Tues I left for Durango to meet w/ Craig that I met last year and hopes of locals leading me on rides. I treated myself to Bfast @ Mr. Happy in Cortez as I forgot to grocery shop. I stopped @ the fair grounds on the way out to check on a shower. Bldg was opened for maintenance however the hot h2o was turned off.
Nice hwy and day for a drive to Durango 45 miles to the east. Hit Main st and put $ in a parking meter then walked the main drag. Stopped @ Specialized dealer. I checked out the overbooties and bought electrolytes. No winter shoes, just over booties. Bought a senior shower @ rec center. Drove up Junction Creek to the FS XG, Road had patches of snow that I negotiated. XG is open but outhouse is locked. Back into town. Beers @ Old Timers @ 5:30 for Craig and his gang. $2.00 pints and raucous conversation until the locals departed for home. 8:00PM and even the Subway closed early. No dinner. Drove back to XG. Turned on the heat. Temp dropped to 17 degrees.
Wrong amount of snow and temp rising above freezing put a stop to my riding. Wed my plan of adventure was to drive down to Aztec, NM and ride Alien Run on Thurs. Drove the 30 some miles to Aztec. Visited a plastics welding company to pursue my floorless tent idea. Met owner Jack and sketched out my idea. Might make it happen but will cost $. Last spring I saw the shop and didn’t stop in. I kicked myself a bit when thinking of my idea and not checking a fabricator.
Visited w/ Ralph @ Cottonwood Cycles. Last spring he was building up a Turner Sultan. He finished it and is enjoying its performance. He’s a Turner guy now. Learned that Alien is experiencing the same freeze thaw mud. I received a call from my medicine man that necessitated a return to Durango. State licensed dispensary, customer satisfaction guaranteed .
Reoccurring pain somewhat medicated I drove back up to Junction creek XG for another chilly outside but tolerable inside night.
Plan today is to drive back to snowless Cortez, ride Phil’s checking out the new overbooties I bought, get a shower @ nice local rec center, do wash, and pick up my new helmet sent via USPS.
Beautiful day @ Phil’s as I wandered around on trails just enjoying the day and ride. My breathing or lack of it slows me down as I get winded so quickly on uphills and poke along the flats. Booties kept my feet toasty and stayed in place.Watched my first tarantula traveling right beside the trail. 6 legs coordinated to travel over rocky terrain. Temp was in upper 30s and it was ambulatory.
Showered, I drove to the USPS. Helmet not delivered in spite of postage premium i paid. USPS doesn’t really track delivery or commit to an ecd. Stuck in Cortez till Sat mail arrival.
This AM I received a call from Fruita PO notifying me that my tabs finally arrived. The date of postmark tells a story not favorable to King County and the USPS. Tabs are forwarded to Hurricane next week.
A woman in the grocery store parking lot saw my WA plates and stopped to talk. Her husband is from Spokane, she went to school in Olympia. She told me about a wonderful brew pub in Delores. I might go back and ride some Boggy Draw trails then sip some beer. Funny article in an alt paper about a Delores rancher that drives his cows down main st. Small town w/ dead economic engine. Counter culture breathes some life. Place yet to be “discovered”.
Plan was to drive up to Moab and ride for several days. Rain is forecast for this weekend followed by sunny Monday.