Cold nights & frigid mornings last 2 days. Was 16 degrees @ 7:30 this AM. Heater keeping things comfortable. Water vapor freezes on inside of windshield. Amount of ice build up gives an idea as to how cold it has been.

Sat. I drove from here down to conventional starting point for the Hurricane Rim trail which is on a bluff overlooking the town. Starts out 2 track up steep gravel road before dropping off onto Goulds rim and real single track. I recognized the spots where I might fall, and i walked those 4 places. I rode well with a touch of not right on. Worked it pretty good w/ a high heart rate, got to be caused by lack of riding. Nice clear chilly day. It was 35 when I finished the 20.87 mile, 2 hour 42 min ride climbing 2130′ feet. Sweet trail system, joy to ride.

Drove into town for 3:00 Zag game. Checked out local sports bar for ESPN2 reception. She said yes and I plopped myself close to the big screen TV several feet over my head. Have to buy food. Ate French fries w/ a wrap sandwich and 2 beers, 1 per half. Zags lost.

Spent night back @ Jem TH.

This Am i felt my pulse which i suspected might be high because of riding past 3 days. Counting was difficult because of low BP. My plan became an easy day. Forecast is for snow next several days making today the last god day for awhile.  I rode the Jem down, 7 miles of great trail. This trail was selected as 1 of the best 33 trails in NA by BikeMag as a tight & twisty, right up there w/ Deadman’s Gulch @ Crested Butte. I jumped on Shep Bridge road for the ride back up planning on taking the spur road that would bring me back to desert road to van. I missed the turnoff and ended up riding Sheep Bridge almost to the highway and then finished it off w/ part of the JEM backwards. Beautiful day. I enjoy this kind of desert.

Clouds moved in from NW onto mtns to the West. Looked like snow. Peaks thwarted snow advance into valley.

Forecast calls for snow during the week. I will stay here until a snow free window opens. Mon & Mon night are calling for 5 to 9″ of snow here. I am on a quasi improved dirt road about 300 yards off highway. I will learn what this road will be like if it snows. I have food, h2o, & propane to last for several days.

Rib pain is all but gone. Not peeing blood which is good.

Buds back @ Spokane have been enjoying early skiing @ 49. Frequently a story will spring from one of the Lopper’s computers. Tell pretty good tales. I am still holding for chilly dry skies & bike riding to cold, snow skiing. This for another year.

Slept w/o heat last night @ crowded deer pass camp area. Why I remember back in rainy Jan I was the only rig there. Fair weatherers and one of then has my spot.

Plan is to go into town. Greet the MBH riders letting them know that rumors of my departure are greatly exaggerated. Dis wash. Picked up Golytley brew. Drove to TH where I fell and hiked the short distance uphill. I think I made the first roll over. The second one was about 20″. The line I chose really lacked a roll out. The surfaces were 90 degs to each other. I should have been able to roll it. It seems that I stuffed the front wheel and either the front stayed straight and I was thrown over the bars a la superman, or, the handlebar and wheel turned  under me slamming me into the rocks. Below these roll overs the trail added dirt. I wasn’t dusty so it had to have been the second roll over as described. Shouldn’t have happened.

Hung @ B & B for awhile than headed out to Beaverhead flats camp

Tomorrow is apple juice. Cleansetails served @ 4:00 until 4 liters are downed. Drive down to Scottsdale to motel.

Left side ribs hurt to breathe deeply. Xrays showed solid bones. Sleeping on my stomach is my most restful position. Last night I rolled face down for sheer enjoyment of the comfort but rolled away during sleep because of injury pain pressure.

So much has happened since I arrived in Augusta such that I have prolly lost chronological order. Met new people, remet several people I met along my travels, rode FATS 3x & going back for the fourth. I plan on updating this posting to recapture what i remember.

Today is a work day for all the others, or at least I have controlled the distractions to my time to catch up. Did some grocery shopping and doing my wash here in I think of Evans, GA Going back to FATS for a solo ride to learn navigation and ride all 4 loops turning right @ each intersection.

Wed afternoon arrived in Augusta in heat & dripping humidity. Host site is Marriot right on Savavnah river bank. parked in lot beside a Sprotsmobile Sprinter conversion. Later learned it is owned by Nat & Rachael Lopes who were part of IMBA trail crew care crew that shared their expertise in Spokane back when I was active w/ bike club. Up @ registration I was mingling w/ all these mtrs & government officials. Suddenly i was smoothered in a warm hug by Liz Victor, Bill’s wife. Warm greeting. Made eye contact w/ a guy that I couldn’t place and he likewise. he stuck out his stare and asked me if I was the guy in the mag article that he read about on his plane flight. I said Yes. We intorducded ourselves. Liz came back and started taling to both of us as if she knew the other guy. She realized that I did not know that Tony, the new guy, is a friend of theirs and will be staying @ their house along w/ me.  Stellar. Tony has a trail building company in Salida, CO. I told him I had ben there. i asked him if he knew Mark & Brenda. He said Mark is his webmaster as Mark is to me.

Chatted w/ Tim from Huntsville, AL who is responsible for trails at Monte Sano. Rick Moon from Dalton and the Rickettes. Rob from Ocola, FL is a friend of Bill’s. I rode w/ him @ Santos. Lunch was provided. One day i picked an empty seat at a table, sat down and stuck out my shaking hand to the guy on my left and introduced myself as if I were attending an AA meeting. Turned out he is Lou, editor of MountainBiking mag, next to him was Joe, owner of BikeMag, and to the right 2 people away was Maurice owner of DirtRag.

Night life on downtown mainstreets

Finishing laundry, drive back to FATS talk to Grace via cell phone. More later.

Monday:

Rode FATS. Bill told me that if I left the parking lot and turned right @ each intersection i would make my way back to aprking lot. That was my ride today: 2440 miles in 2 hrs 30 mins of good pedaling, 2050′ climbed in flat South Carolina and burned 3729 cals. Encountered 1 rider in almost a head on crash. Trail is closed if potential of too wet for good stewardship. Wet trails when ridden on mars the trail. This trail is so smooth. FATS is in my love affair.

Shared fresh strawberries & whipped cream w/ Bill & family. Spent night in driveway. Hard to leave great people I have met along the way.