7:00 AM wake up. Not as chilly. Left b4 the balloons landed. Drove near their launch site between here & Dry Creek. One was rising, the flight turns out to not be long or far.

Into B & B to learn of trail conditions around there. Said that trails would be fine and to ride on their side of the road. Took off by myself just after 9:00; freeze thaw was leaving the sun drenched ground. In the shade some places there was ice. Before i made the nasty switchbacks to the creek another rider arrived. I recognized him from yesterday @ MBH. He had just come in from a ride and his bike was a muddy mess. he used the hose to wash it off. I chatted w/ him about conditions. His name is Bill and he owns a bike shop in Gunnison, CO. He was route finding from the published map w/ legal trails. I told him to follow me and I would show him some unmapped trails. Young guy, better rider, and doing it on a 29er in this tight stuff. He split @ a junction to meet his wife.

I reported back to B & B to show condition f my bike to judge how muddy the trails were. Not sloppy muddy, mud that could be left on for another ride.

I needed to get down to the Hilton spa for my free shower before 1:30.  Made it. Kevin was working the desk not my guy. The 2 look like brothers. I didn’t spill the arrangement and waited for my guy to return from lunch. Got my shower.

Picked up my PUSHed shock from B & B. UPS shipping info states my frame has been shipped from Turner. I asked if David Turner would autograph my frame. I asked on my first Spot w/ no success. Greg @ Turner said he was still working on Dave to sign this one. Apparently Dave doesn’t like to autograph his frames. Oh well, I will be riding the results of his work.

Back @ Insta Care to hae the stitches removed and have the bump just wrist side of sutured cut. It seems to me that there is a piece of wood under my skin. Different DR this time. He agreed that something was in there. The nurse attending was a woman who I rode w/ from B & B. Had a boisterous conversation about riding. Other voices said that mtn biking was very dangerous. DR numbed up my arm and worked  the subject line out. I have it on my dashboard. Bit of infection requiring a new antibiotic to me. 10 days to kill the bad things.

Filled propane @ same rental place. Asked to use a ladder to crawl up on the van roof to seal the leak. Guy allowed and moved the ladder over for me. Can’t see where the leak is. Slopped some more sealant on suspected place. Next rain will prove success . Might have to take the vent off the roof and start sealing over.

Back @ Deer Pass, popular spot. Generator guy is still turned on.

Forecast is for rain next several days.  Can’t wish dryness on drought conditions.

Wheel shipped from Las Vegas Monday via USPS. Frame shipped via UPS from near San Diego, CA on Tues.  How long after the first item arrives will the second one? Which delivery method will be faster? How will USPS treat a bicycle wheel?

Tomorrow is a shop ride if no rain.

Prickly pear thorns in the side wall of my front tire flatted it. I pumped it up 2x before slime sealed the holes.

Gonzo is a wrench @ B & B. Scott owns ICS, a bike shop,  in Indianapolis. Gonzo was an early customer of Scott’s back when his shop was in his mother’s first floor of her house. I rode w/ Scott several weekends last winter in the Pisgah.

Post eye exam dilating drops. Could see real good in 26 degs around sunlight 7:30 when 2 hot air balloons appeared. I watched the closer pilot spill air and heat to ride and fall to clear a slight ridge between him and me where he was going to land. Somehow the balloon can be steered if that is a word. Managed to drop it right on road and might have stayed out of the junipers this time.

Nice cloudless morn, below freezing. Forecast was for 40s. Drove into town w/ time on my hands and only the 3:15 eye appointment. Stopped @ Sedona library to read newspapers but they were busy so I magazine read Nat Geo cover article on polygamists in FLDS and Colorado City. Church demands church members which can be accomplished by having many wives and their role is to bear children. Nice library. Saw many older people. Do I consider myself “old People”? I believe that they are all older than my 60.

Put my original Eggbeaters on as they appear to be less worn than the newer pair. The older pair probably started getting lose so I bought a new pair. The new pair has eclipsed the older pair such that what was old is now new. Yesterday removing the pedal from my road bike I tightened the pedal in the crank arm. I tried removing it w/o putting on the front wheel which would have helped me to loosen in correct direction. Stopped @ MBH and Bob put a cheater on the allen and clamped the other crank arm in the vise. Once he figured out which way to turn and applied force the allen started flexing and he was afraid that he might snap it before the pedal let loose. Another heave and it spun free.

Eye exam using VSP insurance and selected eye clinic in Sedona. Eyes are in great shape just my lenses are starting to form cataracts which is a normal part of aging. So small a change from present prescription that i will continue w/ current lenses. I have an astigmatism in my right eye which is far sighted. My left eye is near sighted. I don’t wear my prescription glasses for outside activities. maybe the different sightedness causes bal;ance problems on my bike? One eye commanding the body to change focal lengths for clear vision. Left says close up I want to see what i am going to fall in. Right demanding to look further down the trail for more places to check up closely.

