Back @ Beaverhead flats in my van w/ the heater on and warmed so much by being back among warm friends.
Last night I heard coyotes communicating last night like never in all the years of listening to coyotes. Moon came up. Woke up today to incredibly blue clear skies. Wow, seeing the sun after 8 days of gloom and rain to see the what is expected and taken for granted that it will be blue cloudless sky. So great.
Drove up canyon stopping @ FS ranger station to buy the Red Rock annual parking pass. Legal and doing what is required. Conversed w/ a volunteer information man that got into the social trails here in Sedona and that the hikers, which he is, enjoy them and support them being made legal. Positive vibe for supporting the mtn bike built trails, the sustainable ones which is what i ride.
Stopped @ IGA just down canyon from B & B. Remet Kent who rode w/ me back last spring at the Spring Fling. I just saw a mountain biker in a parking lot beside a VW Vanagon and I waved. As I drew abreast i saw his bike was a Turner so i waved w/ more emphasis. I parked then walked over to him and he remembered me. Me ? duh. I saw Gonzo in the store I called his name, he said he could not forget that voice. Gonzo works @ B nB, he built my rear wheel. Gonzo got his wrenching start from Scott’s shop back in Indy. I met and rode w/ Scott many weekends back in winter of ’09 back in the Pisgah. I visited Scott @ his shop in Indy and did the night ride back in June this year. Cool.
Next was BnB for Tony & Chewie. Chewie built this bike up. Tony allowed me to ship stuff to store by UPS only it had to go the day received because he had no storage space. Do I remember sleeping w/ my new frame because not all the parts had arrived? Oh so wonderful. A ride might happen @ 3:00.
Next was only laundromat in Oak Creek Canyon and reconnected w/ George the owner. Cool. chatted w/ him while the machines worked.
Visited Mtn Bike Heaven in Sedona, caught NOD for catch up. Dangerous Dave walked in later. Ride tomorrow @ 10:30. Getting back in the swing of Sedona.
Back @ BnB well past projected ride start time Chewie lead me and Adrian a rookie rider out from the shop. Ah, back on Sedona trails. It is just so good riding here, for me so much technical that I still walk. Richard caught up w/ us.They are very good riders and watching them ride was special. I rode features I walked previously. First ride, I am making the reflex and relearning moves. Sedona is all technical.
Back @ BnB. We joined others there and commenced just enjoying our company. Oh, beer, rum, & finally a sipping bottomless bottle of Glenmorrangie lubricated me. Jimmie, the owner, says he gets off on riders that they meet @ the shop prior to ride, ride, and then hang @ the shop after the ride sharing their experience. He needed to attend to business so he couldn’t join us as intended.
I mentioned this to Quentin @ Hurricane that he meets mtn bike persona because of his shop location right @ Gooseberry. I do traveling and meeting some of the same people in their home environment. Jimmie has the same thing @ Sedona.
I learned that the gang from Shenandoah Bicycle in Harrisonburg, VA will be out in Jan. More riders trek to Sedona to ride during the winter. I might meet people I met elsewhere here where I am more of a local to their touron, vice versa when I met them. Oh most are better riders but I live here, they are just visiting.
I will pick a place that I like to ride the most, I will say Sedona. The trails are just all technical, I challenge myself to ride up to my ability by making some better moves during this ride. Confidence. Today we rode up Slim Shady wash w/ standing h2o, stepups on slick rock. Courage I need. I do ride enough stuff to keep me smiling enjoying these trails. I have red mud on my bike.
Great real bagels in Sedona. No Laphroaig Cask Condition Scotch in town. Just the regular will be my gift to myself. I have asked Santa for a Rock shox Monarch PUSH tuned shock. He told me the 25th doesn’t look good but Jan 1 is a new year and hey, wish away.
XM radio and listening to Bruce Springsteen channel. It’s almost 11:00. I bought a junk piece of Christmas light necklace w/ red & green lights. I turned it own for the mood.
Off to bed w/ dreams of another day being here.
Too late to make pictures work.