Sunday I studied the weather forecast which is all it is. Winds were forecasted to swing to a more headwind direction. I left Flag early Mon AM to beat the wind & holiday revelers on the road. Plan was to drive to Monticello, UT and drive up into USFS for dirt bag camping.
Drove a new piece of road, UT rt 163 that went thru some spectacular SW desert rock scenery. Mexican Hat. Desert driving.
Still had the wind @ my back. Made Monticello then drove up mtn. Bailed @ Dalton Spring XG @ 8383′, the highest I have been this year. Went for a road hike and struggled w/ my shortness of breath. Elevation was a factor. Aspen are greening out and snow is melting. $10 camp fee. Outhouses look like CXT but lack the id tag. Chilly night, below freezing. I learned that my heater turns off when set on low. The doubled over down blanket and hat did not ward off the chill. Started the heater again and slept w/ it on high till crawling out of bed. This time zone change from no daylight AZ to daylight UT is disruptive.
Today was a short drive down mtn and then onto Moab. Checked forecast that called for 80s in Moab. Needed to get there early and get my ride in on slickrock b4 heat hit.
Took an AM hit of Advair that I felt relief right away. Looks like I will be on it.
Made Moab. Drove up to Slick rock. Paid $5.00 day fee that can convert to a camp spot for another $5.00. Rode practice loop and the easier way on the Slick rock trail which is just following white rectangular blazes on the rock. “Trail” prevents blind drop overs and getting lost on this expanse of fossilized sand dunes. real hump of a ride. My breathing curtails my climbing effort. I rode here the first time back in ’92 in my youthful prime. Years have advanced wreaking havoc on my aerobic performance. OK I pushed a few climbs.
While hanging in the TH parking lot a rider approached me. Turns out his father and I talked last year in Sun Valley. The kid is a top 100 XC ski racer. Articulate young man. I remembered talking w/ his father.
Drove out to camping area and put dibs on a spot w/ my locked chair. Drove into town. Stopped @ Chile Pepper bike shop. Made appointment for them to install new bushings in my bike. I will tear it apart and give to them the new pieces for install.
Drove out to KOA for nice $5.00 shower.
Next stop was Lin Care to pick up my blood clotting monitoring device. Guy who instructed me is 6’9″, I didn’t even make his shoulders. I need to perform a test each week and call in the results. Process is to arm a small skin pricker device that is spring loaded. Upon release a sharp blade slices a small hole in my finger. I squeeze a drop of blood on a piece of material that capillary force draws the blood into the machine. battery powered. INR time is spit out. I call an 800 number w/ the results. Costs $54 a month. Benefit is I know the results weekly and can adjust as required my dosage of coumadin.
A $2.75 pint @ Moab Brewery, type this then drive up to Slick rock camp for the night. Will ride Slick rock again tomorrow because I have already paid the entry fee.
Have an endocrinologist appointment in Grand Junction on 6/10. Will hang here for several days then move up to Fruita then GJ.
Craig, wish I was there riding Slickrock, Poison Spider, Porquepine, Amasa Back, etc. with you, would be fun. Rode three days in the Gorge last weekend. Did Sincline, Little Moab (endoed on a particularily rough/loose drop, but tucked and rolled with no damage), Delores Trail, and finished on Monday with a 27 miler on the Dechutes River Trail to get some warmth and sunshine. As usual, saw a rattlesnake on the trail. Very docile snake, I got off my bike and rolled the front wheel over him to get him riled up, but no reaction. He just crawled off in the weeds. Have fun in Moab.