The Years Best Posts

Since I've not been riding much myself, thought I would share some of what I've found. Lists of the best of the best post other bloggers have posted.

I am not going to make a list of every category. The best video's around here combined with youthful folksy  language always come from U2meToo, the best trail information always comes from MTBikeAZ some of the best writing comes from OneSpeedGo, while the best still photos come from sprockets.

However, in honor of the late Anthony Sloan, I am going to focus on his style of blog. Posts that look like they belong in a National Geographic or Arizona Highways magazine. Great Photography, combined with informative, entertaining story telling. I'll do the nominating, I'll let you all vote for your favorite posts. Feel free to post a comment about a great blog I'm missing out on.


My nominations include:
Cactus Rod The Toughest Mountain Bike Rider I Know from Darren's Rides


Kicking around the Kaibab from Out There


Spring on the Cabin Loop from Sprockets


North Rim of Grand Canyon Sampler from MountianBikeBill

Biggest looser - Buenos Aires - other stuff

Biggest Looser

No weekend riding, no change in weight this week.

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Buenos Aires

Kind of funny that I had dogs as the main picture of my last two posts. I just like this picture. Taken with my old 1965 Pentax Spotmatic 35mm film camera.

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Cell Phones

I lost my phone on the way to work the other day. One of the reasons that I have not posted any video as it was my video player. 

Funny thing is I can see exactly where the phone is located via gps. The person who has it, takes it with them to the laundry mat and out. Mostly they just stay at home. I have talked to two different people in the home but neither know anything about it.  What kind of person won't return a persons cell phone? I was thinking old man (who didn't know what it was or teenager) but no, this doesn't appear to be the case. I am going to have to give up on getting it back soon as Venu is due any day now. She has to be able to get in touch with me.

Red Mountain - Hawes trail

Hawes Red Mountain - Fat Tire.Net

I just love the trails in this area. The red dirt reminds me of Sedona.

Easy to get to too. From downtown Phoenix area just drive 20 miles East on the Red Mountain (202) freeway to Power Road. Then 1 mile north just past the canal. Park on the left or go further down to the park near the river. Fee area there though.

Click on the link at the top very for maps, more information, wait a wee bit for the current weather forecast.(Hawes Red Mountain - Fat Tire.Net)

Trail	Hawes rd - red mountain
Area	Phoenix - Mesa,   Arizona
Description	giant saguaro; ridge trails and mine shafts. Nice view of the river and red mountain. Sedona lite.
Distance	7.1 Miles
Primo Trail
Find Route	Moderate
skill	advanced
Effort	tough
Time To Ride	1.5 to 2 Hours
Directions	Take Red Mountain (202) to Power road and head one mile north

Average Speed	4.34659628073374
Slowest Speed	3.137255
Fastest Speed	6.025994

Season Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

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Oct

Nov

Dec

Map	Hawes
Trail Information	Mountain Bike Arizona
Trail Information	Mt. Bike AZ: Hawes Road
Photos	Phoenix trails
Videos	where the streets have no name
GPS graphs	hawes gps

Sep 17, 09	took a couple of really great HD videos and pasted on website. Check them out!
Aug 01, 09	Up Up Up Hawes to the ^^^Hike-a-bike^^^ to the Microwave tower. Down Down Down the pavement...over to new connector section of Wild Horse thru NRA pit to WH proper>>up Big Rock (sweet climb)>>Twisted Sister (rocks!)>>Saguaro>>CAP>>Chocolate Milk. Goo
Jul 13, 09	Since we got a late start on Hawes we didn’t get to complete the planned loop, though we sure tried. Good thing we bailed when we did because it got dark fast. Temps were friggin hot today, but by 7:15 it felt good to be out even though it was 102. H
Jul 01, 09	As I started down the backside of Mine I saw the Lenz rider again. This time he asked me “are you TheBarqsMan” to which I replied “I sure am.” He said he reads my blog. Cool. It’s fun to get recognized out on the trail. That plus the magnificent clou
Jun 16, 09	This morning’s ride was all about loving the ride. I didn’t plan on any specific route, I left it up to whims at each junction. I ended up riding the exact loop I did my first time riding Hawes years ago “plus a wee bit more that be nay thar aft then” (read in your best pirate voice).Riding Hawes always puts my love of the bike into perspective. Today I could see myself still on the bike at 70 years old. I want to be an old man that still shreds.
Mar 14, 09	Gary from Ohio arrived on Friday. We tweeked on bikes Sat morning and then horned in on a ride with Dale&Sonia and Beth&Randy out at Hawes in the afternoon. It was a designated ?flower sniffer? ride with a relaxed pace but somehow I still managed to be all tuckered out at the end. Fun times!!!
Mar 13, 09	Today I learned what happens if you take a roadie into the mountains?He will perform a spectacular endo for you. First; after his rear real bounced off a rock on a steep descent; he rode a full front wheelie for at least 10 feet; then just as the whe
Mar 08, 09	First 2 miles had a couple of killer (for me and Steve) climbs. We took shortcut home through story book - Ridgeline. Fun fun fun. Except Steve wrecked once and I did as well. Handle took the brunt of my wreck as it smacked a large boulder. Steve dro
Mar 08, 09	Met Frank near canal lot. Tough workout; then the reward of scenery & rolling downhill. Going a bit too fast & front tire caught some sand; sending me off the bike; unharmed. Camelback cusioned the fall and I rolled over a bit. Met a lot of interesti
Mar 08, 09	this trail kicked my butt. One tough climb up then wrecked on the screamer down. Felt like I been skiing all weeknd. Even my abs were sore.
Oct 27, 08	Ridge loop saw the park today. Nice shady area near the river. Something not expected in this area.
Oct 13, 08	Red rocks; Blue Water; Blue sky - Twisty; turney; rollie pollie breath taking fun.

Place	MESA	AZ	85201
Coordinates	Longitude: 111.8469	Latitude: 33.43174
Today's Forcast	High 80 fahranheit	27 Celcius
	Low 48 f	9 c
Current conditions	Currently 82 fahranheit	P/SUNNY	8 % humidity
November 26, 2009 15:13	Wind E	at 17 MPH	Pressure 30.05

6 Day Forcast

Day	Thursday, November 26, 2009	Friday, November 27, 2009	Saturday, November 28, 2009	Sunday, November 29, 2009	Monday, November 30, 2009	Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Forcast High Fahrenheit	80	78	70	63	65	68
Forcast Low Fahrenheit	48	49	44	40	41	40
Forcast High Celcius	27	26	21	17	18	20
Forcast Low Celcius	9	9	7	4	5	4
Conditions	Thunder Storms	Partly Cloudy	Sunny	Mostly Cloudy	Mostly Cloudy	N/A

National Parks of the U.S.A.

In honor of the free days we have had and will have in the National Parks. I submit this post. I have a lot more photos of the parks, and plan on updating soon. Can you name where some/all of these photos were taken?

All Photos were taken by myself or by someone with myself of myself.

Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom of the mountaineer. Camp out among the grasses and gentians of glacial meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of nature's darlings. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings, Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. As age comes on, one source of enjoyment after another is closed, but nature's sources never fail.

 John Muir -- Our National Parks , 1901, page 56.