For me living here my lofe is fairly straight forward repeating itself in variation. I sleep somewhere around here in my van. I ride here just about every other day. I hang as a loafer @ Bike and Bean, the weather has been white bread. I do a PT appointment 1/ week and learn that my road to recovery is still smooth and what  I feel might be what I will feel.The riding is Sedona chunk, some is more technical and scary for bodily injury or death. I have a shower when shop is open.

But each day provides its uniqueness to the routine above.

Sat I helped w/ rock work on a nonsustainable switchback on High on the Hogs. Mark was contracted by the FS to do rock work, this was one of his projects. Rock work is engineering on the creation. Physical feature the rock work is to be is developed. Rocks are selected for load bearing, sustainability, etc. Lots of thinking and trial and error. Takes a lot of time to construct a rock solution that will stand the test of time. I hiked out after late lunch for a ride  around Soldiers Pass area.

Sat was the last night for some of the Sun Valley visitors so a shout out went out to party. Dinner enhanced w/ libations loosened up a few. Load boisterous group of 15 mtn bikers. Next move was down to Pjs, just beer this time, loud music machine sound, and for me watching the Zags loose. Let’s say that alcohol on some removed learned social mores.

My left knee started being painful a week ago while hiking out after a trail project. PT gave me strengthening and stretching exercises mitigate the discomfort. I am still leery of big hikes.

Sun I hung out deferring to the weekend traffic.

Monday Jimmie, Jan, and I went for a ride. gentle pace that kept me aerobic all but 2 minutes. Still, it is Sedona riding that is never really easy.

Funny, I have been dissing the calorie burned the Edge computer. For the effort I put out I think I burned a 6 pack of hand crafted beer. Instead I earned just a beer. I tracked my driving GPS track from VOC to Sedona driving. Amazing, average speed was 28 mph and i burned 680 cals while working the pedals and turning the wheel, thinking was common to driving and heart propelled.

Tues was a PT visit and a rest day. The Deer Pass park area is very popular, the most it has been in my 5 years here. I take an after ride shower down in VOC then camp out on Beaverhead flats road where little sharing is required. I park less than 1/8 mile off the hard road. In the morning I watch rigs passing me on the ay to the hard road as they were further back in. The official FS recognized roads are too rough for me to drive back to where they go. Nobody can hit me w/ a beer can where I park and it is too cold to take an outside shower.

Wed I drove out Dry Creek rd to Chuck Wagon trail. Out here the trails are less technical and offer pedaling. 16 mile loop using: Chuck Wagon, Gunslinger, Mescal, Deadmans, Aerie, Cockscomb, AZ Cypress, Anaconda, Girdner, and Chuck Wagon. I only stopped to help first aid a rider w/ a broken collar bone on Mescal. exceeded my high heart rate for almost half the ride but burned more calories. Still I was snookered afterwards.

I stopped @ Safeway afterwards. Munchies attached that only a piece of red velvet cake would slake. Once back home I forced the cover open and stabbed a mouthful piece. I opened my jaw and the hinge on my right side went clicking crazy. Chewing painfree wasn’t happening. Treatment required. I drove to my dentist to learn what’s up. TMJ was pronounced. Who do you refer to? I called, learned a bunch of stuff, I called my insurance company to learn of coverage. Good to go. Today I a full head Xray was taken @ my dentist. The TMJ dentist works the muscles and maybe an appliance to correct the problem. I have an appointment on Monday when i return from Hawaii.

I did my wash today and rested. The forecast called for 40% showers, a few drops fell, some streaked my windshield. It is so dry here.

The Zags play tonight, watching @ PJs.

Tomorrow I am driving to Phoenix Best Western stopping to ride Black Canyon trail if rain does not fall.

Fun socialization and poor internet connection when by myself leads to not much recording. I have been chasing moonshine then consuming what i find which affects my motivation and certainly impairs lucid comments.

So, I am still here in Sedona gradually building up my ride time and technical challenges. yesterday was a hard day out Dry Creek area of Last Frontier, Western Civ, Cockscomb, Aerie, Cockscomb, AZ Cypress, Girdner loop.  Classic Sedona pedaling locations, 15.24 miles, climbing 1769′ taking 2 hours 4 mins burning 886 cals. I was sufficiently depleted upon completion.  Beautiful day. Bone dry trails in places deep sand. I am loosing my adipose tissue allowing my pants extra fit room.

