Headed out last night w/ plan to drive further up hwy 400 to next road to find a place away from quaking aspen TH. Succeeded. However it was out of cell phone range so i missed my Sunday ride w/ Andy.

Wind died down overnight. Up & at it early. Drove back down to QA TH for ride. Today plan is to do an easy ride for rest of body & knee that still hurts. Putzing around @ TH deciding on ride. Stood at the trail map when a bluebird w/ a beetle in its mouth landed almost @ my feet. What a pretty bird: the blue is iridescent. I got about 10 winks & it flew up into a tree to consume its catch.

Finally headed out on prime Zuni Mtn ST. Kept heart rate down and enjoyed scenery by going slower. Checked out scenic overlook on Lost Lake Rim trail. Looked out over desert plateau to the end of skyline.

Meet Albert & wife Becky, owners of defunct local bike shop. He had comments about his customers.

Crossed a barb wire fence where i hooked a barb into my shorts, almost got hung up.

Back @ TH Blaine was just starting out. He had issues w/ his drive train that I said I could fix if he would get his cluster and call me.

Stopped @ Red Rocks XG for a shower. Host same as before and fee was same.

Back into Gallup to do wash. Gallup has beaucoup laundromats, most are 24 hour along historic rt 66. Clean clothes and bike gear drying on line in back of van. Low humidity assures quick drying time.

Blaine called me as I was walking in the Albertson’s parking lot w/ my hands full. He had the parts and was ready to meet me to install. He arrived, we moved to an abandoned building just off  rt 66. And Jack showed up. We all chatted about our rides and he ribbed me about missing a business permit. He has been reading my blog.

Fixed Blaine’s bike: replaced drive train. He thanked me. Like me long ago he doesn’t know how to work on bikes. But I do now.

Drove thru town on rt 66 to Amerigas parking lot for night. Tomorrow school is in session so I might have an early wake up.

Plan tomorrow is to call PO for pedals and then ride High Desert & then drive to Albuquerque

I am competing w/ Wait Wait don’t tell me.

40 mph gusts, 36 mph average out @ high desert ride. Good trails in desert. Will ride again b4 leaving. Started out w/ sprinkles and hopes that more rain would not fall. I was told that when the soil gets wet it becomes sticky and binds up wheels. No fun, don’t ride. 19 miles, 1939′ climbed. Wind made climbs into head wind hard and dicey on narrow trails. 7000 foot elevation rides like Fruita and Moab Sovereign trails.

Back into town to buy beer. GPSd package store fom trail guide: way out in country, bit of hard neighborhood but it was closed. GPS worked but need screening tool to vet choice.

Stopped @ Safeway for groceries. Parking lot plugged. Walking in parking lot was sporty as many drivers seemed to be using me to sharpen their fine motor skills. Store was more than plugged. There were like maybe 50 people waiting to be checked out. Just too many to even put food on my table tonight. I noticed a laundromat out near ride was plugged. DO all these people come into town on Sats? Might try again later this afternoon to see if the crowd returned home.

Rode w/ these young people @ their local trail that is home to dawn to Dusk ride where you win based on how many laps you ride. The elevation got me on every hill but kept up on flats & downhills. they told me that after their race the trails would be like butter as all the wheels would ride out old ruts and foot  prints. We shortened our ride because of sprinkles. I wore my rain coat and the rain stopped. Later I took the coat off and the sucker hole was long enough to finish ride. 40 mph winds head on to back of van where the road bike was hiding under the rain cover. The bike and rack were moving in the wind. Cover made a perfect wind stop.

Parked just off end of airport runway head into wind and van is still rocking. Why yes, I am alone and I am typing this.

Pedals didn’t arrive via USPS so I am here at least until Monday.

Will probably go back to Quaking Aspen TH for another night of 7800′ elevation sleeping.