With full stomachs and sore legs we departed for day three. The previous day's short miles promised plenty for the third. I was a little worried about Dinka. Not that she couldn't go the distance, but would it get too hot and melt my little girl? Not far into the ride I bummed some xtra water from some hikers who were finishing their hike. As usual, the little old hiker ladies loved Dinka. "Can she actually run with you behind the bike?" I guess its hard to tell she's a greyhound trapped in a lap dogs body.
It was the most beautiful day, the ocotillo were blooming, and new green grass made all the north hillsides look like they were covered in a green rash.
Professional guides, Nancy and Eric, are accustomed to weeks on end in the saddle and it showed on day three. Mary and I lagged towards the back. But a race it was not. We enjoyed the changing desert the farther south we went. The trail became more raw, and less used the further we got from the outside world.
My fear that Dinka would get too hot turned out to be a non-issue. We crossed three "rivers" through the day. Much to her dismay I soaked her in each one. She's come a long way in a year. Last year she refused to cross streams. We had to carry her across, soaking our feet. Luckily she's given up some of her cat like ways.
As we climbed our way out of the Agua Fria river valley I began to crave food. Like 40 miles in my legs kind of hunger. It was somewhere around this spot that we decided there would be no meal cooked in the Hideaway tonight. We would go in search of the famous pie we had heard about in the tiny town of Rock Springs.
A "cutie" would have to do in the mean time.
The further we got from civilization the more healthy and abundant the Saguaro Cactus became. The trail wound its way through whole forests of massive cacti, with funky outstretched arms in the tilted late afternoon light.
(photo above by Eric Boxrud) Remembering that I had previously prayed for the trail to keep going on and on I began to think that it might never end. But, unfortunately it did. We had parked the Hideaway on an old jeep road a few miles before the last trail head. We new that if we passed under a power line it would lead us to our home sweet home. After six or so hours we found the line and the jeep road back. We were all craving pie something awful!
We celebrated the finish with one more ridiculous photo before the sun kissed the mountains to the west.
The car ride toward Rock Springs felt strange. We all commented about how FAST we were going on the interstate after 3 days of moving at the sane pace of about 7 miles per hour.
Lemon Meringue
Coconut Cream
And Nancy and I shared the Chocolate Cream.
Poor Dinka Jane didn't get to have any pie. She probably deserved it more than us. She had ran for over 6 hours at an average pace of 7.3 MPH over 26 miles! Her first off-road MARATHON! She was tuckered out, but no more so than us.
Our map had treated us well. It was a little bit wrinkled and had some food stains on it, but for a piece of paper and colored pencil lines it worked rather well. Please don't steal it, it is copyrighted material. LOL
As our pie settled in our belly's, we put our map away, the stars came out...the moon came up...and then we slept. Black Canyon Trail---You were amazing! Thanks for being there for us, we hope you only get longer. Signed, Landon, Mary, Dinka, Eric and Nancy
