Just goes to show if it ain’t one thing it is another.
Fri AM I left the camp spot on the bluff above Rabbit Valley and I-70 early bound for my 8:30 appointment w/Dave of a mobile RV repair service to install a cooling fan for my fridge. He beat me there.The deal is to install a pulling fan in the upper fridge vent to pull lower cooler air over the cooling coils thermostatically controlled and he installed a manual switch. Temp in the 80s and then turned on fan went right to work, unfortunately the temp did not drop much lower than w/o. But it’s in.
Next was my appointment w/ the endocrinologist, DR Wellstein formerly of Germany. Purpose is to understand the thyroid condition and what is causing it to produce borderline high output. He ordered another blood draw. Body chemistry will give up its secrets.
On way out of GJ I stopped @ an office supply store to print the Good Water trail info. In color.
Back in Fruita I did my wash @ local laundromat that uses plastic like credit cards instead of change. Bought my card way back when @ an earlier visit & have kept it all along. Means something.
Stopped @ Hot Tomato for a last beer and bid adieu. Anne & Jen lost their house sitting place in Sedona leaving them residenceless for visit this winter.
Plan is to drive to outside Price, a place off the highway i found years ago. Found it. This time I drove further out away from the hwy. Out in the open but further away from the traffic noise.
Sat I finished the drive to Price and to Fuzzy’s Bicycle Works shop. Just an empty bay in the strip mall. Gone bust. I planned on learning from Fuzzy about Good Water. Bummer for him.
Drove out to The Wedge above the San Rafael river. I stopped @ an information kiosk and read a closure bulletin stating that if a trail or road was not signed it was closed and a $1,000 fine for those who did not comply. I walked out to overlook then out the double track looking for trail signs. Didn’t see any or tracks leading off double track. Forgot to take the info w/ me on my walk. Place has been abused by motorized users. Back @ van I reread the info that said 2/3 mile on double track. I didn’t walk far enough.
The juniper gnat bites on Sat were really bothering me, painful and itching.
No Good Water, next stop is Twin Falls, ID, actually Kimberly, to ride the Indian Springs trails that I was weathered out of last fall. Poked thru Salt Lake City megalopolis traffic. I passed Tremonton, UT looking @ the fuel stations. My fuel gauge showed 1/2 tank but the odometer showed like 400 miles. I am thinking the fuel gauge is wrong. I start to sweat a long stretch of empty interstate. Made Snowden just outside ID. Took 16 galls, on a 25 gal empty tank the gauge was close enough. Mileage worked out to 29 mpg and the tank overfilled.
Pulled off in ID on a ranch exit where I previously stopped. Last time I drove up a farm road above the traffic noise. The “road” was a challenge. This year rain had rutted it and traffic was on it when it was wet. I started up it when caution stopped me. I walked up it checking it out. I decided I could make it up. However I noticed sticking mud to my tires and abandoned my plan. I found a suitable spot off the on ramp. Shortly after stopping rain fell w/ gusto. Whew, safer spot to be in. The drive down the steep would have been an uncontrolled slide.
On the other side of the interstate was a frontage road populated by lots of beef cows on the loose. I watched an ID state trooper drive thru the mix w/ his flashers on. Cows didn’t pull over.
Chilly comfortable night under the down blanket and the bites healed. early this AM ranchers were out rounding up the breakouts. Rained for short while after getting up then quit.
Plan today is to drive to Kimberly to ride the Indian Springs trails. Checked the weather forecast on the smart phone (how convenient), favorable for a ride. Found TH location on the GPS and followed its directions right to parking lot. This part of ID is all about agriculture w/ green fields some irrigated. It si so spring here. Trails are just so ripe & weather is biking perfect.
I tried following a route laid out last year. I climbed up the well designed & constructed ST riding everything just spinning. Challenging climb just the same but a trail built for mtn biking is the cat’s pajamas. Saw this feature on the side of the trail b4 I ran over it:
Wonderful trail system built by mtn bikers sometimes incorporating cow paths. Spun up everything. Sure have a good handling bike to enhance my performance. I missed a turn then ended up riding part of my laid out ride backwards. The lupine smell. Syringa, the ID state flower perfumed the air. Sweet green smell of spring sage. Just wonderful nose hits.
Encountered about 8 other riders enjoy the beautiful day & trails.
Hung @ the TH as i am spending the night here and riding here again tomorrow. It was great! 4 locals stopped for a visit. 3 of them are name saked trails for their effort. Jim Brennan is 74. BLM is the land manager. I learned that the upper power in local BLM hired IMBA Trail Solutions to lay out more trails. The BLM guy is a mtn biker. He is envisioning a 3,200 acre mtn bike park. May it come to be. Great potential. Riding in the sage.
So, tonight is a cool sleep w/ no biting things. I have the van shut up because of the chill.