During yesterday’s ride out on Western gateway trails I broke my chain. First time for everything, first time ever for me. I was muscle power up a rock when it broke. However I did what I did kept my nuts off the top tube as I stalled after chain broke. Hey, I’ve got this I told myself. I propped my bike under the shade of a juniper then got after it. I was prepared with a chain break tool, a SRSM magic link plier, and a spare link. Chain broke 1 link away from magic link. I broke out the broken link and installed tge magic link. All ended well as chain finished the ride. I put 573 miles on it, I failed to measure the stretch after I removed old chain. SRAM web site chain care reads to just clean the chain with dawn, no chemicals which weaken the plating.

Hot yesterday, low 80s, sunshine exposure, and little wind. Riding with Doug, I let him plan the route and he waits for me at intersections. Started from Cultural Park, down Roundabout to Girdner down to crossing of dry Dry Creek, climb a bit of Axis to Bolo still climbing up to Last Frontier then s social that sort of parallels Axis to Rover up to Cockscomb to Outer Limits which I rode for first time this year, coast down Bolo then 20 plus mins of my life I will never get back on the climb up Axis back. Both of us were worked from the heat and sun.

Did laundry in the morning chill instead of riding.

Been staying out off beaverhead where it is full on exposure. I park the van at an angle to sun’s path to create some shade outside the van. Night time temp dies not require the heater with its blower noise, Just quiet. Last night coyotes yelped  and chattered right outside my door. Towards morning I fire the heater up to cozy up my house.

I rode 4 times between laundries as seen from that number of liners hanging to dry on the inside clothes line.

Doug and Leia head back to Canada on Tues. I have enjoyed the 3 months we have shared. I spent a few nights in their driveway in West Sedona. I prefer to stay down here at VOC or in desert off beaverhead. VOC lacks the tourist attractions of Sedona.

VOC, like Sedona, but up against USFS public land. Turkey Creek is name of  trail location out Verde Valley School road. The forest was chosen as the next place for new trails. I viewed the trails plan on line, it’s massive, like 20 miles new and 10 more adopted. Major trail system down here. Today Doug, Leia, and I hiked out there this afternoon. We hiked a mix of existing and newly built trails. New trails will be enjoyable to ride as the nasty climbs have been routed for sustainability. Doug took me on a new to me trail which contours around Napoleon. This weekend marks the end of seasonal FS trail crew.

Sedona riding, happens only here. Variations of trails exist within a region like the basalt on Schurman compared to the rest of Sedona on sandstone. For me it is unique from the other 48 states I have ridden in. Where a performing suspension makes for smiles.

I have been wearing the Suunto Peak “watch” for several days. I reports body function data like beats per minute, O2 saturation, analysis of each night’s sleep. I was prompted to get up and move as I had been sitting for 2 hours. After today’s  hike it reported congratulations I exceeded 10,000 steps. The display is brighter but data is smaller. The Core is simpler without body data.

Internet speed out here is as slow as molasses poured in say Maine in February.

I scored an appointment on the 14th next month for a remake of my night guard. Believing that I walk out the door with it which will weigh anchor to my Sedona time. I will head north following snow melt out and drying trails.

Tomorrow back up to West Sedona to pick up med and to ride.

Zags out of the Dance has created a void in my awareness of calendar dates.

My kitchen is awaiting clean up after dinner. I sequenced writing this while I was more awake before clean up. The longer I write this the more put off that manual work. 8:17 PM. 56 degrees outside. Today was like 67 from yesterday’s 80s.

Clean up needs attention.

Rabbit Ridge area

 

My typing skill is better than hunt and peck, I know where the keys are but my eyes still need to see them. My speed is better than glacial. My mind works faster than my fingers can find the keys. I have watched typists hitting the keys right along with my words. Maybe their comments. So, I use slowness as creation avoidance. I am sitting at the former outlet mall consuming time to arrival of Zags ist round game.

Last weekend was Sedona Mountain Bike festival attended by umpteen thousand best friends. Open day was Friday after snow had been cleared from walkways. And weather was shitting cold, blowing, and wet, I was warm and dry down here. I did go up Sat arriving at gate 30 mins prior to 10 AM opening. I learned that Turner would be exhibiting his titanium hard tail bikes and I wanted to visit. As I approached his booth we eye locked and called each other by name then started connecting. Found l-9 booth chatted with David and the owner, Clint. Then I just walked around observing and chatting. Brandon and Forest from Freehub mag. Spent the night in town at Doug’s.

