Need to ride today come snow or sunshine. Woke hungry & no XM reception. Been doing core exercises on my bed. Sunshine broke over the ridge that soon clouded over. Forecast was for 20% showers. I’m riding! Joe picked another day. I loaded Sunday’s ride back into my edge and followed the small screen to keep me on the previously ridden ride. Out here there are numerous side trails to add to confusion. I chose to let the gps tell me which intersection to take. This saved my bacon several times. I rode by myself and saw only 2 USFS guys enjoying their lunch.

As I was checking out my bike I spun the rear wheel which spun several revolutions then abruptly stopped. Pulled the wheel from the frame and checked the hub. It spun freely. Shit, I saw 2 of the 6 bolts holding the rotor on were backed out and the remaining 4 were loose. Shouldn’t be. Tightened them down and put the wheel back in the frame and gave it a spin. Fixed. I booked a spot in a Better Ride clinic in Bend for July. I have been receiving emails w/ riding tips from the school. Last night I learned that my brake levers were too far down, I set them up like my dirt bike of yore: angled down because when i stood up and used the levers my wrists were in a straight line. The tip sheet said to raise the levers till just about parallel and out to the bar ends. This puts the brake levers in better position to control downhill speed. Hook an index finger on the crook of the brake lever. Better stopping power.

Headed out by myself following the map on the gps. I worked controlling my breathing. I get out of breath so quickly perhaps because I over ride my breathing, if I would slow down on the climbs and let the spinning carry me to the top life would be better. I over ride. I blew up several times and stopped to litterally catch my breath. I rode the same ride as Sunday w/ Joe but todady I set my own pace. My overall time was 5 mins slower but overall 30 mins faster because on Sun we stopped more. Trick is to breathe in thru the nose for count of 4, hold breath for 4, exhale thru mouth for 4 then repeat.

Got back to van and caught a weak snow shower.

Today is a shower and pick up my new shoes. Absolute really went to bat for me and Specialized went along. I am now back in the smaller shoe size, brand new also. I am wondering how long i will get to this pair?

Tomorrow is MRI and more riding.

Joe told me of another place to camp just a bit further out of town past Schultz creek that requires less dirt road driving. Found it and found a spot. A bit lower elevation and not as far off the paved road but less beat up road driving.

Still using the heater after dark.

Today @ 11:45 I get my nerves tested. That’s what I know. DR beckons me into her office / exam room where she instructs me to remove my shoes and socks and to lay on her treatment table. Her back is to me as she attaches wires to my toes. She is fiddling w/ some control panel and then she presses something into my calf. I jump! It’s electric shock! She moves the probe and shocks again. Shit, nothing wrong w/ my nerves. I am jumping around on the table. She says 1 more test then sticks big needles in my leg and butt and turns on the juice. She says that what she sees there is no reason to test the other leg. Whew. She looked at the completed blood tests and determines that i have an overactive thyroid, not under active as been previously reported and that the condition should be dealt w/ post haste. I called Ty back in Sedona w/ results for his evaluation.

Plan was to ride but the weather was still cold and snowing. Drove from 1 end of Flag to the other on rt 66 for propane and groceries. I stopped @ the mall and went shopping @ Dillards for a new bath towel and washcloth. I walk in from the main mall entrance right into women’s intimate apparel. Even had a thong on a torso manikin. Avert my eyes. Towel is nice and soft.

Flag is home to NAU which is right along rt 66 near I-40. Pretty heavy traffic.

My shoulder still hurts, the pain level is the same. Pain seems to be soft tissue.

Drove back to campsite where i watched snow fall. The sky started to lighten, the sun came out, the wind died, and the snow stopped. I went for another hike on the trails. Out for little over an hour. Upon return to my van the snow had melted away. Trails are nicely dampened. Got to ride tomorrow. Joe is meeting me mid AM.

21 degrees outside @ 6:30AM. Frost on inside of windshield.

Last night I started out w/ the heater on low and sleeping under a single layer of my down blanket. Around 1:30 I awoke too hot to sleep and heard scattered rain drops on the roof. Forecast was for 10% probability of showers. I laid snug and dry rationalizing the rain away. Finally i decided that the bikes deserve to be treated being covered. I put on my wool poncho and put on my headlamp then slipped into my Sperry canoe shoes and stepped outside to face the elements. Not too cold but very windy spitting rain. I wrestled with the wind to put  the rain cover over the bikes. I turned off the heater and crawled under the single layer again. Sometime b4 dawn I awoke a bit cold but lack the drive to leave the present warmth to pull the doubled blanket over me. I tossed and turned until after day break down in the canyon. Snow was on my windshield. That’s why I was cold. The snow is the dry cold temp kind, not Sedona wet flakes. Turned the heater back on.

This AM b4 bfast I going in for a blood draw. Packed up w/o bfast for the blood tests. Just a skiff of snow on the road which dampened the dust. Used gps to find the lab location. In, stuck, and out in less than 20 mins. Traded a Starbucks empty coffee bag for a tall cup of coffee to which I added the Javacid to nuetralize the coffee acid. Enjoyed the cup.

A MBA article about Flag riding said have bfast @ Macy’s. I took up their suggestion. I had lunch there several days ago. Bfast was another social scene.

Satiated I headed out into storming conditions in town. Windy w/ occasional graupel squalls. Walked to a Verizon store seeking info on smart phone. I decided to buy insurance on the phone. Just down the street is Absolute Bikes, a Specialized dealer, maker of my one size too large shoes. Previously I called Specialized to appeal for help getting me back into a smaller size. I was told that I needed to work thru the LBS for recourse. A helpful store employee called Specialized on the secret phone line. She explained my issue so well that Specialized is shipping me my smaller size @ no charge. Way better solution for me. I didn’t expect this outcome as I was partially to blame.

I walked the streets when i found a used bookstore. Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs, and Steel book had rattled around in my brain. back in Spokane I bought the book and read a bit of it but didn’t finish. I bought this used copy w/ intent of finishing it. If only I didn’t self medicate so early in the afternoon.

Sedona gang bailed because of cold weather forecast. It would have been a cold ride but the trails would have been primo.

Tomorrow I have my nerves tested.

I loaded my past Sunday’s ride w/ Joe into my EDGE 305 to route find the same ride. I plan on riding it tomorrow. Joe says he will ride w/ me on Wed. He is a geologist and I am a biologist. We complimented each others knowledge.

Need to buy propane tomorrow as I have been running the heater, may i be warm tonight.

Drove back to same camp spot. I went for a hike walking up the road until a cut over trail joined Schultz creek trail proper. Road up, trail back. Parts of the trail have been rerouted resulting in some really sweet flowy lines. Look forward to riding it. Quite a noticeable difference between newly built trail and the original. New trail design spilled h2o resulting in a more fun trail to ride. Met a rider going up. Tony, from CO. He and his gf are on a 2 month road trip. I told him I am a resource if he wants it.

Windy and blustery in downtown Flag. Hunkered down in my van warmed by the sun.