Monday I got up, fixed and ate bfast, cleaned up, readied van for travel, then drove into Snap for the 8:45 fitness class. What exercises awaited and how would my body respond. Karl figured it out. One exercise was running in place while fighting against a stretch cord. I came up lame when I pulled muscle(s) in my left calf. Broke down in action. I protected my leg for the rest of the session. Post work out stretch brought no relief. I drip sweat. Took a shower then moved on.

I bought h2o @ the water store. Jason sells ionized h2o which is a bit basic pH with added back in minerals. Tastes really smooth. $1.50 a gallon.

Drove over to Dave’s shop. I bought a killer sandwich @ Sedona Memories next door. Mike, the owner, treated me to his chocolate chip cookie. Mmmm good and stuffed.

Drove down to Bike and Bean and hung out till dinner time. Tony said that I had bothered him enough.

I drove down canyon to PJs for their grilled chicken salad, a beer, and part of first half of Ala and ND football game. Ala was having their way making for a blowout. No excitement so i left.

A small video rental shop still survives. I stopped in. i rented Killer Joe.

I drove out to Beaverhead flats for the night. Night time temps are still below freezing.

This AM my calf was still smarting when I finally slid off my bed.

My thinking was an easy solo ride from BnB to test out leg and session some problems. I drove up to Bike and Bean. At the shop Plumber Phil was engaging Jimmie, Simon, and Jason in conversation about potential new trails. There is an environment of cooperation between the FS and the legal trail builders. Planning sessions and public meetings have been occurring to grapple w/ the heart propelled users trail needs.

Jason invited me on his ride to ride the Hogs. I said i would ride what i could. I pedaled working my left calf. Out of nowhere a muscle in the inside of my left quad started  barking. Too much pain to push on pedal on the climbs. I chose to bail b4 Hogs then rode back to the shop on easy trails.

I drove back to West Sedona and Snap for a shower. By then other muscles in my body worked yesterday were starting to complain. What doesn’t kill me will make me stronger. I will continue w/ the fitness class that works my body in so many different ways than just mtn biking which if I would have remained pedaling I wouldn’t be whining.

I am back out @ Deer Pass, same group of campers are still @ my preferred spot, look like squatters.

Going to rest tomorrow, may my muscles recover in resting.

 

Time slips away.

Friday 11 of the Bike and Bean regulars loaded up @ 10:00AM then drove down I-17 to Bumblebee interchange for a ride out and back on Black Canyon Trail (BCT) which is an IMBA epic. Took awhile to get started

Trail is in Sonorran desert which is drier and starker than Sedona’s desert.

We rode out to Bloody Basin 11 miles N then turned around and rode back same way. Much of the tread was fractured rock. Enduring trail crosses many little washes. I helped build a short section of the trail we rode. I rode way off the back. Scott has a green helmet that I could see way off in the distance which let me see how far back I was. 22 miles, in 2 hrs 45 mins, climbed 2008′. Beautiful day. Numerous large horse trailers passed on the road. We encountered 2 riders that were marking the BCT for a horse ride this weekend. Trail will be chewed up and crapped on. Fortuitous for me to ride on Fri b4 instead of Sunday perhaps during their riding event.

Back @ the TH beers were on ice. Next reward was Rock Springs Cafe for bar food and a piece of jack Daniels pecan pie w/ a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Some of the burned calories were replaced.

Back to Sedona. I drove to west Sedona for a shower @ Snap where the fitness class was winding down.

I drove out to Deer pass to camp spot only it was occupied. I parked @ plan B spot. Shortly somebody walked up using a flashlight. The neighbor greeted me as he wanted to know his neighbor. He told me they support the legalization movement. I said I was good.

Sat. my body was stiff and not moving freely. I really had troubles sliding out of my bed. I joined Danny for Bfast @ Wildflower per usual.

I decided to make today a rest day. After eating I visited Dave @ his shop. I bought h2o and groceries. I checked out ESPN football, one was in progress. Mid afternoon, football on national TV, Oak Creek brewery just up the street. No brainer. A beer and a little football. I left while the sun was still up.

Back @ Deer Pass the site was still occupied. I parked @ plan C location. I discovered I had better internet access. Gonzaga played Santa Clara that I watched on internet TV. Another good game. Kelly Olynyk is special. Zags won.

I normally get 8 hrs of sleep.

