Tues morn I left my camp spot driving down the FS all weather gravel road to a TH w/ a CXT outhouse. A Minnie Winnie was parked. WA plates and snow road crud. A woman steps out and asked me if I am Craig. Yes. Out stepped Pat Kelly from Spokane and his wife Pat. Hometown conversation. We made a plan to meet out @ Chuck Wagon TH on Dry Creek rd.

We parked off the shoulder @ Chuck Wagon. Geared up and rode off. How these riders attempt rides that their body isn’t conditioned to. Imagine not having ridden your bike since beginning of Nov and you ride this shit? Pretty amazing. All that time off and some of you still can punch thru. I wonder how I would perform under similar circumstances. Two years ago I lost 1 month no exercise then 1 month on wind trainer before dirt. Loss of cardio and muscle coordination. Pat sensed his condition and said that he was going to ride his ride and that I should go on. And I did.

So I have a loop ride that I have figured out. I ride Chuck Wagon to Gunslinger to Mescal to Dead Mans to Arie, Cockscomb, Rupp, Girdner, Anaconda, Girdner, finally Chuck Wagon. All on system trails. 16.38 miles climbing1789′, ride time of 2hrs 2 mins. Bit of a hump. I had my head down. Still riding all in middle chain ring.

Shower @ Snap, grocery shop, then dash to Deer Pass. Great view of sunset over Mingus Mtn.

I have been doing crunches while on my bed. i am up to 70 in 2 sets. My pants are less snug at the waist.

This AM I repeated my start  as yesterday. yesterday Pat flatted several times. Today he was going to have his wheels converted to tubeless. he got set up @ BnB.

I called Danny to cancel my cooking tonight’s dinner. I chose to not share my reasons here. We did make a meeting time for a ride. My pencil is still sharp, when I have something to do I get it done. We started leisurely past meeting time. When I ride solo I pedal almost the entire time. Sometimes after an hour I might take a food break. My body gets into the O2 debt and seems to want to perform in that condition. To stop and rest or visit allows my body to rest. When i take off again I go thru the debt crisis. Sharing a ride. We rode from his house over to Soldiers’ wash trails out to Jordan that connected us w/ Jim Thompson that is one wide loose rock climb. We found a social trail Bird Cage that hikers have been using. Back onto Jordan for sacred pools. A short jeep road ride down to Tea Cup that climbed out of a deep wash. Then rocky Extra Credit up and a wash ride back down. I rode some of the downhill right on Danny’s wheel following his line. I rode stuff I would have questioned.  I am really riding so much better than when i first arrived. Somewhere 2 riders approached us, they climbing and we waiting for them to climb by. One rider calls me by full name Spokane Mtneers. My mind was focused on my ride that my short term memory did not record their names. I added more trails to my map.

Will from map maker Beartooth just arrived. We made plans for a west Sedona ride tomorrow. He is one of those snow birds. Brutal.

Rain starting turning to snow starting Fri into Sat. Lost of moisture. Tomorrow is last bets day to ride.

Today I was X-rayed and examined by a shoulder orthopedic surgeon. He said he suspects bursitis and that the joint is sound. He stuck a long needle into my shoulder joint and squirted cortisone. I didn’t flinch, I leaned away. If ever another shot I will prop myself against an immobile object. I still squirm when I think about the stick. Medicine is bigger than the homeopathic stuff. If no relief in 3 weeks see him again for an MRI and a decision based on that. I scheduled a 6 week followup appointment. Right now many of the muscles supporting the shoulder are attempting to readjust to less painful movement.

That was my big day. And a partial exhale of relief. Tomorrow is back @ it. Wed I fix mole and an entree using it @ Danny’s.

Rain forecast for Fri.

Last night while waiting to fall asleep I created a ride for today. Hurkin I thought it would be. I slept in this morning knowing that I was cool w/ the FS. I fixed Bob’s buckwheat pancakes w/ added blueberries.

My ride started @ recycling center location. I pedaled out Old Post until it intersected Bike Path. Two short savage climbs were partially pedaled, walked the rest. Loose broken rock and fall line assent. Bike Path crossed Under the Radar which is what I was looking for. This trail dropped down to Chavez ranch road, nice tight technical single track mixing in pieces of wash riding. I exited the wash, crossed the bridge then turned right back up slope ultimately connecting to Hurkinham up to the high school. I crossed the road over to Special Ed that descended back down to Chavez ranch rd. I worked my way on Old Ramshead to Ridge turning onto Sketch then rejoining Ridge back to TH. Today I only encountered riders. Two descents and resulting climbs. Good grunt but not hurkin as I thought it would be, still, 12.2 miles climbing Sedona 1693′.

Javalina eat prickly pear like humans eat artichoke leaves because they lack opposing biting teeth.

I took a shower @ Snap then drove down to BnB and hung until they put out the cat. I spent the night out @ Beaverhead. I arrived b4 dark so I could see the vehicle traffic. One car was in my camp spot and a pickup was in choice number 2. The afternoon waned and the drivers left uncoupled.

Yesterday I drove up to uptown and Wildflower for 8:00 bfast w/ Danny. Gonzaga played a 2:30 game that I back scheduled our to meet. Danny’s leg is still smarting from his fall 2 weeks ago. We pedaled from his house and rode over to Soldier’s wash trails. We ran into Mike, the FS LEO, who was in civies riding his bike. Danny tried a downhill and fell just b4 hitting the trail. His tire was flat. He pumped it back it then pushed his bike back uphill for another go. same results this time. He burped his tire. No Stans. He broke the bead in preparation for installing a tube. No liquid sealant. He pulled out his tube. He attached the pump to the valve and gave a few pumps to inflate the tube. Air exited from his pump but the tube remained soft. He found a big snake bite hole. Tube was no good. I dug out my spare tube and gave it to him. Shit, my tube is a schrader stem, the size on car tires but too large for the presta drilled rims. No dice. Exit plan was we down climbed into a wash then I rode my bike back to his house then drove back to pick him up.

I made it back to his house in time for the game on justinsports. GU crushed Portland. GU was undefeated in league play. WCC championship starts later this week. GU gets a bye until semifinals as does second place ST Marys. National rankings will be out late Mon AM, GU has a great case for #1 ranking.

I am 11 rides short of 1000 rides. My mileage after today was 14, 999.21 miles. If I ride 5 days a week I will ride the 1000th ride the week of ST Pats. I am making a countdown sheet to hand @ BnB to stir up some excitement of me achieving this goal.

Tomorrow is the shoulder exam.