21 degrees with sun up @ 7:45. Cold. Inside of windshield had about 10″ of ice starting from the bottom edge going up. Cold w/ heater on high. Still was 48 degrees inside.
Spoke w/ my dad via cell phone. Neat invention.
MBH hosted a holiday ride from the shop. More remembered faces, Dangerous Dave is special. Walk on guy in street clothes shows up looking to ride a bike and go on a shop ride. Oh boy. He’s from Minnesota and a nickname. He was way in over his head but he stuck it out. Another MBH ride, new axiom: if you find a trail, you are lost. There were a few pieces of established trail, much of it was riding looking for a traveled piece. I did it because I was with locals whom I trust their environmental conscious. 1 hour 44 mins of riding time netted 7.5 miles, maybe .5 of that was on pavement @ start & finish. Riding better. Quentin from OTE said to ride in mid chain ring and upper gears on cog. This makes for a harder pedal and eliminates spin outs, creates balance under load, more inches forward for a pedal stroke means making a move. Second day of that strategy. I rode close to Rama until it got real rocky. He responded to my gasping breathing by telling me about tai chi, I believe, and practice of controlled breathing. Another thing that separates us. Rama is a skilled rider.
I hit both calves against cactus where their spines stuck into my legs thru my tights. I pulled some out, others remained stuck into my skin thru the material. I pulled ones I could find w/ leatherman. Going to have some that I couldn’t get. Not big ouch, just a little whimper every time one pushes into my skin.
Bikes were pretty muddy. Off trail the ground was soft & places clay muddy. Washed bike off @ shop w/ my sprayer. Shop hose was frozen until we stretched it out in the sun.
Back out to Deer pass road bluff spot.
Tomorrow is a self guided ride following mostly mapped trails.