights shown brightly that the trail was still there and a straight section to let you calm down before another simple grade up and a steal gate across the trail pops up out of no where. Stopping quickly, wondering what the hell? The vision of the ghostly Saguaro cacti before warning me not to go on came back to me and finally understanding what they meant. Getting my composure back I see a sign that says "Close gate behind you". I wonder, should I open the gate and go on? Or try to go back the way I came? It didn't take long to say "Are you fucking NUTS? Go back down what you just came up, at NIGHT!?!?!" The rest of the trail was really pleasant. Except for the sandy washes that the trail followed occasionally. There were parts of straight shots where I could open up the bike, a bit. 30 mph was fastest I could obtain for short bursts before chickening out. I came up on the old watering hole that was filled by hand for the old stage coach horses and blew past it before I realized where I was. The trail was coming to an end and the graded road was approaching. When I reached the road, I stopped and took a break. That is when it dawned on my, how bloody hot it was out there! With sweat dripping down my forehead I removed my helmet and put it on a mirror and promptly dropped to my knees and thought "Holly SHIT that was fun!" After a short break to catch my breath, and to change the songs playing on my MP3 player, I hopped back on the bike for some fast riding back to the highway. The road was fun! Wide and smooth enough to get the bike up speed of roughly 40-50 mph and spurts. Again with the thrill of knowing that there are gentle turns in the road, but not knowing exactly when they are. But one thing kept catching my eye... the HUGE orange glow coming from behind one of the mountains. The glow was rather hypnotizing and distracting. Several times I would be staring at it wondering what the glow was coming from. I knew that it wasn't city lights, wrong direction, and the city was to far way. But then my attention would be jerked back to the road because of a turn! Hit brakes, slide the back a bit, and goose the throttle to power out of the turn. Have to pay attention! But I would wonder back looking at the glow. I knew that the Barry Goldwater bombing range was in that direction. Could the air force be doing some live fire bombing and one of the bombs started a fire? Oops! Another turn, back to concentrating on the road. I couldn't figure out what the glow was, until... I finally crested a hill and origin of the glow shown brightly. THE MOON!!! Wow! It was beautiful just rising behind a craggy peak, nice an big, shining bright. I had to slow down to appreciate it beauty. Just wonderful. I finally reached the highway, rather quickly I might add. I just seemed to come out of no where, slamming on the brakes and coming to sideways stop in the gravel just short of the pavement. I shut down the bike and took a breather. Sitting there I still couldn't believe what I had just done. Thinking, "You know, the stock lights weren't THAT bad." I suddenly wondered what time it was... Turned on the bike and looked at the clock. Wow! 23:11! It's late, I need to get home. I quickly boogied on home, tired but with some adrenaline still flowing. I got home got a quick drink of water, and prepped for bed. The clock read 00:13 when I turned out the lights and fell asleep. Sorry, but no pictures. Just a quick map.
Great report! Reminds me of one of my favourite rides--the Icefields Parkway at night with a clear sky and full(ish) moon. Beautiful, but damn cold!
Night trail riding is such a trip. Even trails you know completely, mess you up at night. It's very surreal and lots of fun.