Slept in a bit this AM thanks to being off the steroids. Today I plan on driving down to BnB to ride. Pulled into parking lot and ran into a group of riders getting ready to go. Got invited to go w/ them. Grant and his wife are down from SLC, he works for Boeing. He kept telling me Boeing is short of MEs. I laid in bed last night and thought about going back to work @ Boeing. Could I do it and more importantly, WHY? I told him if I decided to go back he could count his trip as a business expense for recruiting Contract work for 6 months, he said job would be in Seattle. I was excited b4 because I assumed the job would be SLC. What a gig: work during the winter and ski. No, wait, that skiing would be after work. Today I have all day but no $ to ski. I like having my time to myself.

Riders along were Bruce from PEI, CA, who met me last year somewhere, and Sandy who rode last year. She fell on a step up on Mescal that I watched. She fell over backwards downhill yet escaped unscathed. I think of her fall each time I attempt to ride that spot.

There is still left over food from the Sat night party @ BnB. Had another fajita burrito for lunch.

Made a neurologist appointment for 5/6 in Flag for my tingling feet.

Showered @ spa.

Drove out to Deer pass rd camp. Ed in the pusher diesel left after being here for several months. Very windy. Worked on some things outside when I noticed small black flying insects on my skin. Think they are the dreaded cedar gnats. I squished several and saw some of my blood. Tomorrow will tell if there are sores at the bite sites. Stretched the netting across the door and window. They don’t fit 100%, I considered them just deterrents.

High BP with low pulse in AM. After ride it was high pulse and low BP. Something is out of whack inside my body.

My new one size larger Specialized shoes are too big as my foot just swims around but at least my toe does not touch the front. I stopped @ Specialized shop, Absolute Bikes and asked for help getting back to the smaller size.

Woke up, crawled out of bed, fixed a cup of coffee then drove to Wildflower for bfast w/ Danny. Parked @

Dave’s shop hoping that my bike would be first to fix this AM. Went back to his shop after bfast. Dave was great in that he got on my bike first thing. I broke off the metal fitting that joins the hydraulic hose and the seat post. I gave him my seldom used Camelback MULE as a gift to use for his good will.

At festival I drove my van into the exhibition area. I was plugged in the web site for events for the festival. It was a meet and greet but nobody greeted me. Hung around ready to ride but not finding a group to join or lead. Traildoc drove his short body sprinter pulling a 9 bike trailer into the site. Someone hatched a ride of Chuckwagon, like I have been riding lately. John drove us out to dry creek rd the and dumped us off. 9 of us, 3 were local, other 6 were tourons. One, Grant, works for Boeing in SLC. We shared boeing experiences. Diverse group, lost 1st touron very shortly to lack of fitness. Jeff guided him back and I took over the lead. Previously I printed a TOPO gps track of rides I had done in the area which was used once we shortened our ride. I got ’em back. Turner bikes had a demo booth. I did not ride  a bike.

Dashed off to spa for shower to make party down in VOC @ 4. Hustled arriving after 4 yet being the first arrival. Jeff, one of the 3 owners of the Red Agave, flew in for the party which he created. Others joined later, almost everyone is a mtn biker and I knew most of them. OK, small crowd maybe 30(?). Beer & fajita bar.  A cake completed the dinner. It was decorated by an edible picture of my Bike mag centerfold picture. I displayed my map that provided a visual image of my rides. Several people asked about their home state rides. Cool. Where did you ride in Delaware? Michigan? Other than family birthday parties I remember my ex- wife throwing a birthday party for me once, before I celebrated on a solo week long backpack trips. Last night the focus was me. I remained sober and responsive to peoples’ comments and questions.

Well after dark I drove out to beaverhead flats and scored my favorite spot.

My shoulder is hurting from pushups and wrestling my bike around on the tech stuff. Hurt last night and was still sore this AM. I decided to rest it today. My tingling feet are really worrisome. I ahve a nuerologist number to call on Mon.

