Sat AM I drove up to west Sedona while listening to Wait Wait… Being on the road b4 10 usually escapes the touron traffic backup.
I stopped at laundromat and asked to use the step ladder which I used to get up high on the van then laid a bead of sealant on the body panel join. Precip is forecast for later this week including snow. I will learn if my repair plugged the leak.
My ride plan was for monstrous Last Frontier etc. I parked at the cultural park, geared up, then pedaled away. I made about 200 yds when my phone rang. It was Bill Z from bean fame. I described what i wanted to ride which convinced him to join me albeit almost 2 hours later. I putzed around in the parking lot. A rig with a bike on it pulled in beside me: it was Matt from VOC, another friend. We watched birds drink water from a nearby puddle. He knows birds: western blue bird and evening grosbeaks.
Bill arrived. we took off. Bill disclosed that he only rides once a week. He pushed himself staying ahead of me. He is a few years younger than me, not by many. We rode Last Frontier connecting to Western Civ to Cockscomb to Rupp then rode the wander thru the desert on social trails till we joined Girdner with its painful climb out of Dry Creek.
Back at the parked rigs we enjoyed post ride beer from my fridge. He left. I drove back into town for a shower and exotic groceries at Whole Foods not sold at the VOC IGA. Late afternoon leave Decided to drive thru Cornville out to Beaverhead instead of contending with touron jam on 179. Picked road at mp 3. Drove out to first unoccupied turn out. I saw a rig in the distance. I was outside doing something when the white rig almost made a press fit to my van. It was Ian who was out figuring rides out in cattle land. They left about dark. I listened to the Zags on XM.
The furnace is not lighting consistently. When it doesn’t light the inside temp drops which chills me below what my blanket cover warmth. I cycle the control knob which causes the furnace to kick on. I pull over the overlap blanket for warmth and fall back to sleep. After awhile the furnace has warmed up the inside which makes the overlap blanket too hot waking me up. Kick off the additional layer. Cycle again
Today after a pancake bfast which I forgot to add an egg I drove to VOC. I park behind the sheriff’s office. I am on friendly relation with an officer who is retiring later this year. We visited.
Forecast for today called for a wind event afternoon. My intent was to get my ride in b4 breathing blowing sand. I was not motivated to be sharp. The FS is armoring eroded pitches and doing a great job. The features in Breezy that were so short with Sandy rose to their normal unrideable height again. Just couldn’t make it happen.
Snow is forecast for later this week. Paved overlook parking.
The rock here is predominately sandstone which is soft. To me it seems that riding the rubble is sort of stable as when the rocks are moved because of their softness they jam against others forming a stable berm Harder rock pieces bounce off others lessening something to bank against. Big 2.5 tires on wide rims at low pressure helps.
Off to PJs for a beer then out to desert and changing weather. 3 day weekend, potential desert dwellers becoming mudded in tomorrow. Lessons learned.