Camp spot is behind OTE which is at bottom of hill coming into town. Not all the slowing down trucks were quiet but I slept thru.

This AM I hung around shop for a while waiting for day heat then weorked on my bike in nthe sun to install the new Reverb. Success. Chiropractor Dan drove up while I was finishing up. He beat my phone call. Another of my many interesting riding buddies I have.

Next I drove to ST George to ride the Santa Clara trails as the Hurricane Rim trail is still too wet. Santa  Clara trails are more crushed rock than clay and if it was going to be wet trails these would be pretty dry. I parked across the river and just b4 the beat up road climbed to TH. I watched a woman rider climb up a jeep road behind my van. I checked it out and it climbed up to water tank avoiding the nasty road. Cool. From the TH I rode Twister then over to Barrelroll. Only several wet spots.

Really enjoying the seat dropper now that it rises sufficiently fast from just a push with my right thumb on a bar mounted button and the seat goes down if I am sitting or rises if standing. The lower the seat the lower I can sqaut or pedal. Going down I sort of crouch which lowers my center of gravity lessening the lever arm which allows my tires to bite better. I found climbing is sweet also as I can drop the seat just a little and still pedal sitting down which agains lower my COG. This is fun. There is a weight penalty. I sure am not a weight ninnie, this bike is not a race bike.

Caught shower @ Washington rece center.

Bought fresh pistachios outside of Hurricane. This years nuts and they are sooo good. Fresh.

Brief meeting w/ Fixie Dave as he headed out on his fixed gear ride. He has a neat mutton chop beard.

Drove out to upper GEM TH for night. Beautiful sunset on the sand stone. Very pretty. desert.

At the Cortez airport across the road parking lot the same 3 trucks from the first night 3 weeks ago were still there.

Today I drive from Cortez to Hurricane, UT. Presenting a geographical challenge is the CO River gorge: the Big Ditch or Lake Powell. The route went thru the states in the order listed. Crossed @ Page. Past Page snow fell, the wet splatter flakes that made slush on the hwy. The whole way the wind blew form the SW except in the road cuts where it appeared to be a reverse direction. Not a white knuckle drive but one that kept the upper body stimulated.

Highway goes thru Colorado City & Hilldale, FLDS communities where cruel and unusual punishment occurs when a husband has more than one mother in law if you know what i mean.

Gooseberry Mesa appears to be snow free but the road in needs to dry out. Little Creek a bit higher might be snowed under. I checked out the upper GEM TH where I stayed so many nights last year. Graveled road back in was damp but appeared to be firm enough to drive on. However, the clouds downwind looked like maybe they would be dropping snow. Plan B is to drop down into Hurricane and sleep in vacant lot behind the Hurricane Over the Edge sports store (OTE).

The store was open. I walked in w/ a big smile and greeted DJ, wife of wife/ husband, Quentin,  team who own the store.  She gave me a hug. Quentin arrived later to equal warmth. Eddie, their border collie picked up where we left off last year w/ a belly rub and letting go much hair. I helped them while they attended to new merchandise arrangement in their tiny store.  Quentin says he rode a bike that is better than his DW Spot, a full suspension Surly. I am not the rider he is to get the benefit he noticed.

So I am camped behind OTE. Quentin called the property owner and asked for permission from the property owner which he gave. Rained earlier here.

Remember that I spent 7 weeks here last year recovering from my lacerated kidney from a fall on Little Creek. I will be here this time because I want to be. That is until the winter conditions drive me south. Going to connect w/ riders I rode with last year. A local store sells locally grown pistachio nuts that are so fresh, I have so looking forward to eating some.

Hurkin feels good. Returning to a place where I spent some time and got comfortable.

Yesterday turned out to be a rest day as UPS delivered the fork part late afternoon but bike shop wanted a more skilled wrench to install it which meant repair first thing on Sat AM.

I did my wash. 2 laundromats across the street from each other. Amazing number of machines that are broken. But then there was a brand new laundromat in Moab.

Walked Main st in late afternoon just looking. Old buildngs from late 1880s. Stopped for a beer @ Old Thymers. Pat came over and introduced himself to me as he saw my van on the streets but identified me @ the bar.

Back out to Junction cr XG. Temp just @ freezing.

Today wrench starts @ 9:30 to install fork part, finished @ 10:00.

I put my bike on my van and was getting ready to leave when my phone rang. Jim identified himself saying he read my blog and read that i am in Durango and so is he and he & his gang are going to ride Phil’s World @ Cortez, and so am I. He told me 12:00 meet time. I was there. 5 guys all buds. We rode out and sorted out speed and ability positions. Jim smoked everybody. Another fun ride on Phil’s. Overcast skies & chilly temp.

Afterwards we adjourned to Main st brewery. I chatted for awhile then split for Rec center for shower. The drove out to airport for sleep.

Plan tomorrow is to drive to Hurricane via Page giving up on Thunder mtn as snow has prolly fallen. Going thru polygamist land.

Forecast is for snow during the weekend, snow level @7,000′.