Javelina to Mormon Loop

Distance: 7
Start Time: 9:45 am
Fellow Riders: Spencer
Weather: 65 degrees and freakin' perfect
Notes: It's been a couple months since I last rode at South Mountain. We started at the Beverly Canyon parking lot and rode up Javelina then linked into Mormon Loop and rode that to where it hooks up to the Mormon Trail, then we turned around and came back down.
I love that route. Javelina provides a good challenge with a steady uphill grind and several technical sections to get through. And of course the downhill coming back is just awesome.
I really felt the effects of a bald back tire on this ride though. There were several sections that I spun out but would not have if I had some knobby tires.
The one downside to this ride was that there were a bazillion hikers out there today. It's understandable. It's a Saturday and the weather is absolutely perfect. Most were very polite but a few gave us the stink-eye. I'm not sure why they do that, we are always very polite to hikers, but I guess some just don't like bikers.
I was proud of myself for getting up over the rocky section on Mormon Loop in the picture below. (This picture is from about a year ago.) It took me two tries but I hit it. I think this is only the second time that I have made it up that section.

I really wish we would have gone further. I was feeling strong and wanted more climb and more downhill. But Spencer needed to get back for a family thing.