Drove back to Deer Pass into the setting sun on dilated eyes. I stopped for a beer @ Oak Creek brew pub as a way to spend time in a dimly lit place. Made just a beer. I need more people to have a better chance of a conversation.

Freeze over night last night made for thaw mud above freezing. The dirt gets slimy slippery and sticks to tires, so far not so badly as to stop the wheels from turning like they did in China wash in Hurricane, UT. And the 4″ of rain saturated the soil. And yesterday’s ride was muddy, today would have been more of the same.

Going to check forecast for need to ride tomorrow b4 next rain. Will try down near B & B as it has more sand and slick rock. Position myself for shower down canyon.

Greg from Turner called today and we firmed up shipping for this Wed on my request as the front wheel’s arrival is unknown and I can not store the frame in my van. Learned wheel was shipped today from somewhere via USPS. PUSHed shock arrives Tues.

Broke a rear spoke on my Sun ride right @ the nipple. Gear cluster which is steel grinds it’s way onto aluminum free wheel on Chris King hub which is normal. getting them off requires some skill.

Zags are ranked 8 in ESPN. Bill’s Kentucky is ranked number 1.

Javelinas are present even in outskirts of Sedona. Last night’s scat was left in library parking lot for close examination of their diet which doesn’t completely digest. Got pictures.

Same camper as last night is here again w/ his generator going to power his trailer.

As in not flushed away. Weathered 2 days of rain w/ just a small drip that will be chased down once it warms up early this week.

Quiet night behind shop. Sat is a drive to Prescott to attend an IMBA pitch to local elected officials . Local riders have an idea of making Prescott into an IMBA ride center. The regional IMBA guy, the past trail crew team spoke and audience listened and asked questions. Us mountain bikers are an older bunch, lot of gray hair in the crowd. The new trail care crew team was present in a learning capacity. They are like 5 days into their job. Friday night they were stopped @ a traffic light in their IMBA Subaru when an out of control driver T boned them aft of the driver’s door. Shaken but OK. Spoke w/ Robert whom I met at the Black Canyon trail ribbon cutting. Prescott was under about 3″ of snow. It will be more weeks before their trails are rideable. I understand there are miles of good riding to be had there abouts.

Oak Creek canyon didn’t flood as predicted. There is some snow up high that will flow down. Driving S from Oak Creek the hwy crosses Dry Beaver creek. Other drives over the creek bed it was just that: dry. This trip to Prescott is was a thick chocolate color splashing down hill. Seeing it w/ h2o was different than it’s being dry. It means a lot of rain hit the earth and it was moving down hill.

Found a seculed parking spot behind a bank right on main drag of 89A in West Sedona to spend the night. I bought deli prepared food from New Frontier which is a big health grocery store. Hunkered down in van to watch the Zags win.

When I dirtbag camp I don’t sleep as restful. Last night I lay in bed listening to sounds and hoped than none would come my way.

Chilly 29 degs @ 7:15. Sun cleared canyon walls and shone on peaks to my West. How spectacular. This place is so drop dead beautiful. Windshield had 3″ of frost telling me it was below freezing. Darn, I have a growing crack in my windshield and it is right in my vision. I am waiting for it to run to see how bad and how long I can put off replacing it. Crack started from window edge from a rock chip.

Drove over to Mtn bike Heaven for 10:00 ride. Ground was frozen so today’s ride would be muddy from freeze thaw and from rain. Ride postponed till 11:00. Small group of Rama, Doug, Kenny, Tim, & John, all regular guys and me who won’t go away. Headed down the wash we rode @ christmas only now there was way more h2o in it and the rocks had moved a bit. Cold air and wet feet and bad freeze thaw mud. Dangerous caught up w/ us @ Grand Central. Rama and he communicated via cell phone. Luckily the riding speed is about hike a bike speed so i am able to keep up. Riding here is such a balance thing that I lack. Sometimes I was on which was rare. Not a fun ride by any and it was mercifully cut short. It was just too early after the rains to be riding, perhaps all this week. Another weaker storm is coming in Tuesday.

Eye exam on Monday. Phoenix ride this Sunday.

Called Carrie, a friend of my sister Lynn’s, who lives in Scotsdale near where Sunday ride will be. She said any weekend but this coming one she would be home. This means another trip to Phoenix.

Back out @ Deer Pass rd camp, there is a pickup parked in main area, settled in and spread out. My spot was open and I took it. After dark another rig pulled in. A darn crowd, One camper ran a generator for awhile.