I spent a quiet night at sleep spot. Warm night that I trusted the furnace to and it met the challenge. Low 40s. The heater exceeded the heat loss of the van keeping me toasty. Too toasty as I changed the blanket layers several times. How nice the furnace would be if it used an actual thermostat, How nice to sleep in say 50 degrees and the furnace would perform at that setting. Furnace will cycle successfully.

Today I will ride south on the BCT, again as an out and back. I pedaled away rolling right onto challenging trail w/ 30 feet of warm up. More of the same type of trail until it dropped down an abandoned single lane jeep road. Nasty. Bummer because i will return the same way pushing my bike up the rubble.

How about the cholla spines glistening in the sun light

I was lacking snap in my spin. I turned around 37 mins into the ride. I was fatigued from yesterday. On the way back I ran into Bill and Amy doing my ride. They ride only once a week and were going past my turnaround. Bigger troopers than whenie me.

Another 72 sunny degree day. I sat in the sun during a snack. No sign of sun burning on my pale skin.

Drove back to Bike and Bean for a shower and socialization until after dark then drove back to beaverhead.

Trails are still too muddy here. I watched a guy ride out from the parking lot. Too muddy to be riding. He came back pretty muddy. The shop was closed, he asked if he could use the hose to wash his bike off. He was told the hose was frozen and turned off and the shop was closed. He received a little peer curse for riding on muddy trail.

Visitors come to ride and maybe have just a few days to ride. The locals can wait out dry trails to not damage the trail. The visitor rides in the wet and damages the trail then drives off into the sunset leaving the locals to deal w/ their caused damage. You visitors think about visitors riding your local trails and not staying behind to fix what they did. Therefore, you should treat other places trails the same.

Yesterday I rode my bike during Simon’s skills clinic and found that I was able to ride within discomfort level.

I watched the Zags on big screen @ PJs. Over the years some of the staff and I are on friendly terms. Joy, an attractive bar tender, knows me and that I come down to watch Gonzaga on TV. Hi Joy, Joy, “Hi, what channel and what time?” She sets me up w/ at least one TV. Tonight she kept the big screen off back at the pool tables. At the broadcast time she turned it on and I had a TV to myself. I moved to a table just at the screen from another table while watching playoff NFL football. A guy visited asking me if I moved because he and his lady were making too much noise. No, I told him about watching the Zags. He told me he bets on sports. My table was right outside the ladies room. His girl walked by later and said Hi. My server visited me and said someone wanted to buy me a beer. She said she needed to check w/ me because I am known to drink just 2 beers. I said yes and asked who it was. She said it was the woman. She came over later and I thanked her. She was sincere  but she blocked my view of the game for several minutes while I politely engaged in conversation. Zags won. It was my second beer.

I drove out to view point on Beaverhead. A minivan was parked almost where I park. Lights were off and frost had settled on the gray van. I drove up on the leveling blocks I placed under the rear wheels. Cold clear night. Moonlight. I ran both heaters till bedtime then shut off the furnace.

22 degrees this AM.

I fixed bfast of 2 scrambled eggs and 2 pieces of toast buttered with honey. My toaster is really a bread broiler. Couglouhans(?) stuff that is marked as real backpacking stuff. It has 4 individual wire frames to hold 1 slice of bread at a leaning angle. The frames are connected to a thin metal plate that is put over the stove burner. Toast one side until satisfied then turn over and repeat. I do use a small non stick frying pan for the eggs. I drink cold brewed coffee using the Tods Toddy brewing hopper and the carafe.

Today I set out heading south on I-17 towards Phoenix into sun and cloudless skies. Dropped down to 2779′ at BumbleBee exit. Saguaro cactus, Sonoran desert. I parked where the Black Canyon Trail (BCT) crosses Bumble bee. Several rigs had the same idea.