Sunday Doug, Leia, and me hiked over to trail named Skidmark so named as a steep slickrock descent ended abruptly onto a wheel suck. Years ago Danny lead me on this hike while I was recovering from broken collar bone. Trail over to it is like a climbers way trail. Skilled scrambling ability. mid afternoon hike, just great weather and conditions to spend outside.

Monday Doug said lets ride as his shoulder was happy. Dry Creek area. Again we encountered less than 10 people. Another ride was on Mescal where many more than 10 to share the trail. Riding out here is at bottom of climbs, trails we ride are mostly contour. Just 2 liners are hung to dry meaning same number of rides from last Thurs laundry.

Yesterday I rode down here on system  trails with elevation. FS built full Single Track  Bypass which parallels heavily used Bell Rock Pathway. Nice rideable trail that attracts foot traffic. This trail is mountain bike rider focused as it plays with contour of land versus a point to point trail like Bell Rock. Still pass on Llama problem, I’m saving myself for Steve to spot me when he arrives first of month.

Last 3 weekends were wet, last 2 snow. Enough precip filled shallow pits on dirt track out to preferred spot off beaverhead. I knew enough to stay away to allow sloppy puddles dried up. I still drove over slime spots. So nice to be out in desert where I don’t cover windows, full sun to recharge batteries, sunset view, no traffic noise. Just how I like to live. Albeit web signal is weak 2 bar.

Oh, I did rebuy the Suunto Peak 9 time piece. I printed the 66 page PDF manual. Device pairs with phone via Bluetooth. I am acquiring skill to understand its workings which for me is good mental effort.

Time piece indicates time to be moving in direction of short walk over to PJs to watch the Zags.

Daylight savings time is rejected in Arizona. The sun did come up however. Arizona is now Pacific daylight savings meaning 3 hours behind the east coast. Zags semi final game on Monday is played in Las Vegas and televised here at 9:30 PM tomorrow night. I will prolly be the only patron at PJs during the game time.

Previous Thurs was extremely windy. Forecast for Fri called for precip starting as rain then turning to snow. Fri morn while laying in bed putting off starting my day I heard the spliffs of rain which shortly changed to big wet snow flakes which fell for most of the day. I stayed hunkered down inside the entire day but for a wet walk over to Oak Creek espresso for coffee and a sit down. Clouds blocked solar gain to charge batteries but I ran the engine for 30 mins for power boost. Heater ran all day. Thurs night I looked at propane gauge which indicated I would need refueling early sat morn. I worried that the tank would run dry during the night, if through the night then sometime during bfast. Propane kept the heat on and cooked my oatmeal and heated water for cleanup. I buy propane at Ace up in W Sedona, store opens at 8  AM. I needed to be there at store opening for refueling before running out of propane. Several inches of pure white snow covered red rocks etc, beautiful morning. I arrived at Ace a few minutes before opening. Tank took 5.2 gal, max is 5.6. Propane runs the fridge that burns 24 hrs, the stove when cooking, and the heater when needed.

After fueling I drove up to cultural park for scenery.

Sunshine and low 50 temp returned the white to liquid. Way too wet to ride. Mid afternoon I drove out Verde Valley school rd for a hike in the Transcept area which the sun warms and dries the dirt. I hiked a way trail that I had down hiked from Transcept previously. I walked on several small patches of snow and more wet spots but was mostly dry feet. Later I drove up to Absolute to visit and learn what the rental bikes looked like upon return. Shop had 1 return that I saw and it was very clean, I was told person spent half hour hosing off.

Forecast for last night called for temp at 34, this morning the temp was 28 degrees for a hard freeze not allowing moisture to soak in. This morning at 9:41 Arizona time temp is 57. Trails might be dry enough for ride after lunch. Snow remains on N facing aspects.

Google found a contractor in La Pine. They replied to me to set up a tele call for info. I listened to her info. Their construction price is the lowest so far still in excess of saved $ from my house sale. I have my 401k $ that I will tap to make up the difference. My concern is running out of $ while still alive. But then my $ will prolly outlive me so wrestling with spending for now weighed against having enough for future is a conundrum. I keep putting off proceeding with whole construction as I would have many decisions to make which will take time away from doing what I want. Then my body is wearing down such that riding takes more from me.

Last week I rode just 1 ride which was Rabbit clockwise which is more enjoyable than climbing up the ridge. I still exceed my breathing capacity on the climb but the descent down the ridge is letting gravity pull me over all the rocks. The bike’s suspension inspires confidence by rolling over the bumps.

So this off my to do list. Now letting water absorption determine the rest of my day.