Sunday morning 0900 was set for a ride up to Mt. Patterson aka Mars. When I pulled into the staging area I was surprised to see more riders than I expected. I looked around and did not recognize anyone! Turned out to be two groups of riders. PNMTA guys formed up with eight riders and punctually hit the trail at 0900. Heading up the first wash it was apparent how much water this area got from the recent series of thunderstorms. We worked our way up to the summit of Mt. Patterson and were greeted by a new American Flag. It was a beautiful clear day with great views and mild weather. Our group headed off the hill into the trees in search of water. We found it. At a few points I felt like I needed swim trunks.
Overall this was a fantastic ride that had a great variety of terrain. We encountered other riders, cows, utvs, snakes, campers, fisherman, shooters and a few rocks. It was nice seeing others out enjoying our public land. All eight riders made it back to the staging area logging 55 miles just as the thunderstorm started to head our way. This was a great group ride giving us all an opportunity to meet and ride with different folks. Get out and explore, the conditions are great. Jason D.