Today is my first ride in 3 weeks and still dealing w/ sore rib. I am riding different tread that required calibrating reflexes to the decomposing rock. BCT is a cross country trail built to gently climb and traverse hill sides and washes. My riding plan was to ride out for 1 hour then turn around. Bierman called me on  a climb. Jimmy called me at the turn around point. I turned around on the dot. I ran into Darrel from Form bikes, his manufacturing company and a Bean regular. Broken lumpy rock, narrow, twisting this way then coming back to over there. Near the community of Bumble Bee is a piece of trail I helped build back a bunch of years ago.

This is what the trail lives in

No snow. I did roll over several wet spots was all that past storm dropped.

First ride back. 14.72 miles in 1 hr 58 mins. I burned 1010 calories. My max HR was 162 and the average was 143, 7 beats above thresh hold. I was just riding as I could. So now I know I can beat my heart and still drink a beer recovery drink.

I am sleeping at the trail crossing planning on riding south out and back. Again turn around at 1 hour or the Agua Fria river crossing.

I-17 south bound caused the road cut on the far hillside.

I visited w/ several riders as they prepared to drive away. 2 Canadian guys told of riding so far south on the trail that they rode the Interstate back facing traffic. 2 groups from Sedona that I know.

Starting just b4 sundown rigs pulling ATV type rigs have climbed out of the basin. I did not see that many rigs parked along Bumble Bee road which is below the trail. Lots of rigs out in the desert.

I started out w/ a wool long underwear top under a short sleeve jersey. I over worked the need for the insulation and took it off. back at my van I stripped to just my liners and sat in my chair soaking up sunshine. Tomorrow I’ll check for tan lines. I also have a few scratches from trailside vegetation.

I harbored hesitation before and in the early part of the ride, my touch was dulled by off bike days and I would learn what my bruised rib would allow me. My confidence increased as I rode on. I didn’t need much upper body horsing the bike around. How will I sleep and what will I feel like tomorrow morning?

Not a bad deal for recovery: nobody is riding. Several riders have stopped by after their ride and showed the color red mud.

Yesterday a chiro session corrected alignment closer to design. He said my leg lengths are almost the same now.

Yesterday I drove up to West Sedona to do my wash and run several errands. George sold the laundromat to his daughter and retired. Clean clothes but no George. New Frontiers food store is now Whole Foods. I stopped @ a used bookstore searching for a book, Not there but I spied “Is there a Problem, Officer?” book written by a cop w/ intent of teaching how a driver might get out of a ticket and learn a bit about what goes on between the ears of a cop. I am acquiring knowledge just in case I am ever faced w/ a traffic violation. In my 140,000 some miles of driving I have yet to make a mistake in view of a cop.

Back to hanging @ the Bean till late afternoon then drove out to Beaverhead. Camp access is still too soft.

This morning @ 8:30AM @ Bike and Bean Simon was to teach a skills clinic on high speed turning. I was there on time for 21 degrees. Simon arrived later. I was the only student so we hung in the comfortable heat. We did go out later and he put me thru a session. I learned counter weighting. Learning techniques  took some time to assimilate. I got it. Worked well on the pavement, dirt will require greater confidence. Ice melted and ran as the lesson progressed.

Hanging here in the parking lot. Zags play @ 7:30. Then return to Beaverhead.

New Years Day I watched football. Oregon and Florida first where in spite of the blow out I watched it all, I had no dog in the fight. Next game was home state OSU against Alabama. The first half was bad for OSU and to me it appeared that they would be blown out. I had enough and slid off my chair and headed to Beaverhead. On the way I tuned into the game on XM. Whoa! OSU came to life and finally beat Alabama. You got to know when to hold’em and when to fold. I jumped too early.

Planning on riding some of Black Canyon trail. Riders returned from yesterday’s ride reported great conditions. Sonoran desert.

I have been enjoying the output of the 2 heaters. The furnace is cooperating by starting more frequently.

The most important things in life are: Old dogs, children, and watermelon wine.

I received notice from the data extractors working on my hard drive. Most, but not all files, were retrievable. Bill is $1,100. That will teach me to control my temper.