Left Beaverhead flats early to make car service appointment. Van faltered up the hills. made the shop. The front brake rotors were replaced. The wrench took it for a test drive. He experienced the same events. He poured over the schematics and identified a intake box that might have a crack in it. It is flexible and he thinks that the faltering comes from the box expanding and contracting. Plus he has seen this effect on 5 other Sprinters he has worked on. He ordered the part and I have an install appointment on Fri. Back in March when the same garage changed the oil & filter they also changed the fuel filter. They didn’t say anything about the air filter. I will ask about that.

That done I drove over to MBH for a solo ride, to be my first real ride in 9 weeks. Before leaving I installed my new PUSH custom tuned Rock Shox Monarch shock. I rode a familiar route for tech familiarity. My heart rate was very high and my breathing gasping. I worked on spinning and riding slower but my heart told a different story. Shock is suburb. I picked some loose rocky lines and pedaled over them on uphills. The shock allows the rear wheel to smear on the rocks. I am happy for almost $400.

Tomorrow marks the 1000th day on my mtn biking the states odyssey. Dave Turner, owner of Turner Bicycles, maker of my Spot sent me an email congratulating me. My sister Lynn called tonight and wished me well.

One thousand days of doing what I want for the most part. Several days I was under hospital care lessening my choices. Ridden my bike in all 48 states. Met quite a lot of folks, made some friends, learned much, shared a bit. No exit plan planned; suppose my body will be the item to blow the whistle.

Tomorrow I ride w/ Mountain Bike Heaven (MBH) shop ride. Always good for learning new trails.

The little bit of snow that fell Sat night melted right now. Drove into town passed MBH where not a car was in the lot meaning that the trails were too wet. I continued down to BnB for usual banter and goofing time. Decided to repeat the last big road ride loop. Need to keep building back the base and subject the body to some stress. Today the hills seemed harder yet i reached the high school the fastest time to date. The cillia in my lungs are working up phlegm. I felt I was experiencing shortness of breath which is an indication of a PE. Need to have health evaluated.

Slept w/ heater on.

My van’s engine is getting short of breath like me in that it is faltering on the hills. The turbo boost cuts in & out or not at all. Stopped @ Red rock precision where I have an appointment tomorrow to replace the front brake rotors and informed them of my new issue and if possible to swap fixing this for a later brake job. Said I can have both. This was my first task.

Turned back out of town to emergency clinic. Barb, one of the nurses greeted me calling me the bicycle man. She remembered me from past visits although she never treated me. Got a new id band,  an IV plumbing piece inserted into a left forearm vein, chest Xrays, and a urinalysis. DR Dean who saw me last year after my knockout fall diagnosed bronchitis prescribing an antibiotic and steroid. Blood pressure 136/71, for me a bit high but w/ 57 beats / min pulse. Concern was another PE. DR told me even if I did the treatment would be the same as my present coumadin diet. No CT was ordered. 14 days of antibiotics. Sun I visited the spa for a shower and a sauna. The dry heat dried up the phlegm and lasted until this AM.

Stopped @ Fat tire to visit w/ Dave. He said that the Reverb seat dropper hydraulic hose is being warranty replaced as the wrong material was used fro the factory. We negotiated an appointment for wed.

Spokane folks are arriving this weekend. I am driving up canyon to USFS Cave Springs XG to grsb a camp spot for them as the reserved sites were taken. Need to spend Fri night there. Tom & Kelle will arrive Sat night. They will have their assured camp spot.

Drove the 7 miles from uptown Sedona down to BnB. Drive is scenic w/ red rock formations. Traffic flow is aided by rotaries @ major intersections. Getting well versed in slaloming my van.

Picked up my new warrantied Specialized shoes at the Absolute bike store in VOC.

Drove out to Beaverhead flats. The van had problems pulling the steep hill. somebody is in my first choice spot. A later arriver car pulled in nearby and set up camp. Jason and his fiancee are from Jackson and are on a 2 month mtn bike road trip. Jason came over and introduced himself. I offered to lead him on a ride of the good stuff if he calls me.

Tomorrow is van work and a west Sedona ride.
I put up this thread on MTBR.Com asking for rides. The comments back vary from condemnation to support. Several repliers wrote they have been reading my blog for years. Cool. My post title was “My life is better than your vacation”.  I did it as a goof based in reality. 2,000 plus visits.  Thanks to you guys who saw thru it and offered comments of support.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=7935365

Forecast last night was for snow after rain. Sometime during the night I heard the rain on the roof. (Again, the bike is covered ahead) fell back to sleep. About day break I looked out the windshield and perceived about 4″ of snow stacked on the windshield. That explains why night sounds were quiet after the rain.  Wet snow fell while I rigged for travel. I figured  exiting the campspot and the desert dirt road would be drive-able as in not soft and sticky. It was so. I had so much snow on my solar panel that sun energy could not penetrate. Also, the melting snow found a leak around the sky light. I discovered that cold wet spot on the second bare foot step from my bed. Long walk from the head of my bed to the dinning room / living room / study / driver’s seat; just under 12 feet.  Go to your room.

March’s departure left an April lion in this snow storm. I drove into uptown Sedona to meet Danny for traditional bfast @ Wildflower. The traffic squished away the melting snow. Snow, and lots of it. After bfast I drove down to BnB for usual banter. Trails are way to wet to ride. Crowd was collection of regulars. Jimmy found the Yanks / Boston baseball game then shared it w/ us on the big screen. Still snowing.

Drove back to west sedona. I donated the sleeping bag I used several times while sleeping on the floor b4 camping @ Danny’s. Bought 6 pack of New Belgium 1554 beer.  Then drove back out to Deer pass rd where I have been staying while uptown.  The road in showed muddy boggy spots that weren’t there on the way out and i avoided on the way back in. All the fallen snow is melted leaving the ground looking damp. Probably too wet to support a car. Scored same place as last night. Damn van is just holding my preferred spot. Shortly b4 sundown another snow squall blew in dumping grauppel. Temp is 36 outside. Have the heat on inside, nice and comfy.

Suspect the trails will be too wet to ride tomorrow under clear skies, temp mid 50s.

New issue of Bike has a multipage story w/ pics taken by Anne from Hot Tomato pizza in Fruita. She scored on her effort. Funny, the mag itself named hers and Jans restaurant the official pizza house. Haven’t thought about travel plans to know if I might visit them