Onion Creek

Onion Creek

The sign indicated that Onion Creek had 27 creek crossings.  It was a delicious little road that wound along and through the creek for some miles. It takes you along the creek and through the spires.  It was absolutely stunning back in there.  We rode on and on until we crested a 10% grade and popped up onto the top of the ridge.  And still we rode.  Absolutely beautiful, these red rocks and granite hills.  Then we noticed a marker that indicated we were on Kokopelli’s Trail.  Ye’s son, Chad, had mentioned it to his dad in a phone call on the previous day.  The sign posted at the campsite referred to it as a Jeep Red Rock Club Class 4 (very rugged) trail.  Sounded interesting.  So we tasted it.

WOW

It was a first and second gear trail.  We went down one trail for several miles before ending up at a flooded crossing.  A muddy flooded crossing.  We made our way east through country that looked as though it hadn’t seen tracks since the last rain.  The trail looked like it went right down the side of the mountain.  So instead of blindly following it, we dismounted and walked over there.  

Out of nowhere, these two guys walked up on the other side of the crevasse.  Seriously, we had to be in the middle of nowhere or darn near close to the middle.  So I hollered over to them if they knew a different way out.  Nope.

OK, time to backtrack.  So we climbed the steep hill and pass we came through originally and headed back to Onion Creek road.  Back north about ½ a mile was another sign that boasted Kokopelli’s Trail.  Sweetness!

We rode that one until we got to the mileage determined boundary.  Headed back mid-afternoon for a meal and rest.  This was going to be our last night there.  I just couldn’t stand it, so I geared back up, grabbed my helmet and told Ye I’d be back in a hour.  Off I raced again, back through 27 creek crossings to the top of the 10% grade and a few miles beyond before turning around and crossing 27 more times.  

I was wet up to my elbows as I had to pass 6 different Chevy Tahoes that had pulled out in front of me on the way back.  Most gave up easily, but the final one was a bit more stubborn and I had to ride in their trail of dust until I could get to a spot wide enough to overtake them.

I did.



Back to camp where shortly another woman stopped to see if she could camp with us.  She seemed harmless and she was a single.  We walked over to talk to her after she had settled in.  Tammy was out camping and traveling on her own.  She had knee surgery some 3 weeks prior and was not bicycle worthy yet.  We chatted into the night.  I learned it was a “woman thing” to ask if they can camp with a couple or at least some other people.  I think it’s a smart thing to do.  At least there is another person that knows you are alone and can react to trouble if needed.

So that was it.  We packed up the RV and headed home.

There is another whole story about the trip home that I will eventually report, but the riding part was over.  I didn’t get my shower until I got home a couple days later.  I was REALLY stinky and greasy, but those are the inconveniences that an explorer must endure in order to see the world.