Mac Daddy repair shop told me my drive shaft was toast and could cease to turn sometime in the immediate future. I chose not to find that limit so I just hung in Fruita, I didn’t even drive out to Kokopellis. I had a 5 day break off the bike.

I have had an excruciating head ache getting worse since my fall back in Spokane. Tues I went to the quick fix clinic. I told the medic that the DR in GJ said it was a sinus infection and gave me an antibiotic. She said if it doesn’t clear up, perhaps another kind of anti and maybe have a CT of my head. I scored a CT scan and a new batch of meds. My resting HR in the DR office was 48 bpm w/97% O2 saturation.

The drive shaft didn’t make it Wed as I suspected it wouldn’t.

Wed AM I had my head CT @ Fruita hospital. Afterwards I drove into GJ to Macs for the drive shaft replacement. The owner sure talks his knowledge. Drive shaft successfully installed. They let me touch the worn part after it was removed. I didn’t get to fondle the new part. The U joint bearings did not spin freely, with effort they would turn. They scoped the electronics and found no thrown codes. They remarked how strong my van is, like a sports car. I attend to most maintenance and don’t abuse the van. I am less stressed now knowing the good condition my ride is in. If only the furnace was as good.

Drove back to Fruita. CT results read by PA. No sign of brain damage from bike fall. Relieved. However the cause of the headache remains unsolved. I did buy the next med.

Fruita PO called me telling me my plates were in. Huh? I understood but the county license dept and I worked  out a time line and a shipping location which is Hurricane, UT. I had no reason to check the PO for them. During my previous visit tracking down the temp tag that the Postal System lost I left them my phone number. Days after the tags arrived one of the clerks matched the mail to my phone # and gave me a call. I now have legal new plates and tabs on my home.

I drove I70 from Fruita to US 191, the drag that goes thru Moab. I turned off @ the North end of the Klondike trail and camped where I have in the past. Again, I was the only rig out there.

Several furnace restarts for it to catch. I run it till it can’t keep up w/ heat loss then turn on the catalytic. Arrangement works. Seems if outside temp is 40 and above the furnace will keep up.

Today was sunny and bright w/ a nip. My ride was to do what I wanted to do last time: Alaska, Nome, and Homer. I started about 10AM. had entire ride all by myself. Good chunky trails. The elevation seems to be continually regained from the downhills. Full body work out. 11.59 miles climbing 1543 in 1 hr 42 mins. Trails are challenging enough to ride again and again but mix in other trails.

I drove back to town. Water refill @ Matrimony spring. I checked out the community center for a shower. I saw people inside but the doors were locked: private party. No shower. The laundromat was open and I have clean dry clothes.

Moab Brewery featured Holiday menu. Turkey dinner w/ fixings. Acceptable. I watched some football. At 6:30 the Seahawks play that I will go back in and watch. I didn’t see campers on Willow Springs when I went by so I am counting on finding a place for the night.

In CO pot is legal. Here in Moab just over the border it is not.

I listened to the Zags last night on XM. No internet viewing site found. Please share a site if you know of one.

I applied for and was accepted for a VISA card, I don’t need the money, I need electronic access to it. No debit card in my mailbox.

Weather here is clear, upper 20s at night and mid 50s during the hot part of the day. My next big stop is Hurricane, I go there because I got snow chased out and I have fun there. The trails here are more varied and longer.

Last night in Max’s side yard sleep spot the furnace ran because I didn’t shut it off when it started earlier in the day. Chilly here in Fruita. So great to return to a warm house you will agree. However, the outside temp dropped below a threshold that the heat loss exceeded the heat input. I ran the catalytic heater enjoying the heat and only hearing house doors slam not the white noise of the blower.

Today I drove to Macs Daddy repair shop eastern GJ for my 9:00 appointment to suss out the noise. Mech drove while I occupied the space between the seats calling out the noise. Back at the shop I waited expectantly for the fix. I am more concerned about time being held against my will. Mechanic sought me out in the deserted except me clean waiting room that had way more women type mags than guys cars and hunting. Told me it is  the drive shaft. It’s toast and how it has held up is somebody else’s guess. Part will be drop shipped to them perhaps as early as tomorrow. When it enters their door they will call me and I will sanely drive to the shop. Should really figure on Wed install.

I was noticing that my battery volts were dropping faster than I remember. I found the Interstate warehouse in GJ and asked for a battery check. Learned battery was defective and would be covered under warranty. It was fixable.

I drove back to Fruita. I found  an attractive bottle of moonshine in a liquor store that separated money from me. Tasty. Drinking single malt Scotch from the appropriate glass has a sense of elegance. Moonshine is pour glugs into my beer glass and sort of swallow.

