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.