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 Post subject: Tucson - La Milagrosa
PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 7:47 pm 
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Today's ride had come highly recommended by several people. However, conditions could be an issue due to snow at elevation, and the fact it requires either a shuttle or hellish road climb could also be a problem. I tried posting on a Tucson forum to see if anyone was interested in joining a shuttle. No one bit (might have something to do with the AZT Jamboree scheduled the day before), but one person did say this is the perfect time of year for this ride.

On the advice of a local at the BBQ we would try a shuttle tactic I used to use at home - hitch hike! Although, not knowing what time we would finish, I decided to drop Kreechan and the bikes off first, drive back to the bottom and hitch a ride up. I was assured there would be lots of traffic and getting a lift would be no problem. Sure enough, the first car with bikes on it offered me a ride up the hill.

Our ride would start at with Bug Springs Trail, connect into Molina (commonly called Prison Camp), and then head over a pass on the Arizona Trail before turning off onto La Milagrosa.

As to comments about butt shots, sorry but there will inevitably be some more. I know some of you are gagging to see some butt shots of Robo but the prude bailed out on us the day before. Just refer to past TRs, I am sure there are some posted somewhere...


There are trails higher on Mt Lemmon but they are snowed in this time of year. Fall sounds like the best time for a full descent, temps are cooler but the snow has not yet fallen.
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As it turned out there was snow on Bugs, being on the north slope
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What was rideable soon turned into steep HAB.
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Viewpoint on the trail
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Patches were rideable. Then we got to the stream crossings
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Some were deeper than others
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The snow was moist enough you could ride if you could carry momentum
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We do some more HAB
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View at the top = definitely worth the effort
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A steep, fun chute
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Yes the trail goes up the rock
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Worthy backdrop
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Hoodoos
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Kreechan descends with nice view behind
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After the ridge it is pretty much all down hill to the highway
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Pretty fast, with the odd switchback and rock section to keep you honest
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Approaching a small stream crossing
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Fun drop nears for Kreechan
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Smooth switchback
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At the bottom we cross the highway and continue onto Molina (Prison Camp) trail
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A bit of climbing at first leads to a fun descent
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Crossing the highway again we must climb over a saddle on the Arizona trail to get to La Milagrosa. A bit is rideable, much is not. Even Robo would not be able to ride it, nothing to see here except Kreechan post-bail
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Is that the top?
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Since Robo left his Mojo, I decided to take it rather than mine. Of course the hideous white Flows had to go, as well as the useless nevegals.
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After the saddle there is an awesome technical descent
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Lots of drops, rock, chutes and switchbacks to keep anyone happy
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The turnoff to Milagrosa is unmarked, fortunately I had good directions. This is the opening roll on the trail. Neither of us were quite ready and gave this a pass.
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Kreechan enters the rock garden of doom.
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Ruh roh....
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Yes, landing on a pointy rock hurts
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Descending among cacti
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Still on what I would consider the rock garden of doom. Don't lose your flow here!
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Final switchback
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You had to get your front up on this rock to make it.
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More descent
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A fun rock roll
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Taking the high line
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Finally at bottom, into the wash
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Ok, not done - a bit of climbing now
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The start of this section was tough


Late afternoon light
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Watch out for these bad boys at the side of the trail!
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These can hurt you too
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Kreechan rolls a techy rock drop
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Pick a line, any line
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We were done just in time to catch the sunset. It was very romantic
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Even the moon was out. Would have been a good day for a night ride!
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Epic sunset pano.
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La Milagrosa is a great trail. More technical than Noble, but there isn't much huge stuff that will kill you, you just have to commit. It reminded me a little of Los pinos as it followed an undulating ridge for a ways, and had all the fun rock that the end of LP has. And definitely more interesting flora. Another one to come back to again!


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The following 17 users would like to thank evdog for his or her post:
bajamtnbkr, bankerboy, boone29er, Brian, Canaan, Christ D., Gman, Kimba, kreechan, mealsonwheels, PacMan, project_d, Red Hot Sloth, Robo, sierragoldens, singletrackmitch, tfitz
PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:19 pm 
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Great Pics Evan - thanks for bias on 'frontal' views in this TR ;)

I need my camera back - please pm the craigslist post, so I can show another rider and some video in this scenery.


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evdog
PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:24 pm 
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Alright, this one hurt deep to see. Exactly the kind of trail I love, that I traveled so far to see...only to be denied. Oh well, at least I found a Robo rear end view to complete your TR. :wave:

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:53 pm 
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That looks like one really fun ride Kreechan, Evan!
Exceptional stuff. A bit of everything....seeing TR's like this makes me very jealous.
Also jealous because I would be walking most of that stuff you guys were riding....dang!

Looks like someone has a favorite pair of shorts......Image


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:54 pm 
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Now that looks like an AWESOME trail! I'm totally jealous as well.

As for the pics, still a lot of Kreechan's ass, but the one with his silhouette coming around the rock and then that final sunset picture are amazing.


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:32 am 
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Brian wrote:
... and then that final sunset picture are amazing.


we were joking that we could not take more sunset than trail pictures - the TR does not reflect what happened in that sense :lol:


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:05 am 
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Dang, that trail looks like a BLAST!

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:42 am 
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evan

nice ride report!!! i love that trail! (unfortunetly i had to do the whole thing without a chain, snapped derailer at beginning of the ride). i'd love to hit a fall run with it and hit all the top stuff, that would be one of the more epic descents in the US! there is some serious chunk on that trail.

ps. please don't mention noble and la milagrosa in the same sentence:)


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:47 am 
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Excellent stuff, looks like a good ride.

Did kreechan forget to bring more than one top?

evdog wrote:
Sure enough, the first car with bikes on it offered me a ride up the hill.

Cash, grass, or ass, no one rides for free! :lol:

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:48 am 
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406 wrote:
Cash, grass, or ass, no one rides for free! :lol:

I offered cash to pay for some gas, but they refused since they were already driving up anyways.

kreechan wrote:
we were joking that we could not take more sunset than trail pictures - the TR does not reflect what happened in that sense :lol:

I took something like 150 pics while watching the sunset...playing with different camera settings. Only a few turned out well... hard to capture a wide panorama with a P&S... I did have way more trail riding pictures I'm happy to say!


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PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 7:16 pm 
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La Milagrosa was an amazing set of three trails strung together into one long day of downhill fun - well a few HAB to keep us honest. I discovered the HD video setting on my camera during this ride...













and a few pics...

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evdog too fast for the pano-shot
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...and the sunset a little later that day
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Did we really do another 20 miles on the fantasy island nightride after this? What an unbelievably great day (and night) on the trails this was!


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PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 7:46 pm 
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Kreechan, your shots are getting really good.

Adjust your settings on those vids though, as I'm getting that they are all "private" so can't be played.


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PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:28 pm 
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Robo wrote:
Kreechan, your shots are getting really good.

Adjust your settings on those vids though, as I'm getting that they are all "private" so can't be played.


Sorry, still new to this. Changed setting to "unlisted" - works on my phone now, so I assume videos are visible to all now.


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PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:36 pm 
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Vids are working now. I've got to learn that little rear wheel hop/pivot move....

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PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:39 pm 
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Canaan wrote:
Vids are working now. I've got to learn that little rear wheel hop/pivot move....

It is very useful and not that hard to learn


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