Gill's Revenge - Thunderbird Park Suburban HAB

We ended out ride at SMP North but we were still ready for more. We ate up 17 miles in two hours, but our legs were growling like our bellies. A plan was hatched for climbing therapy - McDonald's for calories and water, then on to Thunderbird Park with Mtn-Rdr to see how "sanitized"some of the trails had become. We soon found out that the trail went straight up, and we felt that is was all a master plan by Mtn-Rdr to get us back for taking him on the long HAB of Dry Horse Hills north of Flag last year. It appeared that the trails were rideable, or mostly. With guts full of gluttonous fast food breakfast, we drove on to T-bird. Third ride in two days, and even more new trail for me.  I must be dreaming!

Mtn-Rdr says that this climb is much better than before, but we did some pushing. After about 400ft, we made it to Old Glory. There was hiker traffic, but it wasn't bad and everyone all around was courteous.

The clouds had broke and the climbing was bake time.

More of the park on the other side of 59th Ave, looking north.

To the south was a nice lagoon subdivision. A desert oasis? I wanted to go and soak myself.

Ride it for the glory.

The framebag is back in great working shape after Mom got her hands on it! it now has a velcro seal, rather than a zipper, which kept getting split apart, and a few new straps. It was very nice to get my tools off my back again.

Nothing better than a suburban HAB sesh at 10am in July in Phoenix.

There was our first descent. Took a while to get up, not much time to get down. It was rubbly, so you couldn't pick up too much speed, without reckless abandon, anyway. We also took a spin around the back side, but the trail doesn't go all the way around. That would have been nice.

The final descent after a second 450ft climb. I was ready for the car and  chocolate milk.

Freeksier showing off his craft.

Thunderbird was a nice addition to the day. We were out only about 25 minutes less than out SMP ride, but only rode about 7 miles. Total climbing was around 1200ft, approaching the 1900ft that we did at SMP. Yeah, you can get your climb on at T-bird. I'd stop back again. I really enjoyed the norther climb. Long and tough. I'm starting to think that I like climbing more than descending. Making those legs turn like pistons and getting elevation is just heavenly.

Mtn-Rdr got us good on the second climb. Eash on one was 400ft+. The second is totally cleanable. The first would be a serious challenge, with the tight, stepped switchbacks. But I know there is a mutant out there somewhere......

3D Topo of T-Bird Park. First climb on the left was ~400ft and the second following the ridgeline bottom left was 450ft. Biggest of the day!