What a great ride day it was today. I spent the night out off 89B at my favorite spot. After bfast process I drove into Sedona to the laundromat. Clean dry and folded clothes and 5 days of wet riding gear hung on the drying line inside my van.
I drove out Dry Creek road to where Chuck Wagon crosses the road. Off the road parking doesn’t require a red rock pass. As I was getting ready friend Tomas stopped for a visit. Today’s conditions were just ripe, warm but not hot. I wore shorts, low socks and a short sleeve Turner jersey. Just right. Today is the first time riding here since my last visit in Jan when i was rained out. I waited for the trails to dry out from rain, snow, and freeze thaw mud. Hardly a muddy spot. Trails are eroding allowing rocks to rise up. What was once sort of smooth is now more chunky. On Chuck Wagon I encountered 2 bigger than football size rocks that had been placed on the trail just below a roller. Vandalism and meant to harm. Hmmm. could it be hiker activity?
Chuck Wagon lead me to Mescal. which connected to Deadman’s dropping down to Aerie that I climbed then descended to Cockscomb TH. Aerie is becoming more rocky. Cockscomb to Rupp dropping down to running Dry Creek that I crossed 4 times on Girdner till I found Anaconda to climb out of drainage, Anaconda climbs higher than the junction of Girdner which means I overclimbed for the desired intersection. It is what it is. I rode Anaconda non stop. Drop down the east side to intersect Girdner then a short section to pick up the start of Chuck wagon and my van. 16.83 miles left me battered. Long live long rides. I found stepping stones for 3 of the creek crossings. But Dry Creek was running way up on Chuck Wagon.
Cat claw scratches on bare skin.
Late afternoon headed back into Sedona to Snap for a shower. The Whole Foods store in west Sedona is a work in progress as they just moved into the adjoining spaces to the east and are looking like all Whole Foods stores. Last 2 nights I grazed at the extensive salad bar, $8.99 a pound. Didn’t see chocolate pudding. I spooned tasty items into my large plastic container. Puppy’s breakfast. No idea if any of the foods would not play well w/ each other. 1.64 pounds cost just under $15.00. Tonight I saved left overs for tomorrow.
Temps are warming into 70s and 40s. Sunny cloudless days. I ride like 5 days a week.
Yesterday was a rest day. I parked out at the Cultural Park and bush bashed a loop. Cat claw.
Tuesday Cashion and Eva joined me for a ride out Last Frontier to however far we could go and still make it back before dark. We finished just before it became too dark to see. Late start. Hammer. They are skilled riders and way younger than me. We crossed Dry creek and it was dry, we were down stream from where I would be today.
I’m out at 89B again at the same spot as the pic from Bike mag on the side of my van shows. The tent mahalla still stands. Tomorrow AM is PT followed by a massage. I ran into the masseuse at Whole Foods. I told her I wanted a picture of her first born and every time she caused me pain I was going to stick a pin in the pic. Eric the PT has given her permission to pull out the stops and work my shoulder over. The difference between a terrorist and a Physical therapist is you can negotiate w/ a terrorist.
Zags play soon. Listen on XM.