Can’t is lack of ability.
Won’t is lack of permission.
I have a pretty good idea of what my abilities are, I know that riding Highline in Sedona is over my head. Likewise other trails I have experienced or are researching for a possible ride. I am increasingly becoming more cautious about meeting challenges for fear of consequences of failure.. I am not on a downward slope to ride only greens. I ride blues mostly and some blacks, some turn out to be over rated.
Then there is Won’t, I back away from longer and / or harder rides. I could do the ride but I balk at beating my body to tackle that ride. My pedal time is less than 3 hours max. Two hours are a chunk.
So, each ride is subjected to can’t vs won’t.
Saturday I picked the trail system at Highline SP that TF showed as mostly green. The park can be seen from anchor spot above Loma. I drove to the park. I paid daily $10 entrance fee. I saw signs banning surface water activities. ? . I geared up and pedaled away. Shortly I caught a glimpse of the lake:
The west is drought affected which I thought caused the non existent water and surface activity. The system wended its way playing with fingers of where water would have been. Smooth tread. Many places the trail was cut thru stands of scrub trees like Gamble oak making for nonexistent sight lines. I rode in TF direction encountering no one.
I finished my ride of 7.34 miles climbing 413′ in just under an hour. I visited with a park staff member seeking knowledge. I learned the lake is being drained to kill off a zebra mussel infestation. Plan is to leave lake empty over winter subjecting exposed lake bed to frost to kill off larva. Nearby Mesa Lake is full so drought was not cause for non existent water. Also the park allows class 1 and 2 M-bikes. I foresee many user conflicts on sections with no sight line.
Sunday was another ride out at Kokopeli system. Route was Mary’s out to Steve’s loop reconnecting back on Mary’s then taking first cutiver to Wrangler back then road climb out back to van. At first I was alone on popular Mary’s but as the day wore on more riders shared the trail with me. Steve’s plays with edges of canyons.
This ride was in my ability and permission. The ride was 14.9 miles climbing 1171 pedaling for 2 hrs 9 mins. I am really liking the lower saddle height which gives me pedal power. However, the 28T oval chain ring is too easy to pedal against. Yesterday in town on a parking lot across the street from OTE I swapped chain rings to the 30T which will give me resistance for better balance. Now with more powerful pedal from lowered saddle height coupled with harder pedal I might increase my can’t boundary.
Temps are still in 80s for mid October. Forecast calls for 70s later in the week and even some precip.
Yesterday morning while still in bed I heard the muted snap of the mouse trap then noises indicating a struggle. Later I slid open the cabinet door to see a mouse under the bail of the spring trap. The night before I baited the trigger again with almond butter, this time I worked most of it under the trigger to cause the mouse to work for the bait to hopefully spring the trap. The previous 2 nights the trigger had been licked clean of the bait. At last mouse free… until the next? How they are able to scamper inside the van remains to be observed. Hot days means open side door. I told Peter at OTE about the dead mice. He suggested like a sticker showing dead mouse and putting it on the van much like pilots showing enemy kills. Next trapped mouse will be made into a sticker.
Today is Monday, I’m making today a rest day and not driving. Tomorrow is trip to Junction for examination of van’s suspension that still clunks over bumps and dips. Presently 82 degrees with gentle breeze. I attach the front windshield cover to block out solar gain.
The leg ulcer is clearing up from the steroid cream applied 2X. Healing.
