In Sonoita: the ride to Elgin

January 3, 2021

Another 42 miler, making us 3 for 3 this year. Stuck in a rut; but a very nice rut to be stuck in, we agree as we enjoy a much better than expected dinner this evening at the Steak Out Restaurant and Saloon in Sonoita.

We’ve dined at the Steak Out before, four years ago when we overnighted in Sonoita on our ride from Tucson to Silver City - the ride that ended in horror in a tavern in Silver City watching the 2016 presidential returns roll in. Also, like four years ago, we’re staying here at the Sonoita Inn, the improbably spacious inn built in the shape of a large barn by the owner of triple crown winner Secretariat, one of the greatest racehorses in American history. It’s an interesting space indoors, the walls lined with racehorse memorabilia and photos on an old west theme, the chandeliers suspended from the lofty ceiling by long braids of black horseshoes.

We’re here on a short road trip, having driven over from Tucson for an overnighter with a pair of day rides. We may be stuck in a rut of sunny days and 42 milers, but we can at least break up these doldrums with a change of scene.

It’s 24 degrees in Sonoita when we check the weather this morning, but heating up fast. We wait to leave ‘home’ until 10, and by the time we pull up to the Sonoita Inn it feels quite rideable. We check in at the inn, leave our few belongings in the room, and start biking east for Elgin.

Today’s ride is an out and back, to no place in particular on Route 83, 21 miles away. You can keep going on this road all the way to Sierra Vista on the other side of Fort Huachuca, as we attempted to do after our previous stay here on our ill-fated ride to Tombstone. We took this route as a quiet alternative to the more direct Highway 82, planning to bike across Fort Huachuca and then ride up Charleston Road on the other side. It looked like an enjoyable 50 mile ride, but turned into a grueling 75 miler when we were turned back at the gates of the fort and had to backtrack to Elgin. Fittingly, it was Halloween.

Just for your own future reference in case you come this way, you actually can bike across Fort Huachuca. But you need to get a permit, and there’s only one place to obtain one - at the Sierra Vista entrance, on the other side of the fort. It looks like it should be a great ride if you plan ahead. One of these days we’ll test it out ourselves.

So, we’ve ridden this country once before. My memory of the ride before we were turned back is that it was across beautiful country, well worth visiting again. Rachael’s is less clear, and not as positive. It took a bit of convincing to talk her into coming over today, but it was the right plan. A great ride, maybe the best since we arrived in Tucson. It’s got me thinking of coming back a second time before we leave the region.

There’s video, btw, but it’s a slow time coming’. The WiFi here in the Sonoita Inn just doesn’t have the oomph to pull a video up into the clouds, so we’ll come back and post it after we return to our casita in Tucson.

Isn’t it about time to put those holiday decorations away?

Looking back at Mount Wrightson and the Santa Rita Mountains.

With more patience, I’d have waited for a gust of wind to see what happens when the blades turn. Do you suppose he’ll ride it 360 degrees, like a Ferris wheel ride?

In the Elgin wine district. There are four or five vineyards here with small acreage. It doesn’t look like they’ll be competing with the Willamette Valley any time soon.

Another manufacturer heard from. I’ll have to start keeping an inventory.

The tasting room is open today. If only I could taste, I might be tempted.

More horseshoe art. There can never be too much of this medium.

Looking east toward the Huachuca Mountains.

After a picnic on the shoulder of the road, we backtrack north toward Elgin again.

A last look back at the Huachuca Mountains.

Fives and sixes: hitting the polygon jackpot.

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Kelly IniguezIf I"m not too late with the suggestion, try eating at the Brewery in Sonoita. We had excellent food there on our Thanksgiving tour.

I enjoyed the area, in general. I'm glad you made it over there.

Kelly
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Kelly IniguezYou are too late through no fault of your own, but we’ll make a note for next time. Also we wondered about Tia Nita’s Cantina. It looked attractive from the outside, but was closed.

Didn’t you bike from Sonoita back to Tucson on 83? That looks like a terrible biking road. How was it?
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3 years ago

Kelly IniguezTo Scott AndersonOops. I see I didn’t reply to this. I’m sorry. The 20 mile segment between Sonoita and Whetstone is some of my least favorite in the area. High speed traffic and little shoulder. It’s rideable, we did it this trip, it just wasn’t fun.

I would like to ride from Sonoita TO Sierra Vista via Canola Pass. People with out of state drivers licenses can only get a one month pass. Which means we could make that trip sometime before December 27th, which is unlikely.
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3 years ago

Ride stats today: 42 miles, 1,300’; for the tour: 1,598 miles, 54,600’; for the year: 3 riding days, 126 miles, 3,600’

Today's ride: 42 miles (68 km)
Total: 1,537 miles (2,474 km)

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