Today my plan was to ride out Dry Creek area. I drove into town and parked @ the Library and dallied waiting for the sun to warm things up. I finally pedaled off b4 11. I jumped onto a piece of sidewalk. Ahead a man and girl walked from a parked blue Ford pickup and stood @ the edge of the sidewalk. What will happen? Did I piss someone off? It was Law Enforcement Officer Mike and his daughter. He was in civies. He saw my van @ the library then saw me riding. He stopped to chatand catch up. Nice man. I told him he was slipping as I have been here over a week and we hadn’t run into each other. He was on vaca  out of town.

I rode up Dry Creek road then jumped off onto Lizard head trail out to ChuckWagon that joined Gunslinger parts of which have been legally rerouted and now a system trail. 2 pics: 1st is old social trail that is being reclaimed, 2nd is new trail taken from same spot.

I continued onto Mescal out to Aerie that joined Cockscomb. I had planned to ride up Anaconda then back the road. Western Civ took off from Cockscomb that changed my route. I pedaled out to old homestead where 3 riders were resting. We chatted for awhile. I learned that one guy had built the rerouted Gunslinger. I complimented him. Western Civ intersects ledge n Airy that I rode to Girdner out to Cultural park. A downhill pavement ride brought me back to the library. 19.87 miles in 2 hrs 45 mins climbing 2127′. My body was stiff @ the start then warmed to the task. My breathing or rather lack of it slows me down and limits my ability to make the climbing tech moves.

A shower @ Snap. Internet search revealed that Seattle was playing wildcard playoff and it was still on. A beer and some more ball. I left w/ the Seahawks ahead which is how the game finished. I drove out to Deer Pass and the same gang was still there, plan C spot.

Tomorrow @ 8:30 AM I give the fitness class another go.

 

 

 

Wind arose b4 sunrise. Clear skies.

Drove into town. I greeted George, the owner of the only laundromat in town, and did my wash. I have 3 pairs of long pants that I wear thru the week and a clean shirt, socks, and shorts. I just make Thurs the wash day as a rule.

Filled a script @ local Walgreens where I have done business over the years. Jay, a pharmacist, greeted me by name. I bought ionized h2o from h2o store.  Next was to buy access to all fitness classes @ Snap for $10 a month. First, I slid along the strip mall wall to the adjoining movie theater. I saw on the reader board that Djanga Unchained, a Tarantino movie, was starting in 10 mins. I’m in. Lots of men getting shot w/ accompanying blood. Pretty violent. 2 hrs 35 mins long. Slavery was abominable. I enrolled in the classes, first one is @ 5:30. I used this intervening time to visit w/ Dave @ Fat Tire.

Next was the exercise class w/ Karl. Maybe 23 30-40yos, mostly men. I’m oldest. Started off w/ warm up stretches. What a challenge it was to convert what I saw into muscle movement. Tonight was a fitness test. Only 3 of us were new, the rest knew the drill. Just what I needed. Pushups, squats, step ups, situps, and hammer swing, as many as you could do in 1 minute 2X. I did an exercise for a minute while my partner counted. A 15 sec interval then she went and I counted in this manner thru all 5 exercises. Then we repeated it. Karl taught breathing that I wasn’t able to capitalize on. I learned that my pedal stroke is unbalanced. I learned how to use my hips which will really cross over to biking. I learned that my hand spacing for pushups is too wide, actually is just over shoulder width. Scary as I had leaned that the ideal handlebar width was same as your push up stance. My handlebar is way longer. I started my odyssey w/ shoulder width bar which was just way too twitchy. I am now riding 28 ” bar, so I spread my hands too far for a pushup. Still, 20 pushups in a minute. The others were equally abysmally low. Took a beating. Class meets Thurs & Fri @ 5:30 and 8:30 on Mon. I am sore.

Ate dinner @ Picazzos. Expensive and organically healthy.

I drove out to Deer Pass while listening to the Zag game on XM, they beat a tenacious Pepperdine team. Away game but called by Spokane media.

Tomorrow’s B&B shop ride is Black Canyon trail. Get to ride it 2 days earlier than my plan which was a road trip down south to ride Cave Creek trails then drive over to BCT for a Sun. shuttle this weekend. Do it another time.

1 in 9 adolescents claim they get their pot from someone holding a get well card here in AZ per an article in a Phoenix paper.

Have lingering dry cough.

I have been keeping the heater on 24/ 7 unless there is solar gain. W/ no heat everything becomes cold soaked that requires an uncomfortably long time to warm up.