Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
To celebrate the arrival of cooler weather after a hot summer in Phoenix, Arizona, Rage Cycles and Hashknife, a local all-terrain bicycle group, snuck out into the desert for a campout in Tonto National Forest. Find a short recap from Wyatt Spalding, photos of everyone’s rigs, and watch the 13-minute video he put together from the trip here…
Words, photos, and video by Wyatt Spalding, cover photos by Miles Tang
After a long Phoenix summer, the Hashknife and Rage Cycles crew craved a desert bike camping trip. Cooler temperatures had arrived, and with that came an increased desire for a warm campfire and a night under the stars shared among friends. We chose a relatively easy route that would take us out of the city on a mix of bike and canal paths, followed by a scenic stretch of singletrack through Tonto National Forest. We rode 30 miles a day on mostly flat terrain at a relaxed pace, with plenty of stops to admire the scenery.
We met at Rage Cycles on a Saturday at 10 a.m. and got packed up before rolling out shortly after. There were 14 of us in the group, with a few first-time bike-campers joining. The ride out to the camping spot was quite beautiful, and once we made it to the singletrack, the views opened up. We kept a relaxed pace and made sure to laugh as much as possible along the way. After being cooped up inside all summer, it was pretty refreshing for us all to spend the day outside and sit around the fire together, sharing stories and cracking jokes. The night was pleasant, with a distant storm passing us by and temperatures that never fell below 45°F.
With the rising sun, we all ate breakfast and played a few games of hacky sack before packing up and heading out. Everyone graciously weaved their way through the desert flora on the narrow-cut singletrack while displaying lots of visible and audible stoke. The trails were primarily downhill back to the canal path, and starting the day with some easy and exhilarating miles was a treat.
The city slowly crept back into view, and before you knew it, we had made it back to Rage Cycles. Thanks to everyone who came out and made it such an enjoyable weekend. Follow us on Instagram for future ATB-style rides and bikepacking trips in the Phoenix area: Hashknife and Rage Cycles.
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