Not a Black Friday for me.

Spent night in a dirt bike TH and as such was awakened by a truck pulling a trailer w/ 2 bikes on it. Bikes didn’t start until bfast almost complete.

Plan was to drive out to Santa Clara trails for a hunger stimulating ride then stop @ Sports bar for eat till your buttons pop.

I pulled into TH @ bottom of hill joining 6 other rigs, people out b4 the feast. I headed up to TH where 5 more rigs were parked. Good numbers crowd. Us bikers then gaggles of gun shooting persons. Today I ride the trails across Cove Wash. Just fun riding w/ a few tech features mixed in, purpose built trails among creosote bushes. Beautiful day just the right temp. Lots of  rigs but trails mostly to myself. i noticed a change of rigs as pre feast riders headed to the table and after feast riders to help settle the load.

I sink washed off the sweat then drove to dinner. Same place same good food. Even drank a glass of Australian Chardonnay ( the cheapest wine). Sufficiently satiated I oozed my way behind the steering wheel for the drive out to JEM. Little traffic in Hurricane.

I did my wash in town and talked w/ my dad back in Ohio during the wash cycle. I caught another sunset out there.

Warm night, too hot for single down blanket. Actually i awoke to propane smell that precluded running out of propane. I turned the heater off. I fixed b-fast and started the hot h2o for dishes when the stove failed. Shortly the fridge ran out. Getting propane refill was after morning growler @ the laundromat.

So many businesses closed making a 4 day weekend. Stopped @ OTE where they were plugged by Tourons.

Last night Dan and I made ride arrangements to meet on Sheeps Bridge road just across the Virgin river @ noon. Last Dec when I was here heavy rains fell that swelled the river. i checked the flood stage @ the same bridge. Today the river is well w/in its banks.  Trees that were beaten up by flood appear to be all there.

Reconnected w/ Dan. He is a year older than me and we are pretty close in fitness while I have him just a bit on tech. He had a route planned and I followed his wheel. It is so nice to follow although I am quite familiar w/ the system trails. Dan had a few pieces of cow paths to ride. The JEM trail was crowded, we had the other side of the highway to ourselves. We rode up part of the JEM trail looping around to pick it up from the top and ride it all the way down to the river. Today i nailed the nasty switchback, downhill and shitty turn to Dan’s cheering.

Another BLUE bird day. upper 50s in flat light sunshine in the desert.

Drove back to OTE where they were still vaca customers busy. Then out to JEM for sunset.

DR results from CT scan were I have a sinus infection requiring antibiotics and a cyst in a sinus requiring an eye ears nose throat person. No description of cyst. Picked up antibiotics @ Walgreens where I remet the pharmacist from my stay 2 years ago. We remembered each other. His family hosted 35 people yesterday.

Up and at ’em early today to make the 9:00 thanksgiving of a new CD player and XM tuner installed. Beat the shop’s opening. So great to have sounds that remain on where I want them to be instead of willy nilly shutting off.

Plan is to pick up Kevin @ his peeps house then drive to out skirts of ST George to ride the ZEN trail. He and his mom invited me to Thanksgiving tomorrow.

Just another great riding condition day under partial clouds and mid 60s temps.  Even the battery held in the EDGE. I suffered thru a loss of courage after yesterday’s ride. Just another technical ride today; ZEN is a challenging ride. We returned unscathed unlike yesterday’s scratch bath up on Goose.

Kevin showed me a place to camp outside of ST George on BLM land, Warner Valley.

Dropped of Kevin. Took a needed shower @ Rec center. Figured to charge me $3.00. 2 liquor stores in ST George. The one I picked was packed. Wine is only sold @ the state store.

Drove out to Warner Valley in the deepening dark. Found a spot off the edge of the gravel road.

Plan tomorrow is ride some more of Santa Clara trails then Thanksgiving dinner @ sports bar where I ate back in ’09. On a full stomach drive back to Hurricane. Have a ride w/ Dan on Friday, shop ride on Sat, Sun another ride. Weather forecast is more of sunny dry sixties.

May you have enjoyed your thanksgiving.

Ah, clean flannel sheets and a clean body to snuggle into them. Temp didn’t get close to freezing. Laid in bed listening to Wait Wait don’t Tell Me, the NPR news quiz show. What stimulation.

Today I am to join Jeff and ride the Zen trail down @ ST George, another tough tech trail. He called in lame from yesterday so we changed plans to ride Barrel Roll  down @ Santa Clara.

Jeff and I parked at bottom of hill to pick up ST climb up to TH. Headed up. After while I saw a rider dressed all in black climbing up behind us. He caught up to us in the TH. It was Jason whom i rode w/ last year several times. He shared a real litany of warranty issues he had w/ his equipment.

Met Fran from Wyoming. She with her friend are traveling in a heavy duty yellow Sprinter. I struck up a conversation w/ her. At first she was not involved in the conversation. I told her about my version. Lights when off and she asked if I was the guy in the mags. i said yes and she warmed up friendly. Quentin & DJ know them.

Jason, Jeff, and I set out to ride Barrel roll and Twister. Cimmeron rode thru. Met her last year.

Stopped @ Rec Center for a shower except they are closed on Sunday. Drove back to Hurricane.

Weather forecast called for slight probability of rain.. except I saw the SunDog and I suspected rain. I have permission now to camp behind OTE @ bottom of descent into town. Rain would make the upper JEM TH road slimy. And rain fell during the night several times. Again I anticipated rain by covering up the bikes before dark.

Monday was a rest day and attending to a few tasks. I previously made an appointment w/ a doctor I saw 2 years ago following up on my lacerated kidney. I have a constant head ache and my eyes hurt. He suspected sinus and sent me off for a CT scan.

Back @ OTE I met Troy the founder of the original OTE in Fruita, CO. Present also was Kevin Talbot, a returning local. He was once a MBA Riders who Inspire, An Unlikely Guardian Angel. We struck up a conversation and he hatched a ride of Gooseberry tomorrow if he could borrow his dad’s truck.

I spent another night behind the store. I way overslept this AM which felt good. Kevin called  earlier than arranged time proposing leaving earlier as it was a beautiful day.  I agreed.

Kevin picked me up @ OTE and we headed out. The road up the bluff is too rough for my van. The trails were noticeably dried out from just the day before. There were some mud puddles. Kevin guided me on a locals known south rim trail. Treat from a local.

I hit my head 2X because I failed to keep my eyes up looking above the trail. Added several blood letting scrapes from scrub oaks along trail edge.

My Edge is failing to hold a battery charge for Little Creek and today’s Gooseberry.

Gooseberry is well written up elsewhere. Lots of tech moves over slick rock that is made up of fossilized volcanic ash which has a finer grain and is not as traction friendly as sand stone. Fun day, finished up @ 4:40, sundown is 5:12.

Back @ OTE my new CD player and XM tuner arrived. Tomorrow I have a 9:00 AM install appointment.  Then Kevin & I are going to ride another ST George trail system. Sleeping behind OTE.