Several Range Riders spent Labor Day camping, exploring trails, and having a great time in the Chiricahua National Monument area.  The group camped on Pinery Canyon Road, east of the actual monument.  Gordon & Kathy, Roy & Tabitha, Bruce & Georgia, and Mitch & Susan arrived early.  Stacy, Angela, Justin, Lisa and their friends Jerry, Nikki, Heather, Matt, and Faith showed up Saturday morning, since Stacy had to pull duty with the Army on Friday night.  Leon and Dorothy showed up Sunday.

Leon led a night run into Mine Canyon to give former member Bryan Kubishta, visiting from Alabama, a proper Arizona 4 wheeling fix.

Four vehicles attended, Leon and Bryan, Sunny, Peter and me.  We left Mustang Corners at 6:45pm. 

Let me tell you that the road is tippy!  (the spell checker stopped on that word and I added it to my dictionary so it?s officially a word now)  Sunny and I both agreed that we were grateful for the darkness that hid the abyss on the driver?s side on one particularly long and angular stretch of the road.

Leon stopped to make sure we?d all made it and said ?Don?t worry, that?s the worst of it? to which we all breathed a sigh of relief ? which was to be short-lived.

The monsoons had eroded a hill, leaving very large ruts and equally large boulders to provide the next challenge. 

Leon, with his now-famous approach to challenging spots, floored it and bounced his way up the hill.  I was next and took Bryan with me to provide stability for the off-camber part.  No problems at all, this is the stuff we 4-wheelers live for.

Without flashlights, Bryan and I found it to be pretty treacherous walking back down to watch Sunny and Peter negotiate the hill.The view from the top of Mine Canyon is stunning!  You can see the lights of Sierra Vista, Ft Huachuca, Huachuca City and Tombstone on one side and the Sonoita ranch houses spread throughout the valley on the other.  We all agreed that next time we will do this trip early enough to make it to the top to watch the sunset.

This was my second night run, the first was at the campout when I drove over a cliff (see article in the August newsletter posted at the Range Riders site).  I can say with confidence that I am hooked!

The Mine Canyon trail is rated a 3.5 or 4 due to recent erosion.  There is enough room at the top for 6 or 7 vehicles to turn around comfortably and park to see the view.  Don?t miss this one, you?ll love it!

Thanks, Leon, for the great run.