21 weeks post surgery

Yeah, I loose track of time. I just kinda hang @ Bike and Bean mixing in some riding or hiking.

Sat. Danny and I rode a bit of upper Dry Creek drainage until his rear hub took another dump.We stopped to fix the wobble in the hub. The allen set screw was so buggered up he used the can opener blade on a Leatherman wearing my reading glasses. We couldn’t tighten it down so he bailed to limp back.

Danny and hub
Danny and hub

We drove separately to the Culture park TH. I still had more riding to do. In my telling riders that I am improving I hope I really am. My shoulder normally hurts after the ride, I have never shortened a ride because of sensation of pain. The fork really enables my riding in that the suspension is plush and stiff as in little flex. My technical skills are gaining confidence, key here is momentum: keep pedaling. I still have several places that I have not ridden even from past years. Presently I am being very careful to remain upright.

Sat I watched the Zags @ PJs, Memphis beat  them. Spent the night in BnB parking lot.

Sunday Danny showed up @ the Bean. We went for a ride. His plan was Hiline and mine was less technical and shorter. This being 2 days in a row. I made a short loop riding down Easy Breezy. I ran into Wally who is 71 yo that I have known for years. He said we chatted for an hour. Joe Murray joined us. Danny pedaled up after he left. Danny trashed his rear tire such that Stans couldn’t help. He put in a non slimed tube that was punctured by the thorns sticking thru from the outside of the tire. He stopped several times to pump in air. We flew down Shades. What a bike: super fork, big low pressure tubeless tires, highly powerful Formula brakes, all mounted on a Turner 5 Spot..

Monday I made a rest day.

Tues. I made a ride day from Bike and Bean. Another go down Easy returning on Llama. There were 5 other named trails in the loop. Just keep pedaling, loft the front wheel however much then lean forward. Just a regular spectacular Sedona day under cloudless blue skies heated to 72 degrees.

exit climb out of Breezy looking @ part of Cathedral
exit climb out of Breezy looking @ part of Cathedral

In between the red slick rock sections there is sand, some ridden in to almost adobe baked or loose, and broken rock fragments. The hardened sand is fast. Today on Llama I encountered 2 horse people. I followed the horse tracks a ways. A tread that didn’t hold a foot print or tire track was scared from the horse shoes. There should be no deniers that horses are destructive.

I am running again a worn Minion 2.3 on the front because it offers great traction and performance, better than the replaced 2.4 Conti Trail King.

I drove out to Deer Pass camp area, seems 5 other groups selected the same place. I pulled in and nosed into a juniper tree about 20 feet off the gravel road. Wow, packed.

Tomorrow is a trail work morning then PT then a bike club meeting. Busy day.