Time and distance

Forecast was calling for possible thunderstorm in a time window. How wet could you stand and maybe accept possibility of being struck? Carry a rain jacket and manage the time. Which is what Doug and I understood as we set out for our ride from bottom of Canyon of Fools. We pedaled along on his concocted route. Notable trails were Mescal and Aerie. Might have been Steve who suggested starting at bottom of CoF as it is in bottom of Dry Creek, everything went up or traversed meaning the return ride would not finish on a climb. Aerie is a suspension appreciator as it is rough on descent. On to Cockscomb then social decisions. We were watching the weather system approaching and measuring time required to be off the trail before the storm would hit.

Thunder Mtn pre thunderstorm light

At a crux trail intersection time and distance were calculated to chose which trails for return. We picked the shorter length. We made it back to our rigs in the dry. I drove away maybe 20 mins later entering the rain line of the predicted thunderstorm. Rewarded for risk taking.

Thunderstorms usually short duration and might dump intense amount of water. Should my ride expose me to a T storm I will switch the wind shell for the rain jacket in my hydration pack. If call is for showers might not ride. If for rain prolly not. Each precip event is tempered by probability. Riding here I am never very far from my van.

We rode Cockscomb from its start at Aerie. Another view of massive.

NW side of Cockscomb, from namesake trail

NCAA men’s basketball championship has started. Zags earned a #5 seed. Thurs was their first game in which they crushed their opponent moving them to the next round to play Kansas at noon today. I parked at the outlet then walked maybe 2 blocks to PJs to watch game. I stayed after the game to watch another game because I didn’t want to go home. Struck up a conversation with fellow patron who managed food concession at Museum of Flight in Seattle. I was able to connect. As he was leaving he bought me a glass of wine which would be my second of the night. I stayed to enjoy the keg Chardonnay. Night had fallen. My return route was in the dark. I walk facing traffic. The streets do not have sidewalks, a white outside edge line is on pavement right at edge of pavement. A car approached me as it climbed out of a wash aiming its headlight up into my eyes. I was wearing all dark clothes. I decided I should protect myself and maybe spare car damage by stepping even further off the pavement. I was unaware of the step down. Left foot went down about 2″ on to the lower level. I fell face first resulting in nasty wounds on my left forearm and knee. Back at van I cleaned wounds and applied bandaids.

Yesterday I rode from outlet to start what I call my Llama route. Popular with hikers.

Cathedral

Night time temps are warming enough to not need to run the heater. It is thermostatically controlled. It turns on when cold then shuts off when it reached the set level. When off there is silence. Maybe my ears hurt in quiet. I taped a single layer of cheese cloth over the heater intake that is stopping fuzz from entering heat exchanger. Heater should remain healthy.

Zags play at noon shortly. Noon time glass of wine.

42 degrees and raining

March 15, Ides of March. Sedona desert.

Every Thurs I do my wash. I line dry all my riding clothes. At a glance I see what my riding was like for the past week. Last week I hung a short sleeve jersey which told the tale of a warm day ride. Also clothes pinned to the line was my light weight long sleeve wool jersey. However, just a short, not knicker, was hung. Unsettled March.

Raining off and on today hunkered down inside heated van parked at outlet mall on pavement with strong internet signal. Unsettled weather forecast until Monday. Wet trails ahead. Bike is covered on back of van.

How to spend rainy day inside my van. Youtube videos, reading, fixing and eating food. I could plug in my external hard drive stringing cables across the center of van and a second cable for computer power at the accessory outlet on van’s console. Then insert turbotax disc into drive. I could, but I will prolly take several puffs then think about what I could do. Age affected stasis. Motionless is not over rated. I do need to make another corn bread skillet muffin.

Yesterday I bought propane and filled the water tank in preparation for today’s weather.

Just babbling on keyboard. Sign off.

My destroyed shoulder prevents me from contributing improving trails. difficult “rite” of passage to able bodied people.

