Whappiti Woolens ski hat for the head sticking out from under the doubled over down blanket. Heater on high. Towards 8 I looked out @ ice crusted inside of windshield from h2o vapor from heater. 13 degrees outside and 43 inside. At back of van I could see my breath. The sun warmed the windshield melting the ice. Too cold to ride and will be too wet when it is sort of warm to ride.
Plan to day is to hike trails near BnB to make gps waypoints at several key trail junctions. By mid AM the sun had melted some of freeze making the trails surface soft and slippery. Found trail junctions. Part of trail is new trail, called Transect that we rode and I hike a biked a lot of it several days ago. Its nasty tough in how it clings to the mountain side. The builder did a nice job staying almost @ a constant contour except for when terrain required routing into & out of a gully. Don’t know when a gully becomes a wash.
Yesterday AM was in 20s here and warmed to mid 30s when i left for town. I am camped @ 4000′. The road drops off this bench to intersection w/ hwy heading up canyon @ 3761′ was 23 degrees. I am in warm spot sun warmed above cold air conduit of Dry Beaver creek.
Drove up to BnB for planned early AM ride which fell apart because it was very cold. Just b4 noon the mood changed to I need to ride. The ride is on, dress warmly. I wore wool long underwear top, long sleeve jersey and wind shell, my heaviest riding gloves, an insulated helmet hat, & insulated over boots. We pedaled away from shade of shop into sun light and felt better riding on pavement for 100′. We rolled onto dirt that even in the shade had started melting. We hit the full on trail and rode onto running rust colored h2o from freeze thaw. We made about 300′ b4 we decided that this ride is over And headed back to BnB. I changed clothes @ my van then drove up canyon to Sedona to buy propane & do my laundry. Word was Sedona got several inches of snow. If that much fell it disappeared very fast. Then back to BnB.
BnB closed early because of trail conditions only sometimes it is hard to tell if the shop is actually closed. I am a hanger on, maybe like a shop cat that gets some attention and treats. Tonight it was sipping tequila shared w/ several of shop and friends. Fun people and I am welcomed.
Gonzaga plays Oklahoma @ 8:00 on ESPN2. I checked out PJs, a pub and grill near BnB to learn if they would turn on a TV to the game. Score. Yes. I drove down to PJs over an hour early to score a seat. Place never packed out while I watched the game. Zags played some smash mouth ball and won. Coach Few won his 300th game, his won percentage is in top 3 of active coaches. 2 beers here pacing myself.
Drove down to Beaverhead flats where I have been staying. Just b4 arriving @ my camp spot I spotted the white Sprinter w/ WA plates parked there. Rats. I needed to find another level spot out in a mish mash of social roads lit only by headlamps. Found a spot that worked for the night. I added more scratches on the right side of the van. The juniper and cedar branches are not soft and bending like Ppine.
Tomorrow I will try MBH shop ride in AM, perhaps Rhama can find not so muddy trails. Jimmy @ BnB is going out @ 3 beleiving as the heat of the day goes away that the ground will freeze turning mud into traction. Going to do a 2 ride day perhaps.
Forecast till Wed is still for below freezing temps but warming up showing promise. Better weather is ahead.