About a month ago, on a windy 48 degree day, Kenny, Tera, Patrick and myself decided to do the 45 mile classic ride from Flagstaff to Sedona. The route follows a variety of mountain bike trails before joining the Old Munds Highway (aka, dirt road) for some 20 plus miles. After entering Munds Park via a much-appreciated three mile downhill paved road, we followed Interstate 17 for approximately two miles. For some of us, this was the scariest part of the trip. Gas trucks barreling past you at 75 mph will do that. We exited at Schnebly Hill road, and traveled for another five miles over gradual hills before the elevation began to drop precipitously. We bombed down the last 8 miles of Schnebly, losing over a 1000 feet of elevation in the process as the infinite red rock formations framed our descent. I'm not sure if I'd do this ride again (or at least not in such cold weather), but I'd definitely be interested in another kamikaze run down picturesque Schnebly. As the photos attest, the views are almost as exciting as the ride. We finished up at Bear Willow Canyon, everyone with all limbs intact, and drove back to Flagstaff to enjoy a pint of Patrick's homebrew.
A crude map of our expedition can be found at the following link:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=106772392888324115931.00000112d9d9df7739e92&om=1&z=11
Starting shot
Schnebly Hill Road
One of many breathtaking views
Stopping for a photo opportunity before the serious downhill begins
Not sure what's going on here....looks like a face-off
The postcard perfect trend continues
Parting Shot: Much deserved pints of Patrick's wheat beer
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