 

 

Showers

This morning as I lay under my covers I heard the sound of sprinkles hitting the van’s roof. Forecast wanted some wet, a chance of. I planned on creating this entry and not exercising. Been putting off sharing. Days and events have transpired.

Here goes, random ramblings as recall flares.

Yesterday a trip to health food store in Cottonwood was in order to resupply gluten free Happy Camper bread. Oh, while I was there Doug spooled me up on a ride at newer trail system on the shoulder of Mingus Mtn collectively called Blowout Wash. This would be my first ride here. Trail is in Prescott NF. Doug previously rode here, today he wanted to ride Copper Chief out and back, really up then down. Per TF trails is 4.7 miles climbing 951′ while loosing 200′ that had to be reclimbed.

Doug at decision missed, Mingus mtn

Trails we rode were machine built sustainably carved. Started climbing from fisrt pedal and kept after it with short coast pieces for recovery that had to be regained. I struggled pushing on my pedals.

Copper Chief tread, unobstructed sight lines

I was so far behind Doug. Ride was 11.5 miles climbing 1339′ pedaling for 1 hr 44 mins. Longest sustained climb here in Sedona. I met Doug at his turn around spot, enough for me. Turn around and mostly coast back. We started and finished on Blowout Canyon trail which had many tight blind turns in places that provided spots for off the edge out slope leaving the trail. It was a hump.

Last weekend was the Sedona Mountain bike festival at Posse grounds. I attended on Sat. So many many people, mountain bikers. Big event, I heard the festival brings in the most visitors to town. Packed. Freehub Mag had their booth right at entrance. I visited with several staff members and Brandon, the publisher. Freehub made a film about me in addition to an article. I am part of the community the magazine creates. I moved on to REVEL’s booth for a visit. I told one REVEL staff that my bike had been ridden 533 times. I even spoke with one of the founders about my bike’s use. They missed an opportunity for testimonial. Lastly was the I9 booth for a visit with David whom we have known each other for years, we met at previous festival. I am riding I9 built wheels. Then I walked around sharing spaces with way many people. That night Freehub hosted a party that cost $10 to attend that I chose not to attend. I might have attended to visit with Brandon in crowded noisy fleeting conversation venue but that visit occurred at their booth. Didn’t ride to not put another rider on crowded trails. Mass number of riders. Way over my head.

Sunday Doug and I rode in the morning out at Western Gateway expecting crowded trails. Beautiful riding day on fewer than 20 riders during our 11.7 miles climbing 1115′ pedaling for 1 hr 42 mins. See the elevation gain and compare to Blowout Wash, today’s ride had the climb but it occurs in short bursts.

Cockscomb from SE

Sunday after my ride I returned to festival with intent to roll my bike to REVEL booth to show them my  533 ridden bike. Again, non plussed. I learned at Freehub booth that they showed the film they made about me.

Current forecast calls for snow but no accumulation. March weather. I will be sleeping on pavement for several days till primitive desert firms up. Stay off the dirt when wet as it can be very slippery dependent upon the amount of precip fell.

Mid March, almost equinox. Time winding down for this visit. No burning desire to leave except before temps are too high for exertion comfort. Pulling will be snow free and warmed climes to head north. I have no quest to find unridden trails.

Freehub published a photo book about Arkansas. Familiar trails and people I have ridden and met during my visits. I did like my time in Arkansas.

Sucker hole closing. Hunkered down in my van.

Last night SMC beat the Zags to win both the regular season title and tournament champ. Zags attending the Big Dance hinge on at large invite. I have allowed that loss to affect me. Time will pass to recover.

Replaced my worn front tire as the side knobs have been torn loose, 12xx miles. Rear tire will be replaced when it arrives at bikes shop. Rear is mostly worn on traction knobs. $8X per tire.

This amount of typing has produced hurt in my right shoulder. Time to hang up. Rain is now falling.

Today in my personal history was the first day of my full time employment starting as a laborer in a sand foundry back in 1972. Manheim, PA.