And it rained

Wed night made it to camp spot, after dark it started to rain, it pelted my roof. It quit and then started again. Jan 21 2.6″ of rain fell. My patch job appeared to hold. Thurs I hunkered down in van rocky w/ the wind and rain percussion. Wind came up and my roof vent opening was right into wind. Battened down the vent to keep it attached to van. Checked out firmness of ground on drive out. Seemed to be still firm, just gravel on solid ground.

Roof vent started leaking again, put the wash bucket under it on floor. Spent day in van. Watched Zags on the funky TV web broadcast. Zags won.

Today it was rainy & windy in AM. Need to get into town for propane. Just after cleaning up kitchen after bfast I ran out. Next step is to drive out. Drove out OK. drove into town to rental place to buy propane. Mark, who filled me, is from Indiana where he started riding mtn bikes. Next stop was Sedona. he is just giggly about riding here. He upgraded to big suspension bike.

Oak Creek was to flood big time, maybe it did but I didn’t see it on my short drive along the creek as I drove to Hilton spa for a shower. Test the person’s granting me shower permission. He was there, remembered me, and said OK. He asked for collateral for the locker key. He said car keys would work. I jokingly withheld my keys because I was securing a locker key w/ my home. Enjoyed shower. As I was getting dressed he came into locker room and said I should at least do a steam bath. I told him no, I only negotiated for a shower. I want to protect my privileges.

Arrived @ B & B  where my UPS box containing my fork awaited me. Then it started snowing, big wet flakes blocking out visibility. Too warm to stick, up canyon somewhere it was sticking, certainly Flag. Hung in shop ; they closed up @ noon because of the weather. Jim, the owner, said that this year’s lodging bookings are way up which is really pleasant. Jim allowed me to park behind the shop. The forecast somebody told me was for 4 to 8″ of snow and I did not want to get snowed in out in the desert.

Late in afternoon the skies cleared. I went for a walk on a trail system to Bell Rock that starts just across the street from B & B. Trail is wide and heavily foot traveled. Many pour overs down from Bell Rock flowed across the trail. The flows were clear which meant nothing was being eroded. The trails were really very firm. The surface seemed to be either sand on top of sandstone or bare rock. It seems that it can be ridden not long after a rain, even of this magnitude of 4.09″ for the month, normal is 2.0.

Turner will ship frame on Monday, PUSH shipped the shock today. The front wheel will be shipped on or before 1/25 via USPS. Success will be that I am riding my new bike this weekend. really, it is not a new bike, just the frame, fork, front wheel, seatpost, and front & rear derailleurs. Eagerly looking forward to first ride, not like waiting for christmas morn as a kid, not loosing sleep. Just a good sense of anticipation.

Sleeping behind the shop. Quiet. Chilly, I run the heater on low all day if I am inside the van.

Forecast still has rain in  it for tonight.  SAt, Sun, & Mon will be clear. Tues brings in another wet series of storms.

I heard from Keith @ Black Canyon trail just down the ways. he said that the Agua Fria at the crossing on the new section of trail was 20′ deep. Trail heading S from TH crosses lower. No bridge, you wade, not for a long time will anybody be crossing the river.

I have maybe 5 good scratches on my right rear end and 1 on my left side. I can’t see back there to count or determine what treatment is required. I sit on some of them both in chairs & on bike. Stitches out this Wed.

A local rider was in the shop showing his helmet cam video of several technical rides here. He will be posting it on web and I will link to it. A movie is really required to get a sense of what Sedona riding is all about. Haven’t experienced anything anywhere like it.