Yesterday was my follow up Physical therapy appointment. I reviewed my lack of recovery progress. Ell the PT performed the classic rotator cuff health tests which i passed except for pain when moving my arm outboard. She said to continue w/ the exercises.

I decided to hang @ BnB instead of riding.

Indiana the mens college div 1 basketball team ranked number 1 lost to MN yesterday, an unranked team. Gonzaga is Number 2. The Zags could possibly be ranked #1 next week.

Today I rolled into the Bean mid morning. Matt stopped in, we created a ride idea. He called me to say the ride was a go and we were going to ride from Chavez ranch rd. He was bringing his 2 dogs, litter mates, along then stopping on the way back to VOC to buy dog food. He has trained his dogs well. Spectacular: we were climbing on Old Post, an old road when we approached 2 hikers. He told them to heel and they heeled on his bottom bracket on each side of him. Old Post down into Carrol Canyon on old system trails. I ran into Richard the frame builder again. I added new ride data to my map.

My new supply of Pen Agains arrived today along w/ a new Fizik Gobi saddle and new chain rings. New stuff to put on. The saddle is over 2 1/2 years old and the drive train is 89 rides and 1311 miles. Maybe I can get some more miles b4 replacing the whole thing. I spaced on the mileage on the chain to change it @ maybe  300 miles which would have prevented the erosion of the gear teeth.

Temps during the day are upper 50s but in upper 20s at night. There is still snow cover on the north face of the mountains. Hiline will have snow and frozen ground mixed in w/ sun warmed dirt.

Tomorrow GU plays BYU @ home. Go Zags.

Winds are picking up but no rain.

Frost on the inside of the windshield indicating that the temp dropped below 32 degrees. Forecast for today’s high was 51, reality was low 60s actually. Freeze thaw mud capturing whatever moisture that failed to evaporate by freezing time.

I took my road atlas into RIOT where we post ride activitied in case rides were brought up we could all use the map. I showed a MN woman where I rode in her home state. Then I forgot to take it w/ me leaving it I believe on the edge of the bar closest to the door. Last night, as I was in the camping mode,  i realized the map was not on the passenger’s seat. I called the bar and learned from the staff  that they had the atlas and would put a note on it and put it in the boss’ office who usually gets in around 10AM. I drove down to the bar in Cottonwood arriving just b4 10. I knocked on the detached office door that was unanswered. Long story was I stayed until 11:00 waiting for her arrival. I left @ 11 because a staff member I had been talking to previously walked out to my van parked in the back parking lot and handed to me my atlas. Seems the guy last night didn’t get it into the office and the day person missed it in his search.

Plan now is to ride Dry Creek. Beautiful cool day. Air is so pure as there is no air pollution because nothing is made here that would pollute. No wind. Cloudless. I parked on the side of the road. I geared up and headed out. I am still wearing a light wool long underwear top under a short sleeve jersey and knickers. Big loop in Dry Creek drainage. Chuck Wagon out. Today I successfully climbed the step up @ the end of a wash and grunted out a steep short loose tread. I still credit improvement to riding in middle chain ring and muscling up. Passed 1 less skilled rider wearing head phones. Exit onto Gunslinger and pieces of reroute to Mescal. Steve took this picture of me on Mescal:

Around Mescal dropping down to Deadmans. Slippery mud on downhill which meant steering methodology change: I could not count on traction so I counter steered. Next i rode Arie out to Cockscomb. Arie had some slippery mud. Cockscomb to Rupp down to Dry Creek. Rupp is an old road mostly w/ lost of loose cobble. I am gaining confidence that allows me to ride faster. I lowered my seat that freed my legs to move around on the bike. Look ahead and judiciously use the brakes. I crossed dry Dry Creek several times till I hit AZ Cypress over to Anaconda. I consulted my map down in the creek to figure out a confusing trail. I climbed up Anaconda that ends in Girdner and a short distance later Chuch Wagon took off bringing me back to my van. 16.48 miles, all single track in 2 hrs 12 mins. I rode almost non stop. I saw more hikers than bikers.

I drove back into town to Snap for a shower. The Sedona film festival is underway in the movie theater in this parking lot now open for non theater parking. Armed security to chase drivers aware. My idea was for like a Walmart greeter telling them they couldn’t park there. If the driver ignored the greeter and parked, the greeter would summon the on site tow truck and tow the offending vehicle away. Instead semiautos on the waist.

I stayed in town to attend the Parks and recreation meeting in city hall chambers in support of an agenda item of creating a bike park. I was one of 5 riders including Jennifer from the FS. Proposal is to use city property of 12 acres to make a bike park. One premise is it could siphon off thrill seekers than might make a trail to ride a feature to ride in a controlled environment in the park.

Drove out to Deer Pass for the night. Tomorrow I have a PT appointment. Next week it is an ortho appointment. Today I called Kody’s office back in Spokane to ask for the records of my previously performed right shoulder repair.

Sedona trails soaked up the melting snow creating mud. No riding until today @ Dead Horse SP in Cottonwood.

Did my wash on Thurs. per usual. Just hung out @ BnB and Fat Tire.

Sat AM I attended the IMBA trail care crew session. I greeted Jesse and Lori, the crew, whom I met back last summer in Duluth, MN. Lecture was same material. Maybe 18 attendees. I answered a pop quiz question and won another pair of IMBA socks. I won a pair @ last class in McCall back in 9/11 on same question. Their employment is to drive in an IMBA stenciled Subaru which provides the car and a stipend to the crew. They give the same lecture almost every weekend but in another location and different attendees.

My shoulder was really hurting so that I did not attend the trail building session. I drove out to Deer Pass spot then bushwacked over the desert on broken basalt. I finished by hiking up a wash. I hiked this same route 2 years ago. Today there were no fresh javalina tracks. I wore my midweight leather hiking boots for cactus protection.

Today I drove back to Cottonwood to join IMBA visit. Lars lead us on the trails in Dead Horse SP and adjoining USFS where new trail is being built. Different desert than Sedona. Soft rock.

Windy and chilly. Tough ride: uphill into the wind. Virgin piece of trail completed yesterday. Trails here were dried out. I did spot several tiny patches of snow up on top.Horse damage on trails inside SP. Several real good grunt climbs not ridden since Hurricane Rim.  Rode 17.48 miles climbing 1765′.

Post ride was where we started @ RIOT establishment. Chilled beer in a sun warmed front room out of the wind. Much discussion about possible cross country travel by mtn bikes only in the red rock. VVCC and the FS are still swapping ideas. The mtn bike community provided the FS a map of trails we ride. The hiking and horse crowd have not supplied their trail data. I heard that there are more miles of hiker trails than bike.

A short drive to a Snap center in Cottonwood for a shower. A windy drive back to Deer Pass.

Wind really moves my van around. Not as bad as a VW bus. I do have to stay on top of it.

Dave gave me the Bro deal for the bearings service. I gave him my POC helmet. Clean and happy bearings increased my pedaling efficiency. I am still riding in the middle ring. The smooth bearings allowed me to go faster for the past same effort.