The furnace continues to disappoint. First was my lack of diligence in not matching heat output w/ heat loss. I can live w/ that. The big problem is the plugging the smaller than American appliances orifice from the junk left in the propane, Americans use bigger holes. Haven’t found an in line propane fuel filter that would catch the gunk b4 the regulator. I wonder about the filter. The RV shop here in GJ that serviced it won’t let it back in their shop. They just air blew the piping. The shop in Moab used a solvent that GJ said might cause a chemical reaction w/ propane. Propane tank has to be removed to be purged. 21 degrees last night. I use the furnace when it starts till bed time then turn it off and ignite the catalytic for warmth. I will let the Moab guy clean again, maybe something else is blocking.

I don’t want to be on a bike ride when the drive shaft arrives and I do want to limit my driving. Weather is improving.

back story: suspected transmission issue in the Sprinter. Have an appointment this Monday in Grand Junction. I drove N out of Moab to N Klondike TH for 2 days of riding.

What happened:

I scored the campspot right near the TH. Mid afternoon. Went for a hike b4 sundown up Homer then bush bashed down wash to pick up Dino flow back to van. The light and clarity of the sky is just flat out breath taking for me. What wonders. I decided I would ride Homer downhill. Below freezing night w/ furnace running all night for 50 degrees. Sun warmth brought comfort.

Charlie told me about the green trails on the other side of the road  going from TH to TH and to hook up w/ like EKG back. And that is what I did. Hand built for mtn biking. Some is just rake and ride

Down @ the southern end I was greeted by Teddy from a previous ride w/ Will. I rode Miners, a loop trail, then onto EKG.

EKG is the more technical trail down low. Amazing that it hardly leaves the 4800′ contour but just goes up and down w/ undulating bouts in between. Lots of rocks but it is mostly bedrock. Pay attention to wheel stoppers: Loft the front wheel over. Amazingly torturous. I rode EKG almost all the way, I bailed down to Dino, an easier trail, because I was wearing down. Riding here is all over body work out. Mental challenge also. The 16.88 miles climbing 1679′ taking 2 hrs 21 mins of pedaling tells numbers, the effort is unmeasurable. I really like the trails here in Moab.

B4 sundown I went for another hike just soaking in the intensely clear blue sky and the stuff on the ground. Spectacular.

Today, Saturday, I planned to ride new trails out here: Alaska, Nome, and Homer. Weather forecast was gray, chilly, and breezy. Future forecast was for precip possibly. I was camped out 2 miles on a questionable wetness, being some clay.

I rode out Dino Flow to Baby Steps North which climbed up to ALaska. From bottom to top elevation is about 200′, however the terrain provides opportunities to the trail builders to lengthen the riding experience. I use Backcountry Navigator to GPS track each ride then reride virtually studying the topography. The trails   use a strip maybe 3/4 mile by maybe 8 miles long. Creating the trail was an exercise in problem avoidance: the painted line was just a marking for consideration. I did find it gave the best line. Then Alaska on top.

During the ride I kept watching the sky that was projecting adverse changing weather. Forecast was calling for possible snow Sat but clear on Sun. I decided to pull up stakes and drive to Fruita before the roads might get bad. More just pay attention and you’ll be OK trails. 10.7 miles climbing 1344′. Another work out.

This morning I received a text from Theresa telling me Charlie has a serious head injury from a canyoneering accident last Sunday. He is in a hospital in Grand Junction. Charlie, here is full balst of my energy for a free get out of hospital card. Use it now.

The repair shop guy back in Moab put the fear of roadside break down in UT in me. I needed to drive about 60 miles on I70, most of it in not too friendly, if you know what I mean, UT. My driving plan was to keep the pedal engaged for a transmission load. Whatever.. . I crossed into CO and safety. I rolled into Fruita under my own power. I bought groceries then a shower @ the community center. Clean I visited OTE and told of my adventures to a captive audience with no bike repair work. I walked part of a block in the rain to the Hot Tomato for cash paid dinner.

No card replacement mail.

Hurricane, UT is my next big stay. Fastest is the interstate straight thru or 1 of 2 winding back roads. One goes thru Moab. I plan on taking that one adding more riding. Depends upon the weather, I can weather the cold, I don’t enjoy the cold and wind, but the stopper will be freeze thaw mud. My license plates are sent to Hurricane, the temps expire in Jan. Not having a money card is hampering my choices, I don’t like the old way. Out of state check & DL won’t pay the bill.

Sleeping on a corner lot in older residential neighborhood @ OTE Max’s. Snow forecast for tonight and tomorrow, not  alot. I will limit mileage till the repair. Guy ran into me @ Hot Tomato saying he read on Sprinter forum about my condition he told me was rumblestrip noise. Said it is torque converter and is  not a killer repair bill. I will hear the news on Monday.

I am in legal CO in a rig that is still amulatory legally parked on firm surface a few miles from the doctor. Anxiety is gone.