I installed a Conti trail king 2.4 tubeless on the rear for today’s ride. Bigger and heavier tire than Ardent. The lug shape favors Sedona riding. Making the bike heavier to increase performance.
I rode later in the afternoon today, past the heat of the day and enough light to finish in. I picked up Chuck Wagon @ Dry Creek rode and headed N. Many groups of hikers, all encounters were cooperative to share the trail. I guess they all moved off the trail to let me pass. They would do the same for a faster person. Chuck Wagon is so rider friendly after the FS adopted it. Gone is the real single track, some was fall line, replaced by wider almost groomed tread. Because it is a system trail ( adopted by mtn biker built trail) it is mapped that open the trails to hikers. User conflict. CW becomes Gunslinger to Mescal, or maybe it is all Chuckwagon, down to Deadman’s that melded into Arie to Cockscomb to Rupp dropping down to Dry Creek which is as its namesake. Becomes Girdner over to jnct w/ AZ Cypress that crossed Dry Creek several times. Turn right on Anaconda to climb out of Dry Creek, hit Girdner for a short while, then a jog onto Chuch Wagon again to van. I stopped once to stretch after an hour on Mescal. 16.49 miles in smoking 2 hrs 11 mins riding time. That’s Sedona humping time.
Great riding weather. I pushed pretty hard today. Both tires are very heavy, the cost of traction and control. Today I rode a slick rock roll up w/ a belly on the upslope that could stall the front wheel and stop me. Consequence was a slide on rock. Today I pedaled hard into it and we rode right up it, piece of cake. Gaining confidence and exercising it.
I am printing a 27″ by 27″ USGS map w/ all of my 2013 ride tracks in red. File is 6.29 meg, way too large to post on web site. Trails aren’t named. $36 from printer. Display it somewhere you can see it frequently then saddle up and get here and ride.
Back into town for h20, a shower, and a salad dinner @ New Frontiers. Back out @ crowded Deer Pass.
Tomorrow is wound check @ DR. Another ride, hopefully a shower after, grocery shop for dinner, fix it, eat, and clean up, then drive to a camp spot. Other than DR appointment that is pretty much my standard day. I like to take 2 rest days a week that turns out to be just 1 day. I add h2o to the h2o tank 1 gallon @ a time, walking from a faucet to the parked van. Lots of free time. I do visit mtn bike shops.
Yesterday was a rest day. I passed the day as it happened. I bought Grisham’s: Confession, then stuck my eyes into it for a chunk of the night.
Met John and Darcy from Durango @ Bike and Bean. They are friends of Dave @ Fat Tire. I met them in Durango 2 years ago. John was @ the Old Timers bar in downtown w/ other old timer mtn bike riders for their weekly get together. Another Craig lead me on some local rides. They are living out of their VW Westie.