Black Jack Canyon

Saturday January 29th

Three way, AZ to Buckhorn, NM

Today the section of route 78 through Black Jack Canyon had the most spectacular scenery since leaving the coast of California.  Enjoying the sights did require climbing up extended and steep switchbacks.  I had to stand while in my smallest gear for much of the hill.  Aaron's arms were pretty tired before starting the day but he kept chugging up the hill at his pace. 

Once we neared the top I spotted a hawk nearly even with my height hovering over the canyon.  I started taking a video of him as he road a thermal and shot upward and out of sight without a single flap of his wings.

As we crested the 6,300ft mountain pass the typical high Arizona desert envirnment quickly changed in less than a mile and became a thick pine forest with light layers of snow lingering in patches of shadow.  It felt like we just biked through an archway that warped me from Arizona to a spring time scene typical of the Adirnodack Mountains of New York.  We cruised down and up a few hills for the next 6-7 miles in awe of our new forest landscape stopping briefly for a picture as we made our 2nd state border crossing.  Once in New Mexico the road dropped quickly and after a rapid 4 mile coast the tightly packed pine forest road suddenly opened up into a vast expanse of golden rolling grasslands that make up the large ranches typical of this part of New Mexico.

It was awe inspiring to see 3 distinct ecosystems in such a short distance..biking this section of road is a natural experience that I can revisit as a highlight of the trip.