Another lily pad of friends in Quentin & DJ, owners of the Hurricane branch of Over The edge Sports(OTE).
Quiet cold night out near the airport. Ran the heater on hi and used double down blanket until the van warmed up then I kicked off the double blanket layer. Ice on inside of windshield.
Today i finish the drive to Hurricane. I drove rt 143 over Cedar Breaks and BrianHead up & 10,400′, bit of snow but road was cleared. i drove up here on my first trip here back in 1998 car camping out of my VW Golf GT. Today I just drove thru. Views down in Bryce Canyon but I was like a horse w/ the bit in its teeth as I scurried to Hurricane.
Drove to Over the Edge Sports(OTE), Hurricane location. Greeted owners Quentin and DJ warmly. DJ said I was dressed the same as last year. Well… yeah. Dog Eddie remembered me by rolling over onto his back exposing his belly for a rub. They are nice folks.
My plan was to do my laundry then go for a ride, or go on a ride then do my laundry and share a sip of scotch w/ Quentin after closing. Time passed and it became a ride on Hurricane Rim, I made the store at closing and helped DJ put the bikes back in the shop. She asked me if I wanted to join them for sinner @ a Chinese restaurant. I said yes. There went the laundry chore. And Quentin accepted a rain check for a later Scotch. I then drove out to the Upper JEM TH where I have stayed over the years until precip softens the road to impassible. I am here for the night under the shadow of Gooseberry and sunset lit Mollie’s Nipple peak. Life is good.
So, back to the ride. I parked at a TH just above town, and I mean above town as there is an ancient pour over dropping maybe 100 down. A newer crewcab pickup truck pulled in and out stepped 5 women dressed in the Polygamy garb. Maybe a mother and the rest younger. They walked to the precipice edge and took pictures. The FLDS sect is just a short drive away. My thought for the attraction to the drop was them evaluating life’s choices: Being married off to an older man and becoming one of his plural marriages, or the leap to escape. Warren Jeffs crowd.
Yesterday I cleaned the dried mud from my bike. Today i lubed it up. Crazy warm as I rode in summer clothing. My summer sun tan returned to pale white months ago. Today I scored a little sun burn. I worked the ride and enjoyed myself. The ride goes thru where I camp. Today i spied a pair of riding gloves on the ground. Women’s small. I put them in the register box and rode on.
At this point the trail becomes the JEM trail that slowly drops to the Virgin River. There are 2 switchbacks separated by a piece of steep bike wheel rutted track. The first switchback has a sizeable bench to turn on. However, the outside drops down canyon. last year I finally rode it but walked the steep section and following turn. Today I froze on the bench SB but nailed the steep and the next SB. It’s all courage and conviction.
Down the ways the JEM connects back w/ the Hurricane Rim and I turned onto. I saw 2 riders just above a tech step up. I mangled my way up it. 2 women. One was a nice small size and was bare handed. I pegged her as owner of the gloves. She was astonished and pleased that i saved her gloves. We ended up visiting for way minutes. they both work on salmon fishing boats up in Alaska. The smaller woman (excuse me if she reads this that I misplaced her name) is a boat cook.
I finished the rest of the 20.65 mile ride still being bested by 2 tech moves that occur on a climb where I don’t have the wind to get thru. Late afternoon sun played havoc w/ be able to look down the trail. Several times I bashed the move because i was blinded. I experienced strong winds several places which added another tricky dimension. I am just a guy balancing on 2 wheels.
Stopped @ PO and picked up my license tabs and flannel top sheet to correct my engineering error.
Sat. DJ is leading the shop ride out @ Little Creek and we might ride where I fell 3 years ago. I need to get going early because I want to do my laundry b4 the ride.
Fixie Dave moved down the road to Red Rock cycles in ST George.
Camped @ 4300′. Quite warm.
Heard from Ardelle for GJ that she enjoyed her visit in Sedona and skipped here.