Makes for a sore shoulder, add in a slip out fall. Tourons w/ a compressed schedule hammer out dyas of straight riding because they go home. I really don’t need to ride every day. I’ll give up adding another rider to the trails on weekends. Oh, tomorrow is Sunday, another day to ride. Rest is good.
Wed I rode from Beaverhead up and down House Mtn on beat up double tracks sharing quality time w/ blank look bovines. I know I was there because of their spoils found my tires. Good grunt ride up working on powerful pedal strokes. Loose limestone chunks mixed in w/ the basalt chunks. This time I made it to the top of House mtn and looked out up into the canyon. What a view.
The descent was fast. I rode here way back in Jan as an easy ride during recovery and my old fork. Today, I was stronger and enjoyed the power and control that the new Pike fork gives. Drop the seat, preload a rock, and make the straight line.
Wed eve friend Steve from Sun Valley arrived. We camped out Beaverhead flats. Thurs I drove up to West Sedona do do my laundry. Clean clothes for another week, 6 days of riding clothes hung on the drying line inside my van. We planned a ride out Dry Creek. For Steve it was his first day and of not riding back in snowy Wood River Valley. He rides a 29ner full suspension bike. Today he followed me. I invited him to dinner. I wanted to share my Captain Craig chicken dish. (new recipe name given by Rebecca). I made mashed yukon gold potatoes to serve underneath. Then I cleaned the spoils up left in my kitchen.
Friday was the big dance for Gonzaga. Steve is also a fan. We rode early in the day to be back in time to watch. I shared new trails for Steve on Hog Wash which is a blue square tech ride on the whole w/ some difficult moves just under black diamond status.
The smooth trail tread is created by the bike tires popping the rocks off the line. Hikers need to appreciate the trail grooming the bikers do for them. This is a simple roll up move. Later on I miscalculated on an off camber uphill roll up losing traction then falling. I managed to protect my right shoulder by sacrificing my left side. Now both shoulders are hurting.
The route took us up to Chicken Point. Above us was the infamous scary, really scary, White Line. The pic captures the line crossing the center of the pic. What it doesn’t show is the exposure. The rider rides from right to left to the snout, turns into the fall line for about 20 feet then a left hand turn to return a narrow ledge. One time i watched a rider ride the Line. way way out of my desire to ride it.
The Zags reciprocated physical toughness and beat Oklahoma resulting in 61 fouls. Next up is number 1 seed Arizona on Sunday. I see a local clash pulling against an in state team. Go Zags.
Last night was another free flowing Friday night post shop ride party. The shop provides free keg beer and I the moonshine. I ate part of a brownie and sipped a few fingers of shine. I slept in my van in the parking lot.
Today is a rest day. I did my rotator cuff strengthening exercises this morning with all parts working.
Sunday folks from Oakridge are arriving.
I have been staying out off Beaverhead road and hanging here in VOC. There is competition for open camping spots. And tourist traffic plugs rt 179 going up to Sedona.