Yesterday I drove down to Cottonwood to have my fridge serviced: cleaning out the burner orifice which affects the cooling properties. Jet cleaned and the fridge temp is down to just above freezing.

Next was a stop @ Discount Tire to have 2 new tires put on per the tire recall notice. They are the M/S2s which I had on the front 2 years ago that just caused the van to roll in the turns. These tires are on the rear. I tested them on the drive from Sedona to VOC in the round abouts. On the back what roll there was was manageable. Maybe they are better tires and have better traction, dunno.

I stopped to visit Dean @ Zoomers. Dean taught me where to find water in the desert. Quite the free thinking character. A guy in his shop is selling electric assist conversions.

I bought a new fifth of shine then shared it w/ riders @ BnB. Guys leaving the shop w/ a glow.

There is a gang of riders here all 3 degrees of separation from Shenandoah Cycles in Harrisonburg, VA here. Included are several riders from Sun Valley. Fun times tonight after shop ride.

Last Wed I worked on that trail project requiring a hike in and out. Thurs when I woke up my left knee was very painful. I didn’t remember twisting it. I fretted about it. I also on same side suffering from an old dirt bike crash damaging my left foot. I played the worst scenario that my leg was shot. I had a PT session on Wed where Paige confirmed that the problem was muscle inbalance and lack of strength in the leg. She gave me stretches and exercises that have cleared the leg issue up. However, the foot pain is unfixable by PT.

Next Friday I drive down to Phoenix for Sat departure to Hawaii. Hotel room stay and shuttle to and from the airport plus hopefully secure parking while I am gone.

My Sedona headaches appear to be mitigated by applying a drop of peppermint oil on both temples. The oil causes my eyes to water and blurs my vision temporarily which I discovered early in yesterday’s ride.

PUSH fixed the leak in my fork. I have a Revelation fork for sale: PUSH tuned, 26″ wheel. Let me know your interest.

No pics to share. Just more of the same wonderful weather and solo rides.

Bike and Bean shop ride this afternoon.

Mike, the LEO, finally found me to share a conversation last Wed @ Deer Pass after dark. I shared the Freehub mag w/ him in which there is a pic of him. I asked if he would autograph it. No way he said.

BYU on their home court beat Gonzaga last night. I watched it @ PJ’s while being audibly bombarded by angry, ranging, blaring music from the sound machine. I almost left but either their money ran out or it was time for them to leave. The silence was almost deafening.

Yesterday I bared my legs wearing shorts after my ride: 75 degrees; blue cloudless skies, dry trails, oh well.

I keep knibbling on this visits’ unridden trails. Yesterday I added Last Frontier to the mix connecting to Western Civ and finishing on Girdner climb out. The ride was 11 miles in 1 hr 35 mins, of that time 1:01 was anaerobic which at the conclusion left me drained. The Pike fork continues to reward and satisfy me w/ its performance; its travel is 150 mm (5.9″) and it gives me all but 1/4″ w/o bottoming out. The stiffer legs allow me to more aggressively steer, that coupled to a worn Minion tire keeps the front end going where I want it to go.

I drove back down to Bike and Bean in Village of Oak Creek (VOC) for socialization. It’s all about chore avoidance.

Wed I helped on a trail reroute project w/ VVCC and the FS. The reroute eliminated an unsustainable portion of Hog Heaven dirt switchbacks.

I left b4 the project was completed for my PT session. Paige, the PT, is continually amazed @ how much I am improving. I keep asking her questions about recovery and any damage I might be causing. There is no impingement in the joint. My range of motion is super. I am 21 weeks out from surgery repair.

Wed night I attended the monthly Verde Valley Cycling Coalition (VVCC) meeting. Lars is the president. Just  5 of the board members attended, no club members even though it was an open meeting. Ah, the joys of a club. Common issue is lack of membership participation, just a few do the heavy lifting for the masses. Sedona is a world class riding destination where just a few people work on the trails for the benefit of all riders. I contribute every chance I get to pay back.

Last night I watched the Zags down here @ PJs then slept in the parking lot @ BnB.

Today I am riding on the shop ride, my first.