SSS

Still Singing Sedona

Still here, desert weather, on Wed actually a few splatters of grauppel fell.

I finished Fire Season by Phillip Connors about his summers spent as a fire lookout on Black mtn in the Gila NF in SW New Mexico. He wrote that any day spent as a lookout does not subtract from your total number of days. Fire is a natural resource necessary for healthy environment and grazing of cows needs to be abolished. My readings concur. I wanted to be a fire lookout in my youth. I have written about being one in this part of my life. He juiced up my thinking and planning for traveling to the Gila for some riding. I have been researching ride ideas. The area doesn’t pop up on a rider’s radar as a place to go; however, I have ridden worthy trails that lack the panache of popularity. To me, it is about riding to enjoy what the local riders have created. I plan on swinging down there in April.

I am still on 60mg of prednisone which just screws up my body w/ external stimulus elevating my heart rate and psyche. No good. receiving timely medical care is lacking. I have a primary care giver appointment this Thurs for an emergency room follow up 2 weeks after visit. She is prescribing the prednisone. I have a rheumatologist appointment in Flag last week of March. Yesterday I made an appointment w/ another DR here to pursue care, next appointment for new patients is April 25. I am on their cancellation list. The DR is a cyclist.

tried for a ride on Wed but my heart rate was too high to sustain although the heart rate data showed what I would expect for effort. Forecast was for snow which lessened my taste for riding. I changed out my wind jacket for a rain coat in my WingNut hydration pack. I watched snow clouds moving from the SW to me and past to Capital butte. A few splatters of grauppel fell that I rode thru w/o putting on my jacket.

While riding out of west Sedona I stay out @ Deer Pass rd parking in same spot where the Bikemag pic was taken. Big full moon light @ night lights the desert up. Wed Am it was 27 degrees requiring overnight heater use. Last night was only 40 degrees & just doubled up down blanket on clean flannel sheets and clean body just perfect for sleeping except the sleeping pills wore off @ 5 AM.

Thurs. afternoon I rode w/ Danny out on Dry creek rd. Trails there are mostly pedaling w/ little chunk. I still walk or avoid some of the more challenging stuff.

Wed I bought a new stem w/ a 5 degree rise and 60mm reach. My desire is to shorten length and lower my handle bar below my saddle height. My former stem config was just a bit larger on both dims. I rode Thurs w/ the new stem and have big smiles about improved performance as in quicker handling. My saddle is just above the handlebar so to lower it further will require a new flat bar. Better Ride set up is worthy.

Today is another bluebird day w/ some wind. Bike and Bean shop ride this afternoon.

Approaching 44 months on this odyssey. A way of life.