Warmer this AM: 36 degrees. Again looked forward to sun cresting the ridge.
Today is another ride from camp up Schultz Creek and then up obscure 2 track / single track at high point. 2 riders caught up to me on Schultz and we ended up visiting long enough to cool down from climb. Older guy was @ Fruita Festival also, his was his 4th. He said never again, its gone downhill from earlier years. I already decided not to return for my own reasons.
Made climb and started on Brookhaven. I was practicing lofting the front wheel over smaller rocks. I lofted over a small one without a strong forward push and the front wheel landed just off edge of trail ramped into a rock that stalled the bike and pitched it out from under me. My left foot disengaged from the eggbeater but the right stayed in. I twisted my right knee. No sharp pain or discomfort and I was able to pedal on it. Shit.
Continued down mtn w/ some nasty ups and finally to Pipeline that would lead me to eay up to Rocky Ridge. Trail was not marked per map. I saw a hiker ahead of me. I caught up to a young woman. She asked me if I knew where we were before I could ask her the same. I had a map, she had drive. I asked her what she is up to and she said she was torn between backpacking around Europe or thru hiking either the AT or PCT. OOOh, and our conversation went on for maybe an hour. I pedaled away with a pleasant buzz.
Rode Rocky Ridge except for what i walked. Contrary to reviews it is a challenging trail. Over shot camp spot of Shultz creek and returned down the road to camp.
Plan is to shower @ aquacenter, grocery shop, drink the Scotch of the month @ Flagstaff Brewery, and buy the Kaibab NF map.
I paid $5.00 for my shower. Outside a small T-storm was flashing nearby lightning. I was buck naked and reaching to turn on the h2o when a voice says showers are closed because of the lightning. Shit, again. Put my clothes back on and walked to desk and asked for a refund. Girl said all she could offer is a day pass. I told her that i would not be around to use it. She said she would check on shower situation. Finally some official says showers are OK. There is an age break @ 55 for $4.00 but the girls saw me as younger than 55.
Downtown Flagstaff is lively. It is the last city b4 Grand Canyon. Made Brewery. Asked for filtered h2o for Scotch but they had just tap w/ chlorine. I was told where I could buy h2o and I took off and returned for my Scotch which I forgot the name of which I have never seen. Carefully shot glass measured shot in acorn glass. I splashed h20 and savored the nose from the glass. I like Scotch.
And then I left the downtown activity for the quiet of the woods back where I have been staying. This time I left the carpet & chair to stake claim to spot. Both were there and I was still by myself. Evening T-storm w/ a small dose of hail. Forecast calls for low probability of T-storms for 5 days out.
Tomorrow is drive day to South rim of Grand Canyon, maybe spend the night in XG and then on to North rim and Rainbow trail.
I hit my head on cutting board again. Shit, again.