4R Trek 279 (No 15 in th Runner)
150618 – Following motorcycle tracks cross country.
18 June 2015; Sunny with slight breeze; dry 7% relative humidity; 90 F (32C). A rather typical June day in the middle of the Fortymile Desert. Closed Escrow yesterday on the house in Rocklin. Today decided to relax with another short trek out in the desert.
I drove out along the east side of the Hot Springs Range again and took a trail that I had run several weeks ago. This time entering the mountains I discovered that since being there last time a large group of off-road motorcycles had crossed the track and created a new route headed north cross-country. Since there must have been dozens of them they actually created a new trail thru the brush, sand and rocks. So I decided to follow their track as it seemed that it might connect to a dead ended track I had followed a few weeks ago.
After following the mc track for a couple hours, sure enough it intersected the other track. This time being that the sand was dry the going was a bit more challenging than when it was damp. I almost stopped to air down the tires but didn’t. The A-Track performed its magic and pulled me thru.
After getting out to the flats, I continued on east towards the railroad line at Massey Slough. I got to the Massey Corral which last time I was there was in the Land Rover; that time the track was snow covered.
a trail less followed
Rocky Top
brief stop for look around
the forty mile view
sand covered ridge to the west
steep drop
red outcropping
I meet the trail that dead ended last tie here - The motorcycles shouldn't be creating new trails - but why not use them
Massey Corral
lots of rabbits around-drought easing
lowest elevation for about fifty miles in any direction = 3957 feet
THASS ALL FOLKS