Thurs AM drove into town to meet Zul for Hangover. We met, his employment called him to a day of driving a Pink Jeep filled w/ tourists around Sedona & up 4X slick rock. His Monday ride will be a doozy.

Plan B, called Janet, Doc’s wife to invite me in on her ride. She is leading the 2 Albuque women: Sandi who just turned 50 and Diane. They left their husbands snowbound. Token guy. Jan lead us on another Sedona ride: technical tight single track. Sandi showed no ill effects from her fall yesterday. Very good riders. First time here.

Janet let me shower.  Headed back to deer pass. Got my place, nobody else here. Sewed up biggest holes in my torn shorts. Dean called, we scheduled another Sat trail build day.

Watched Zags on my computer last night. Got beat.

Called Janet to invite myself on her ride, hoping it was H….e. Sandi returned for her 3rd ride w/ us. Rode Chuck Wagon again. Janet said that this trail is her favorite.

At the TH a woman was looking the back of my van over. She turned to see me and asked if the van was mine and if she could take pictures of it. She owns a sticker making company which printed several of the stickies on the van. Cool.

Bikemag contacted me for a story. A photographer for the mag called me this PM and we scheduled a photo shoot.

1 more day of Flagyl, first beer after 11 days will be Monday. no gurgling belly sounds but still soft stool.

Nights are getting warmer. I start the heater well after dinner and run it on low thru the night. I sleep w/ juts 1 layer of the down blanket. Toasty low 50s when I crawl out. Outside temp is in upper 30s, no more freeze thaw mud.

I counted: 45 days in Sedona on this current visit. I have ridden 29 rides. Missed a bunch of ride days because of rain & wet.

Today the MPH ride went out Dry Creek to a turn around on Mescal Mtn. Bit of exposed slick rock. 11 riders including 2 women from Albuquerque escaping snow. Fast & pretty skillful. One had a fall like I did: stalling, teetering, then falling clipped in downhill. She got a rollover that i did not get. Nothing I could do. Slow motion topple. Younger bodies with stand the stop. It still hurt I am sure. She finished the ride. I followed Doug down 2 rollover drops, he lead and I stayed on his wheel. Previously I might have walked down.

Dave & Rebecca left this AM. Happy Birthday Rebecca.

Back out to desert camp. rented a $1.00 movie from Safeway’s RedBox.

Lining up a ride for tomorrow, hopefully HangOver led by Zul.

I forgot my camera today. Mescal mtn was a kidney bean shaped sandstone massive. The trail was on its lower shoulder on outsloping slick rock. We were above the junipers and pinyon pines, exposed. Amazing traction on rock, however I have been angling into steeper diagonal cautiously. Takes courage and finesse to hold a line on the tire side  knobs.

Still in sunny Sedona, getting to almost 70 under cloudless skies.

Made yesterday a rest day as ride leader Jeff had his kid home from school for holiday.Visited Rama then down to B & B finally to Dave & Rebecca’s for dinner. Visited w/ them into the evening.

Back just hurts.

Today was a last ride w/ Rebecca. I planned getting up onto H…. E trail which is pretty technical. I thought it went off the top of like Made in the Shade, up a wash. Couldn’t find it as we completed the loop. As it was the upper loop had it in for us as I was just flat and Rebecca smacked a rock w/ her knee. Beautiful last day for she and Dave as they head back to Green Bay tomorrow and I will be Where?

One last shower & D & R’s and said our farewells. I valued their company giving me a sense of belonging.

And then back out to desert and my vacant favorite spot.

Stopped @ B & B on way back from our ride. My bike felt squirrely newly haon the pavement. I thought about new wheel. I saw the newly haircutted Gonzo, who built the wheel, outside in the parking lot. I wheeled in, said Hi and spun the rear wheel. It ran free and true. Finally squeezed the tire and it had lost pressure. It was a formerly flatted slime tube. Slime tubes don’t last long if they are not reinflated after flatting. Crazy: Gonzo told me that Mike Conley, owner of North Division Bike back in Spokane visited the shop. Gonzo said during the course of their conversation Mike said he was from Spokane. Gonzo told him about me. So far no sighting of Mike. Different circles.

Drove to Up canyon seeking a single scoop of Butter pecan ice cream in a sugar cone from  the shop that makes their own ice cream. repeat visit. Enjoyable ice cream, to ride hard for. A store displayed the head of a javalina w/ it’s mouth open, 4 sharp like 3 sided incisors threatened damage. Looked @ hats again. Need to return to take pictures.