Redington Road, again

December 29, 2023

With only three days left in the year, I decide to go all out to try to pad my bird count talley by a bird or two. Today I decide I’ll drive out to Sweetwater first thing in the morning, and maybe pick up a new warbler or a sora. That thought gets quickly tabled for a warmer day though when I get out to the car and see I’d have to scrape ice off the windshield. It froze last night!

An hour later I’m in the car driving north up to Oracle, to repeat that ride Rachael and I took down to the northern end of Redington Road. I like the idea of bracketing Redington from both ends by back to back rides for some reason, but also I’m hopeful to see a new bird or two. Oracle is up near 4,500’, in an oak woods habitat that hosts a different mix of birds - I might see an acorn woodpecker, which somehow I’ve gone a whole year without seeing so far; or a Woodbouse’s scrub jay. And after the long descent to the San Pedro River I can keep my eye out for a canyon or green towhee or a couple of sparrows I haven’t picked up yet.

One thing that didn’t occur to me in coming up with this impulsive plan was to check the weather at Oracle. Its cold and very windy when I get out of the car, and after unloading the bike I’m alarmed to discover that I forgot to pick up my jacket on the way out the door. I’m not really sure this ride is going to work in these conditions, but after investing an hour’s drive getting here I decide to at least start out and see how it goes.

The ride begins with a short climb up above town to the crest of the ridge. This is the area where I hope to see an acorn woodpecker or jay, as I have in the past. These are easy to spot if they’re around - fairly large, distinctive profiles and color patterns, and pretty noisy. Today’s conditions are terrible for this though - it’s so windy that no birds are out at all - for the next ten miles, the only bird at all I’ll see is a lone raven soaring in the distance. And even if they were out, I wouldn’t be able to hear them because it’s blowing so hard that all I can hear is the wind itself.

It’s definitely more than chilly as I crest the ridge and then drop for the next eight miles straight, falling toward the San Pedro River on beautiful, lonely Webb Road. I love this descent with the wonderful desert and mountain views but it detracts from the experience that I’m just holding on trying to preserve warmth until I finally bottom out. The sun definitely helps, and I take comfort in the hope that this strong wind will still be here a few hours later and help me with the trudge back up.

Dropping to the San Pedro River, on another of those rippling roads I keep running into.

Some sort of mining activity to the north. So red!

Nearing the end of the descent, and the small town of San Manuel.

Webb road and this initial descent finally come to an end at Redington Road (here renamed the Veterans Memorial Highway) and turn southeast toward San Manuel. It appears I’m going to survive since I’ve made it this far, and the next five or six miles are a fast, comfortable ride as the road levels out considerably. Once I pass San Manuel it’s virtually empty, which is a good thing because I can take the lane instead of the seamy and rougher shoulder.

After five miles Redington Road comes to a Y-junction with Black Hill Mines Road, makes a nearly 90 degree bend to the left, and starts dropping more steeply again in the second descent of the day. The next three miles drop another six hundred feet nearly to the edge of the river, and then the road levels out into low rollers as it gradually climbs south alongside the river.

Still dropping to the San Pedro. View get more dramatic the closer to the river and mountains opposite we get.

The saguaros above the river form a long green ribbon that I’ll follow for the next few miles. It’s one of the healthiest cactus forests I’ve seen anywhere. They should establish another park here to protect it.

Looking across the San Pedro. In a ride of nonstop excellent views, the best come here near the end.

Still dropping, but nearing the river finally. I’ll bet it was a ribbon of gold two weeks ago.

Looking across the wash into Kielberg Canyon.

The pavement ends at the Pima/Pinal county line, and I’m looking at the start of 25 miles of gravel either way I choose - along Redington Road to Tucson, or branching to Cascabel Road and eventually Benson. I could do either of course, but then I’d be late for our dinner reservation at Kingfisher; and there’d be the annoying problem of retrieving the car to be managed.

But the Rodriguez insists on going just a few feet further for a prone glamor shot. Actually, this end of the road looks very attractive. It’s too bad it’s such a long drive from Tucson or I might come back and test it out.

Thus ends the fun part. Now all I need to do is backtrack to the car, with a three mile climb, a few mile breather, and then another eight mile ascent to top out the day. I won’t sugar-coat it - I’m doing fine healthwise, but I’ve still got some conditioning to do and the last climb takes it out of me. Oh - and that strong tailwind I was hoping would give me a lift? Pfft.

I keep a reasonably good pace because I can’t be late for dinner, but I’m definitely glad when I see the branch to Mount Lemmon Road and the top of the climb up ahead. Toward the end it definitely lifts the morale though when right at the last minute a canyon towhee flies up and alights near the side of the road, staying put just long enough for the score.

The same road, but the views seem as good or even better with the sun at my back.

That green ribbon above the river on the opposite side is a saguaro forest.

Mica Mountain, from an angle I’ve rarely seen it.

There’s still a little snow hanging on the northeast slope of Mount Lemmon.

Heart

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Kelly IniguezI sent this route to Jan, who lives in Oro Valley and is looking for climbing in training for a BAC Spain tour in May. She said this ride fit the bill. It's only a half hour from their house, and has climbing without hill repeats, which is what they have been doing. She says to tell you thank you.
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2 months ago

Scott AndersonTo Kelly IniguezI’m glad it worked for her. It really is a nice ride, one I’d do more often if it weren’t so far from Tucson.
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2 months ago

Today's ride: 46 miles (74 km)
Total: 677 miles (1,090 km)

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