9/29 125 by wildlife tank. Plenty of elk calls to be heard. I saw horses, cows, and elk roaming around. I also saw a tarantula. According to a hunter, this weekend is the end of elk season, and the start of turkey season. According to another hiker, Juggie, its tarantula mating season. The trail was nice and flat, with some last views of the grand canyon. I hiked the last few miles with Juggie, and we camped together near the water source. It rained a little more during the day.
9/30 Camped at mile 148. Mostly flat, saw more tarantulas. Gradual transition from pines to Junipers. Passed the old Moqui Stage Station, where people riding to the grand canyon could switch out horses over a hundred years ago. I took a slight detour to grab water from a tank, and there was a dead cow lying right next to the water. Luckily, there was another water source not far after.
10/1 173, met trio, met photographer and two farmers (not hiking), met two bikepackers, reached the san francisco mountains, passed by many cows and fell asleep to the sounds of moo-ing, and maybe some coyotes.
10/2 2 miles of urban + 194. Woke up to the sounds of cows mooing at the sun. There was an annual 10k, 25k, 50k, and 50 miles biked race taking place on the AZT. Stumbled across it and chatted with people at a water station. I also met some nobo sectioners, going up to the grand canyon. I grabbed water at a spring near a historical mormon shack. Even though the trail climbed around 3000 feet, it was graded so gradually, with so many switchbacks, that it got a bit annoying. The bike-grading was very different from the AT, which often took the hardest path up a mountain and got there more directly. Near flagstaff, the trail splits into the Urban route, and the Equestrian route. I took the urban route which goes straight through the city, as opposed to going around. I camped just outside the city.
10/3 Flagstaff Near0, found a cheap motel to stay in, but they had check-in at 3pm. For most of the day I was walking around with my pack. I did laundry, got food, and took in the city. When I finally did get into my room, the shower was broken, so I got a free upgrade to a better room.
10/4 Flagstaff zero, I took another day to rest before leaving. I stopped by an outfitter to replace my socks and pants that were finally falling apart after ~2400 miles. A lot of resting, and catching up on calories. I met a triple crowner, who was stopping by flagstaff for a few nights while riding around with an amtrak rail pass. I had run into him at trail days in May.
As I write this, its raining again! This record setting monsoon season is still going, and might even continue later. Monsoons typically have most of the rain in July and August, but this year its continued later. https://new.azwater.gov/news/articles/2021-30-07
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