Yesterday was a rainy day and the temps dropped as the afternoon wore on. Too wet to ride. Hung @ BnB for awhile then drove back to Beaverhead Flats. I listened to rain on the roof, the quite of wet snow flakes, then pings of grappel. I’m snug inside. Wind came up during night. After sun came up I watched squalls of snow come in, hit me, and then leave clear skies.

Today is another no ride day because of previous rain and falling wet snow. Windy and cold added to the decision. Today is to learn if i still have Hilton spa shower privileges. I carried with me the MBA mag w/ 1 page article into spa and shared it with P… . Yes, he remembers me and extended the courtesy. He spoke my name when i left. Publicity does open doors.

Hung @ BnB where there was some talk, both little and big about riding mid afternoon. I left before decision time.

Sedona is 4500′. BnB is in Village of Oak Creek which is down lower in the canyon. I am camped @ 4000′. I went for an afternoon walk out here @ Beaverhead. Several snow squalls hit me face on as I walked up the road back to camp. Its 7:17PM and it is 26  degrees. The heater is on high. Occasional wind gusts rock my van. Snug as a bug in a rug.

Forecast for tomorrow is less precip but w/ below freezing temps @ night for foreseeable forecast. Ride early in cold day b4 ground thaws.

New Years eve celebration so far will be camped somewhere. Zags play that I might watch early in evening. I want to be off the roads early. Will attempt to ride a cold ride earlier.

Cold temps will slow the rain runoff. Still too high to cross @ Red Rock Crossing. Dry Beaver creek out near where I am has been dropping.

Monday was a rest day allowing my legs to literally loosen up as they cramped last night sleeping. Drove to PO to pick up my sister Lise’s cookie package. She said to let you all know she’s looking. Cookies and our mother’s fudge recipe. Much of the goodies went straight to my hips. Bought propane where I bought last winter. Mark is still there and was tickled to see me again. he’s a rider so we exchanged a few stories.

Drove out to Deer Pass rd for night. Went for a desert hike just b4 sundown amid the basalt chunks and patches of prickly pear. Saw several jack rabbits which seem to be all legs and ears.

My practice out here in dispersed camping is to keep to myself and everybody else seems to do the same, I was just finishing up brushing my teeth after 10:00 when I hear a bag on the side of my van. I peer between the curtains and see a rig w/ lights on, door open, engine running w/ a light bar onto. Its the fuzz. I open the door and am greeted by a USFS law enforcement officer. he calls me by name and sticks out his hand. It’s Mike whom I met back summer of ’09 out @ Beaverhead flats, the gay pick up spot. He remembered me from that visit. He is an avid rider. He had seen my van in town for several days and just happened to find me out @ Deer Pass. He was checking up on high school kids drinking party. I Invited him in out of the cold and we visited till after midnight. I learned the law side of the social trails which is positive.

Chilly night, I pulled on a cap and doubled up the down blanket and hunkered down.

Today Jimmy @ BnB is leading a ride in the afternoon. Drove down to VOC for ride. The Tomato Girls Jan and Anne joined as did Scott, and Richard. We rode a new trail to Highline getting more of a traverse. My riding needs refinement as I walk more this time than I did last visit. Hard riding for me but Jimmy & Richard just get ‘er done. Our ride went out to drop off into Baldwin and then retraced our tracks to pick up a new trail that winds around a mountain to drop down to verde valley rd. Lots of sharp turns juking in & out of gullies, some too short for wheel base of bikes. I made a move and then stuffed my front wheel on a loose rock that stalled me sending me & bike off the downhill edge of the trail. First flesh wound of this visit on left forearm. I am using new Time pedals that I have to release at easiest tension except the left foot takes considerably more lateral twist of my foot to release. Much of these trails are tight against a rock face w/ air on the other side. Toppling uphill on my left side w/ difficult pedal sometimes traps my foot and I have troubles getting free of my bike.

I am a better rider than I let myself be. I tell myself I need courage. On today’s ride Scott heard me talking about courage. He searched among all the rocks we were in and found one and called it “courage” and gave it to me. I put it in my green handlebar bag. I felt a tinge of its magic several times. It’s like the Cowardly Lion in Wizard of Oz when the lion confesses his lack of courage in spite of acting courageous in face of danger which is really courage. The wizard gave him something to drink. Maybe I should modify his source of courage to something I inhale. In the movie version the lion was given a medal labeled “courage”. Scott gave me a rock and called it “courage”.

right click on pic, open in new window, right click chose make bigger.

Hung @ BnB after ride. Fun place. Shower & Jim & Jan’s then back to Beaverhead.

Forecast is calling for snow Wed night into Thurs w/ night time temps below freezing. If weather performs the riding will be wet & muddy for several days, or no riding @ all.

Ah, Christmas morning. No stockings to fill or hang, just needed to be up canyon to MBH for 10:30 shop ride. Chatted w/ Dad for awhile then left for ride. Takes 20 mins plus from Beaverhead S of Village of Oak Creek (VOC) to MBH is west Sedona.

Good turn out ofr ride, 20 riders give or take a few. Connected w/ riders I had ridden w/. Beautiful day shirtsleeves on some social trails and systems trails I upped my confidence 10 degrees. Bird Cage trail named after an old bird cage was found while building the trail, cage is gone but name remains. Rode up several washes. Just a normal MBH ride. Rhama invited me to his house afterwards where I asked for a shower. NOD (Narly Old Dude 67 yo) rode w/ us.

Left Rhama’s and drove out towards Cottonwood to Deer Pass rd where I stayed a bunch last year. Scored my pack rat spot. Went for a short hike b4 dark up the hill above my camp. Tree cover is cedar and patches of like pale lemon lime colored prickly pear. Rock cover is basalt.

Great sleep after bike ride and clean body snuggled down in warn flannel sheets.

Sunday is regular MBH shop ride. 20 plus riders showed. Changed over to new Time pedals from Shimano. Test ride to compare performances of 2. Time’s win as in easier to get in & out of and certainly for mud clearance. Rode new trail Special Ed out from behind the high school. Need leg armor for cactus protection for sloppy riding. Today the sky was overcast and it was chilly. Our group scared a horse causing its rider to fall off. We were on mtn bike built trail which are sketchy and not necessarily made w/ good sight lines. The second rider seated her horse.

Drove down to BnB for giggles. The guys there goof on each other in good way. Same guys. Jen and Anne from Hot Tomato in Fruita dropped in and greeted me.

Rented 2 dvds @ only video rental store I can find. Stores are rare these days.

Back out @ Beaverhead Flats. Forecast is for snow later in the week. Might have to ride tomorrow to enjoy the conditions b4 they get worse for several days. Tuesday Jimmy of BnB rides which will be killer w/ small skilled group w/ me walking.

Dave and Rebecca from Green Bay are not able to visit this year. Darn. Hurricane and Fruita OTE folks will be here early Jan., SBC will be here end of Jan.