Brief visit to BnB. Scott attended the party and took many pictures. Today he greeted me w/ let the photo shopping begin. Drove up to festival to hang. Nobody wanted to visit w/ me. I continued a conversation w/ several USFS recreation dept employees. They are very much aware of proper trail construction. Evey Friday they coach volunteers performing trail work. They have constraints placed upon them for trail rerouting. Their effort appears to be dealing w/ fall line trail pieces. They can only reroute a trail 30 feet from trail center line. Fall line trails were created years ago. Kevin is a new rec guy.

Finally drove out to Deer pass. Very windy, forecast winds in the 20s gusts into the 30s . Hung inside.

Started researching rides in NM and planning a schedule. Newness and some of the same: Gallup, Los Alamos (new), Aztec (new) Santa Fe (old).  Figure next hang spot is Durango.

Shoulder really cracks & pops. Night temps are just cool enough to continue using my down blanket. I like sleeping under a down layer.

Yesterday I dashed early from Deer pass rd camp to be in cottonwood for my 8:00 AM fridge service. Pulled in just b4 8. Shortly  I was greeted by I believe is the owner. He had a wrench on my fridge just after 8. Pulled the burner and blew it out, reinstalled, lit it off and the temp dropped where it should be. Fixed. Impressed w/ his prompt service. Now I can buy more refrigerated food.

Randy called me to say the Spokane folks were meeting @ Dry Creek TH and where was I.  I found them and we geared up for a ride. Randy and Lisa went their separate ride while Paul Tom & Kelly and I rode off on Chuckwagon, Mescal, Canyon of Fools, new trail Aeires, cockscomb, finishing on Girdner.  Showed them another ride. No injuries on our ride. Back @ the TH we were debriefing our ride lubricated by a beer when Randy & Lisa showed up. Randy won the prize for the wound that actually required medical attention. His front wheel dropped off the trail. He stopped on his right forearm to tune of 11 stitches @ Instant Care in town. I stopped by to introduce him to Amy, an Xray tech, who is a rider in the BnB crowd. The others went to george’s laundromat, I chose to get a shower instead of introducing them. I joined them for ice cream later.

Jan called to make an afternoon date for pics for her mag article. I bid the SPokane folks see you in September. Posing for pics is a mental effort to respond to the photographer’s requests.

Finished up @ BnB carrying on w/ buds enjoying tequila and beer. Lee from Telluride arrived late in afternoon for a ride. She received directions and headed out. I left the shop @ 7:30, it was pitch black and her car was still in the parking lot. This isn’t good. I put a note under her windshield wiper telling her I was @ PJs for dinner. Shortly after I got there she arrived. Whew. How to find a rider after dark.

Spent night @ Beaverhead flats. Van works I suppose like it should and pulled the hill like a champ. Arrived well after dark and scored my ridge spot.

This Am after bfast Jan arrived to take more pics of me in the desert. She is creative. Finished pics and headed into VOC.

Stopped @ BnB for short while. Place is really slammed w/ bike rentals.

Stopped @ DR office because I am just not feeling right. Perhaps the meds I am taking, I am thinking something bigger. My feet still tingle. The office called back w/ neurologist referral. Have a Wed chiro appointment, perhaps some nerves are pinched. Holding out for that solution.

Picked up my batch of stickies from printer. Cost $1.22 a piece. Need to sell them to recover the cost. Branding myself.

Stopped @ Dave’s to pay my bill. He gave me the Bro deal and saved me $.

Headed out to Deer pass rd camp. Plan is to solvent clean, wash w/ warm soapy H2o, rinse several times then let air dry the  new chain of stock lube in preparation of Squirt lube. The metal needs to be stripped of chemicals for it to “soak” into the metal chain. Used my modified bike stand. Going good until I noticed that I pulled the hydraulic line off the seat post dropper. I called Dave leaving a message asking for emergency help early tomorrow b4 the Sedona Mtn bike Festival. Otherwise it is back to my old fixed length post.

Tomorrow is Sedona’s mtn bike festival during the day then @ 4:00 my party starts @ Red Agave.

Skies are a bit hazy. 25% humidity.Temp in upper 70s. Breezy.

Since I started really riding in the dirt I have lost 4 lbs. Been doing situps in the morning on my bed. Stomach working its way to a 6 pack if I really grunt.

On yesterday’s ride I got nipple whipped from a scrub oak branch. It fucking hurt and stayed smarting for hours later.